Oregon House Cat Dies After Eating Pet Food Contaminated with Bird Flu – Recall Issued

The recent death of an Oregon house cat due to bird flu has sparked concerns among pet owners nationwide. The cat died after consuming raw frozen pet food from Northwest Naturals, a pet food company based in Portland, Oregon. The company has voluntarily recalled one batch of its Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus.

According to Oregon authorities, the cat was strictly an indoor pet and did not have any exposure to the virus in its environment. Genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and the infected cat were exact matches to each other.

The recalled product is packaged in two-pound plastic bags with specific expiration dates. Consumers who purchased the product are advised to discard it immediately and contact the place of purchase for a refund. While no human cases of bird flu have been linked to the incident, individuals who were in contact with the cat are being monitored for flu symptoms.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported more than 60 human cases of bird flu in eight states, with mostly mild illnesses. However, one person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with severe illness caused by the virus. In Oregon, one human case of bird flu has been confirmed, with the individual fully recovering after experiencing mild symptoms.

In late October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the first detection of bird flu in U.S. swine, with a pig at a backyard farm in Oregon testing positive for the virus. The spread of bird flu in animals and humans is a growing concern, and authorities are urging pet owners to be cautious and monitor their pets’ health closely.