Los Angeles County public health officials have issued a new warning to pet owners to stop feeding dogs and cats raw pet food due to H5N1 infections. bird flu A virus was detected in a product sample.
“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health advises residents not to feed their pets Monarch Raw pet food, which is sold at some farmers markets in California,” the agency said. The virus was confirmed in a pet cat in Los Angeles County. I have a virus. Four other cats in the same household were also “presumed to have tested positive for H5 avian influenza after ingesting the product.”
The health department urged residents who have fed their pets raw Monarch food or other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pets exhibiting unusual behavior to contact their veterinarian immediately.
“Residents should avoid consuming all raw milk and raw meat products and avoid feeding them to pets,” the agency stressed in a statement on Tuesday.
Cats infected with H5N1 avian influenza can develop a severe, rapidly progressive disease with symptoms ranging from neurological changes and respiratory disease to liver disease.
Health officials said there have been no confirmed human cases of avian influenza associated with contact with these cats.
Los Angeles health officials on Tuesday did not mention an official recall of Monarch products, and the company did not provide information about the recall or the bird flu incident on its website.
Warning issued after previous raw pet food recall over bird flu
Oregon Domestic Cats and Cat Deaths Recent pet food recalls had already raised questions about the continuing outbreak of bird flu and how people can protect their pets.
Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced Tuesday that it is voluntarily recalling one 2-pound lot of Cat Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after testing positive for the virus. The product was sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and British Columbia, Canada.
Northwest Naturals
The recalled foods have a “use by date” of May 21, 2026 and June 23, 2026. Consumers must throw it away and contact the place of purchase to receive a refund.
Avian influenza has been prevalent in wild birds, chickens, turkeys, and many other animals for many years. It was first confirmed in dairy cows in the United States in March.
The virus has caused sporadic, mostly mild illness in people in the United States, and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. Once the virus is discovered, all birds on the farm are killed to reduce the spread of the disease.
Top vet warns against feeding raw food to pets
The Oregon Health Authority traced the cat’s illness to frozen Northwest Naturals cat food that contained raw turkey. Virus was recovered from recalled pet food and matched to infected cats.
Some pet owners feed their animals raw meat, which can be dangerous and even fatal to the animals, said Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Cooking meat and pasteurizing raw milk destroys avian influenza viruses and other pathogens.
“Raw milk and raw meat products can and do transmit this virus,” he said.
Although cases of infection are rare, cats appear to be particularly susceptible to the avian influenza virus, or type A H5N1. Even before the outbreak of cattle infections, there were cases of cat infections associated with wild birds and poultry. Dozens of cats have been infected with the virus since March. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, zoo and wild big cats.
Dogs don’t seem to be as vulnerable as cats, but they should only eat fully cooked food, Bailey says.
Mr Bailey said cats should not drink unpasteurized dairy products or eat raw meat, and pet owners should keep cats away from wild birds, livestock and poultry.
Don’t let them roam freely outdoors. “Because cats don’t know what they’re doing. Cats have an innate ability to hunt, and one of the animals they love to hunt is birds,” he said.
Are cat owners worried about bird flu? Here’s what you need to know:
Experts say people should avoid touching sick or dead birds and wash their hands thoroughly after handling poultry or animals.
Cats with avian influenza may experience loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever.
If your cat is normally playful and likes to look out the window, but is always sleeping or hiding from you, be careful, says Bailey. “Something’s wrong,” he said.
Your eyes may become red or inflamed, and you may have discharge from your eyes or nose. You may have difficulty breathing, tremors, or seizures.
If your cat is sick, contact your veterinarian and keep your cat away from people with weakened immune systems.
Can pets spread avian influenza to their owners?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is unlikely, but possible, that a pet owner could contract avian influenza through direct contact with an infected pet.
Health authorities noted an outbreak of infectious diseases in 2016. Bird flu spread from cats to humans Reported in New York City. The infected veterinarian developed mild flu symptoms due to prolonged contact with sick cats without the use of personal protective equipment.
Aliza Chasan contributed to this report.
