Is your pet food safe from bird flu? The vet offers advice

A few human cases bird flu (H5N1) have been reported across the US, and the virus has also been shown to be fatal in cats.

Dozens of cats have reportedly contracted the virus since the current outbreak began in March 2024.

While bird flu worries some people about certain foods human foodWhat does this mean for your pet’s food safety?

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Jim Keen, DVM, director of veterinary sciences at the Maryland Center for Humane Economics, noted that infected cats show respiratory and neurological symptoms.

Cats are “extremely susceptible” to the current strain circulating among waterfowl and domestic poultry, he told Fox News Digital.

Domestic cats can be exposed to and infected with bird flu through contact with infected wild birds or poultry, live or dead, according to experts. Contact with infected dairy cattle and their milk can also cause infection.

“Outdoor cats, feral cats and feral cats can kill and eat wild birds who are sick with bird flu,” Keen added.

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Cats can also contract bird flu by eating raw poultry meat or unpasteurized dairy products, such as raw cat food or raw milk.

While there have been no reports of dogs being infected with bird flu in the US, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there have been deaths in other countries – but dogs tend to show mild symptoms and low mortality compared to cats.

Industry standards

While the FDA is currently investigating the raw cat food contamination, Keen reassured the ad cat food that does not contain raw poultry products “should be safe”.

On Jan. 17, the FDA issued an advisory stating the need for manufacturers of cat and dog foods — regulated by the FDA that use uncooked or unpasteurized poultry or beef ingredients — to “re-analyze their food safety plans” to include avian influenza as a “known or reasonably foreseeable danger”.

“The FDA is monitoring cases of H5N1 in domestic and feral cats in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington state that have been linked to consumption of contaminated food products,” the notice said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the FDA for comment.

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dr. Andrea Y. Tu, Head of Veterinary Behavioral Medicine at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group in New Yorkshared with Fox News Digital that there was a lack of regulation surrounding raw food, which has become increasingly popular among pet owners.

In most cases, pet food that is freeze-dried or raw has not been heated to a hot enough temperature (165 degrees) to kill the virus, meaning these foods are “not safe,” Tu warned.

“The medical community … does not recommend raw food,” she said. “Especially now with the risk of highly pathogenic bird fluwe have evidence to show that this is not safe.”

Protection of your pets

The risk of mortality in domestic cats infected with bird flu can be as high as 67%, according to Tu.

Pet owners should consider taking several precautions to ensure animal safety.

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Especially for cats, experts recommend keeping them indoors to prevent access to infected birds, especially in regions where cases have been confirmed.

“This virus has also been reported in house mice,” said Tu. “Cats go hunting, so trying to keep them away from undocumented food sources is probably my top recommendation.”

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Both Keen and Tu advised against feeding raw milk, raw cream or raw pet food to pets.

“If you’re cooking your own pet food at home, make sure it’s heated to 165 degrees,” Tu reiterated.

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If you suspect that your pet has contracted bird flu, contact your veterinarian.