Two house cats in Oregon were euthanized after testing positive for bird flu linked to raw chicken pet food, state agriculture officials said Friday. The cats, from separate households, ate the same brand, Wild Coast Raw, before falling ill. Testing confirmed the virus in both the cats and food samples.
The outbreak, which began in 2022, has infected millions of poultry, thousands of dairy cattle, and nearly 70 people since April. The CDC says the risk to the public remains low. Officials advised against feeding raw or undercooked meat to pets.
Wild Coast Raw sources its chicken from California, using human-grade poultry inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Owner Tyler Duncan said the company is working with a third-party lab to screen for bird flu. California has seen mass poultry losses, with two-thirds of its dairy herds infected since August.
Last month, the USDA recommended increased turkey testing in Minnesota and South Dakota after another Oregon cat died from bird flu after eating raw turkey pet food.
The Trump administration has disrupted the U.S. bird flu response as the crisis worsens, sources told Reuters. Minnesota’s Board of Animal Health reported difficulties in obtaining USDA information on turkey testing, while the CDC has delayed a report on bird flu infections in indoor cats.
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