Pet food recalled for bird flu contamination after house cat eats it and dies
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Raw and frozen pet food that tested positive for the bird flu is being recalled after a house cat consumed it and died. Northwest Naturals’ two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe was found to be contaminated with the H5N1 strain of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) on Thursday.
![[Urgent recall for pet food contaminated with bird flu issued after cat dies To date, one case of illness in a domestic cat has been reported in connection with this issue, but no human cases have been linked to it Northwest Naturals, based out of Portland, Oregon, is voluntarily recalling bags of its 'Turkey Recipe' raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the bird flu virus.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234260621-7da5.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
An indoor cat that ate the food died, and testing by several agencies including the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed a genetic match of the viruses in the feline and the product. ‘We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food,’ stated ODA State Veterinarian Dr Ryan Scholz.
![[High angle view of tabby cat looking at hand holding bowl with cat food]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234292374-7028.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other.’. The cat’s owners are being monitored by health officials for bird flu symptoms.
‘This case reminds us that feeding raw meat products to pets or consuming them yourself can lead to severe illness,’ stated the ODA advisory. No human cases have been linked to the incident so far. The Oregon-based pet food maker is voluntarily recalling the product that came in plastic bags with best by dates from May 21, 2026 to June 23, 2026.
