United States: Bird flu in cats has been traced back to contaminated raw pet food in recent cases.
The Food and Drug Administration urges manufacturers to enhance their food safety plans while simultaneously issuing guides for pet families to safeguard their pets against possible H5N1 exposure.
More about the news
Pet food producers that handle raw or unpasteurized ingredients from poultry or cattle received notification from the FDA on January 17 to modify their safety plans regarding bird flu risks.
Under FDA authoritative requirements, food manufacturers need to develop safety plans that highlight potential food dangers alongside preventive measures.
According to the agency, “The reanalysis is necessary to respond to the recent domestic cat illnesses and deaths described above and to scientific data indicating that cats and dogs have become ill from consuming H5N1 virus,” womansworld.com reported.
“Manufacturers that implement a preventive control for the H5N1 hazard as a result of their reanalysis will be taking an important step toward protecting cat and dog health and helping to prevent the spread of H5N1. Addressing H5N1 will require a concerted effort across sectors, including by government, businesses, and consumers,” it added.
What has the FDA directed?
Under FDA authoritative requirements, food manufacturers need to develop safety plans that highlight potential food dangers alongside preventive measures.
FDA officials point to proper sourcing of healthy foods from animals combined with effective heating procedures or supply chain verification confirming disease-free animal origin as criteria to unlock safe animal food practices.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has confirmed that birds can acquire bird flu infections through their consumption of raw diets comprised of poultry products, including chicken and duck, which harbor the virus.
BCYF and the FDA ordered Northwest Naturals pet food to recall its 2-lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food brand in December 2024 due to H5N1 contamination, womansworld.com reported.
Online retailers have pulled raw frozen pet food products from distribution because these specific products contain expiration dates between May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026.
The affected pet food continued distribution in seventeen locations: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington, together with British Columbia and Canada.