WSDA Reports Two Cases Of Bird Flu In Western Washington Cats

On Wednesday, the Washington State Department of Agriculture confirmed that two more indoor cats have contracted Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.  WSDA said the cats, one in King County, the other in Snohomish, were consuming Wild Coast Raw pet food, a pet food that was previously identified during a prior public health alert.  One of the cats was euthanized due to the severity of the illness while the second cat is being treated by a veterinarian. 

The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory reported the presumptive positive results of both cats with HPAI on Monday morning, February 24th. WSDA received confirmatory results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory Tuesday, February. 25th.   

In addition to these two recent cases, the contaminated pet food has been linked to severe illness in cats in Oregon.

Common signs of HPAI in cats include lethargy, low appetite, fever, hypothermia, progression of illness to pneumonia, progression of illness to neurologic abnormalities and upper respiratory infection.  If your pet has consumed this product and has any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.  Inform the veterinary clinic before arriving so the veterinary team can prepare to handle the cat in a manner that reduces risk of transmission to veterinary staff, other clients, and other animals. 

To date, there have been no documented human cases of HPAI following exposure to an infected cat or contaminated raw pet food products.  

The currently circulating strain of HPAI is considered low risk to the public, but WSDA said there is greater risk for those who handle contaminated raw pet food products or who care for infected animals.  People can become infected if the virus enters their eyes, nose, or mouth — such as by handling contaminated pet food or touching contaminated surfaces, especially without thoroughly washing their hands afterward.

"This is a difficult situation, we love our pets, and it’s devastating when they fall ill,” WSDA field veterinarian Dr. Zac Turner said. “If your cat is showing symptoms, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.”

The WSDA is continuing to investigate and monitor the situation and urges veterinarians and pet owners to report any additional illnesses potentially linked to the contaminated product.  Currently, WSDA does not recommend feeding raw pet food or raw milk to animals.

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