“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is advising residents not to feed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food, which is sold at many farmers markets in California,” the agency said, noting that L. A cat in A County that was fed this product was confirmed ill. Is there a virus? Four other cats in the same household are believed to have tested positive for H5 bird flu after eating the product.
The health department urged residents who have fed their pets Monarch raw food products or any other raw meat or milk to Feed your pet and notice any unusual behavior to contact your veterinarian immediately. do
“Residents should avoid consuming all raw milk and raw meat products and should not feed them to their pets,” the agency stressed in its statement Tuesday.
Cats infected with H5N1 bird flu can develop severe illness with symptoms ranging from neurological changes and respiratory problems to liver disease, which can rapidly progress to death.
The health agency said that exposure to these cats has not led to any human cases of bird flu that have yet been identified.
The Los Angeles health agency did not mention any formal recall of Monarch products on Tuesday, and the company also did not provide any information on the recall or bird flu cases on its website.
The warning comes after a previous raw pet food recall on bird flu.
Oregon House Cat Death and A Recent pet food recall had already raised questions about the bird flu outbreak and how people can protect their pets.
Northwest Naturals, a pet food company in Portland, Oregon, announced Tuesday a voluntary recall of its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. The product was sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, as well as in British Columbia, Canada.
Northwest Naturals
The recalled foods have “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026 and June 23, 2026. Consumers should throw it away and contact the place of purchase for a refund.
Bird flu has been circulating in wild birds, chickens, turkeys and many other animals for years. It was first confirmed in US dairy cattle in March.
The virus has been causing sporadic, mostly mild illness in people in the United States, and nearly all of those infected worked on dairy or poultry farms. When the virus is found, every bird on the farm is killed to limit the spread of the disease.
Top vet warns against raw food for pets
Oregon health officials traced the cat’s illness to frozen Northwest Natural Cat Food that contained raw turkey. The virus was recovered from the recalled pet food and was matched to an infected cat.
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said some pet owners feed their animals raw meat, but it can be dangerous and even fatal for the animals. Cooking meat or pasteurizing raw milk kills bird flu viruses and other disease-causing germs.
“Raw milk, raw meat products can and do be a vector to carry this virus,” he said.
Although cases of infection are rare, cats seem to be particularly susceptible to the bird flu virus, or type A H5N1. Even before the spread of livestock, there were cases of cats connecting with wild birds or chickens. Dozens of cats have caught the virus since March. These include barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild.
Dogs are apparently less vulnerable than cats, Bailey said, but they should only eat well-cooked food.
Cats should not drink unpasteurized dairy products or eat raw meat, Bailey said, and pet owners should keep cats away from wild birds, livestock and poultry.
Don’t let them roam free outside, she said, “because you don’t know what they’re walking into. Cats are natural predators, and one of the animals they like to hunt is birds. “
Cat owner worried about bird flu? Here’s what to know.
Experts say people should avoid touching sick or dead birds and wash their hands thoroughly after handling poultry or animals.
Cats sick with bird flu may experience loss of appetite, lethargy, and fever.
If your cat is usually playful and likes to look out the window, but instead is sleeping or hiding from you all the time, take note, Bailey said. “Something’s wrong,” he said.
Their eyes may be red or swollen and discharge may occur from the eyes and nose. They may have trouble breathing or have tremors or seizures.
If your cat is sick, call your veterinary clinic and keep the cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system.
Can pets transmit bird flu to owners?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is. It is unlikely that the pet owner is sick with bird flu. through direct contact with an infected pet, but it is possible.
The health agency noted that in 2016, the prevalence of Bird flu from a cat to a person It was reported in New York City. The infected individual, a veterinarian, had mild flu symptoms after prolonged contact with sick cats without using personal protective equipment.
Contributed to this report.