PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon house cat died after eating pet food that tested positive for bird flu, Oregon authorities said, prompting a recall of raw frozen pet food that was sold nationwide.
Northwest Naturals, a pet food company based in Portland, Oregon, said Tuesday it had voluntarily recalled one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus.
“We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food,” Oregon Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz said in a Tuesday news release.
No human cases of bird flu have been linked to the incident, but those who were in contact with the cat are being monitored for flu symptoms, Oregon authorities said.
So far, the CDC has confirmed one human case of bird flu in Oregon.
Oregon, Portland. (AP) — A raw frozen pet food recall was issued nationwide after an Oregon house cat died after consuming pet food that tested positive for bird flu, according to Oregon authorities.
After one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food tested positive for the virus, Portland, Oregon-based Northwest Naturals announced on Tuesday that it was voluntarily recalling the product. Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin, as well as British Columbia, Canada, were among the countries where the product was distributed.
Dr. Ryan Scholz, a state veterinarian with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, stated in a news release on Tuesday that “we are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food.”. According to the results of the genome sequencing, the virus recovered from the raw pet food and the infected cat were identical. This cat was kept indoors and was not exposed to the virus in its surroundings. “.”.
May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026 are the “best if used by” dates on the two-pound plastic bags containing the recalled product. The company and Oregon authorities advised customers who purchased the recalled product to discard it right away and request a refund from the retailer.
Although the incident has not been connected to any human cases of bird flu, Oregon authorities said that people who came into contact with the cat are being watched for flu-like symptoms.
According to the U.S., more than 60 individuals in eight states have contracted the virus, primarily feeling mildly ill. S. also known as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials announced last week that one person in Louisiana was admitted to the hospital with the first severe illness linked to the virus in the country.
Oregon has seen one confirmed human case of bird flu thus far, according to the CDC. The Oregon Health Authority said in a news release in November that the individual was connected to a previously documented outbreak at a commercial poultry operation and recovered completely after suffering from a mild illness.
