Washington state warning pet owners after bird flu confirmed in 2 indoor cats

Washington state officials are warning pet owners that two domesticated indoor cats have become infected with the bird flu after consuming potentially contaminated pet food.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said Wednesday that indoor cats in King and Snohomish counties tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu.

One cat needed to be euthanized “due to the severity of the illness” and the other is being treated by a veterinarian.

Both pet owners reported feeding their cats “potentially contaminated” Wild Coast raw pet food, about which the WSDA previously issued a public health alert.

The public health alert from Feb. 14 warned about the Wild Coast brand's boneless free range chicken formula frozen raw pet food, which tested positive for bird flu.

The development comes after several cats became infected with the bird flu in Oregon. At least two domesticated cats died after consuming the contaminated Wild Coast raw pet food, while other cats died after contracting bird flu through consumption of other food.

Health officials are warning pet owners to watch for symptoms in their pets, including lethargy, low appetite, fever and progression of the illness to pneumonia or neurological abnormalities or upper respiratory infection.

Pet owners are encouraged to contact their veterinarians if their cats show signs of these symptoms.

The WSDA officials said no humans have so far been documented to have been infected with bird flu from exposure to an infected cat or contaminated raw pet food products.

Still, officials are encouraging pet owners to wash their hands after touching the pet food or potentially contaminated surfaces.

“The currently circulating strain of HPAI is considered low risk to the public, but there is greater risk for those who handle contaminated raw pet food products or who care for infected animals,” WSDA’s alert read.

The bird flu outbreak has affected dairy cow farms and poultry flocks, as egg prices have skyrocketed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still rates the current public health risk as “low” even as 68 human cases have been confirmed, including one death.

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