Domestic cat dies after eating raw food contaminated with bird flu; recall issued

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is alerting pet owners that samples of 2-pound Northwest Naturals brand frozen raw turkey recipe pet food have tested positive for an H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus.

Testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratories and the Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed that a domestic cat in Washington County contracted H5N1 and died after consuming the frozen raw pet food. The testing confirmed a genetic match between the virus in the frozen raw pet food and the infected cat.

“We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 from eating Northwest Naturals frozen raw pet food,” said Dr. Ryan Scholz, ODA veterinarian. “This cat was strictly an indoor cat; he was not exposed to the virus in his environment, and genome sequencing results confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and the infected cat were exact matches.”

Northwest Naturals, a Portland, Oregon-based company, is voluntarily recalling its Northwest Naturals brand frozen raw pet food, Turkey Recipe for Cats, 2 lb. The recalled product is packaged in 2 lb. plastic bags with expiration dates of 5/21/26 B10 and 6/23/2026 B1.

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The product was sold nationwide through distributors in AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, MN, PA, RI, and WA in the United States, and British Columbia in Canada. Customers who purchased the recalled product should immediately discard it and contact the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information or questions, customers may contact Northwest Naturals of Portland at info@nw-naturals.net or 866-637-1872.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and local public health officials are monitoring household members who had contact with the cat for symptoms of influenza. To date, no human cases of HPAI have been linked to this incident, and the risk of HPAI transmission to humans remains low in Oregon. Since 2022, OHA has partnered with ODA in a One Health approach to investigate human exposures to animal outbreaks of avian influenza.

To prevent the spread of disease, including bird flu, state and federal experts strongly encourage people and their pets to:
• Avoid consuming raw or undercooked meat products
• Avoid consuming raw dairy products
• Limit contact with sick or dead animals
• Wash your hands after handling raw animal products or coming into contact with sick/dead animals
• Report sick or dead birds to ODA at 503-986-4711
• Keep pets or poultry away from wild waterfowl

Health officials said the case is a reminder that feeding raw meat products to pets or consuming them yourself can lead to serious illness. Raw meat can contain harmful pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli and H5N1. These pathogens are destroyed when the meat is thoroughly cooked. Raw milk, which has not been pasteurized, can also contain harmful germs. Pasteurizing milk eliminates pathogens that cause illnesses, including avian influenza.

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