Is my pet safe from bird flu in California? Here’s what you need to know for cats and dogs
With bird flu cases on the rise across California, you may be wondering: Is your cat or dog at risk?
Avian flu has been detected in dozens of domestic cats in the United States since December 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, and some pets have died as a result of the disease.
Since highly pathogenic avian influenza surfaced in the United States in 2022, more than 4 million chickens and turkeys have been killed at poultry ranches across California in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading.
Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of the state’s 1,100 dairies have been quarantined due to bird flu, including Raw Farm dairy in Fresno County.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in December in response to the rapid spread.
What does that mean for you and your pet? The Sacramento Bee reached out to veterinary experts to discover the answer.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is bird flu?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, highly pathogenic avian influenza — also known as bird flu or H5N1 — is a highly contagious and often deadly disease primarily found in poultry.
It is “caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5) and A (H7) viruses,” the agency said on its website.
HPAI can spread from wild birds to domestic poultry and other animals, including cats.
The virus can also infect humans in rare cases.
How is bird flu spread?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control Prevention, avian influenza viruses are spread by infected birds through saliva, mucus and feces.
It can also be present in the respiratory secretions, organs, blood, or body fluids of other infected animals — including milk.
Human infections occur when the virus enters the eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled through airborne droplets, aerosol particles or dust. It can also be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.
“Illness in humans from avian influenza virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death,” the CDC said
As of Friday, Jan. 3, a total of 66 people had contracted bird flu since April 2024, the CDC said.
Of those cases, 37 were in California.
You can potentially contract the virus from your pet, the Veterinary Centers of America Hospital said.
“It’s unlikely that people would become infected with bird flu viruses through contact with an infected cat, but it is possible,” the group said.
Can my dog or cat get bird flu?
In a word, yes.
Both cats and dogs can contract highly pathogenic avian influenza, the Veterinary Centers of America Hospital explained in a December news release aimed at answering frequently asked questions about the virus. The network of local animal hospitals specializes in primary, special, emergency and urgent care.
However, cats are particularly ”sensitive to H5N1 bird flu,” the group said.
That includes “both domestic and wild cats, such as tigers, mountain lions (and) lynx,” the animal hospital network said. “Care should be taken to not expose these animals to the virus.”
Dogs “currently appear to be less susceptible to the virus than cats,” but are still at risk, the group said.
Katey Wahlen, medical director at Veterinary Emergency Group in Sacramento, said that cats are at higher risk due to their natural tendency to hunt and eat wild birds.
“Depending on diet and lifestyle, your pet may be more at risk of contracting bird flu,” Wahlen told The Bee.
How can pets contract avian flu?
According to the Veterinary Centers of America Hospital, pets can come in contract with the avian flu virus by doing the following:
Drinking raw or unpasteurized milk
Eating raw eggs
Eating raw, undercooked or uncooked freeze-dried meat or animal products
Hunting and eating wild birds
Direct contact with infected dairy cows
At least one cat in Oregon died after eating contaminated food, The Bee reported in December.
In response, Northwest Naturals of Portland pulled its Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food from store shelves.
More recently, Monarch Raw Pet Food products were recalled after an indoor cat tested positive for avian flu, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Recalls have also been issued for raw milk produced by Raw Farm and Valley Milk Simply Bottled in Stanislaus County.
What are the symptoms of bird flu in cats and dogs?
Your cat or dog could have bird flu if they exhibit any of the following symptoms, Veterinary Centers of America Hospital said:
Fever
Lethargy
Low appetite
Reddened or inflamed eyes
Discharge from the eyes and nose
Difficulty breathing
Neurological signs such as tremors, seizures, a lack of coordination or blindness
Death
Can cats die from bird flu?
A number of cats across the United States have died as the result of avian flu, including two indoor cats in Los Angeles County who drank raw milk linked to the Raw Farm recall.
How can I keep my pet safe from H5N1?
To avoid exposing your pet to highly pathogenic avian flu, follow these suggestions:
Do not feed your pet raw or unpasteurized milk
Do not your feed your pet raw, under cooked or uncooked freeze-dried meat or animal products
Keep your pet away from livestock, especially dairy cows or poultry
Do not allow your pet to hunt, kill or eat wild birds
You should avoid contact with wildlife, especially sick or dead animals.
You should also thoroughly wash your hands after touching or interacting with animals “outside of your household,” the group said, and “consider changing clothing and shoes after interacting with animals or birds with unknown health status.”
According to Wahlen, pets should be kept away from wild birds as much as possible.
“This includes wild bird droppings or feces,” Wahlen said, noting that “this can be difficult with outdoor cats.”
“You should avoid feeding raw or unpasteurized milk or dairy products” to your pets,” she added. “Avoiding raw or uncooked poultry products to your pets is also a good idea.”
What if I have a pet bird?
Households with pet birds should be extra vigilant, Wahlen said.
“Do not interact with wild birds,” she said, especially when visiting parks or other areas where birds tend to congregate.
“Wash your hands first thing when you return home,” Wahlen said. “You may want to leave your shoes outside or wipe them down with Chlorox wipes before coming inside if you walk in areas where lots of wild birds frequent ... and you know you stepped on bird feces.”
What should I do if my pet gets sick?
If your pet appears sick or may have contracted bird flu, contact your veterinarian.
“Tell your veterinarian about any contact your cat has had with livestock, poultry, or wildlife,” the Veterinary Centers of America Hospital said. “Tell your veterinarian if your cat has had any raw or unpasteurized milk or raw or undercooked meat.”
The animal hospital network said there is not currently a vaccine for highly pathogenic avian influenza — and there’s no specific treatment for animals.
“Veterinarians may provide treatment to relieve the symptoms of bird flu,” the group said. “Some cats may not need treatment at all, while other cats may become very sick and require hospitalization and intensive care.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Is my pet safe from bird flu in California? Here’s what you need to know for cats and dogs."
