FDA offers guidelines to reduce HPAI risk in cats, emphasizes pet food safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is providing information about ways to reduce the risk to pets of contracting Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1). The agency issued recommendations for safe feeding practices after investigations revealed links between HPAI infections in felines and the consumption of contaminated or improperly processed food products.

Recent reports have shown that domestic and wild cats, including species such as tigers, mountain lions and lynx, are highly sensitive to HPAI. There have been several recent investigations indicating transmission of HPAI to cats through food, most often unpasteurized milk or raw or undercooked meats. Cats should not be fed any products from affected farms that have not been thoroughly cooked or pasteurized to kill the virus. Cats should also be kept from hunting and consuming wild birds. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted a concerning case in its July 2024 report. Domestic cats on a dairy farm contracted HPAI after being fed unpasteurized milk from cows infected with the virus. The cats displayed neurological symptoms and later died from systemic influenza infections. Similarly, South Korean researchers documented outbreaks in 2023 at two cat shelters where animals were fed raw duck-based diets, emphasizing the role of raw foods in transmitting HPAI.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is actively monitoring HPAI in wild mammals, including feral and domestic cats, through its surveillance and testing program. While dogs are less susceptible to the virus, the FDA advises that similar precautions be taken for canines to mitigate risk.

Avian influenza or bird flu naturally spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species, according to the World Health Organization. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a subtype of the virus. It can cause severe illness and high mortality rates in domestic poultry and wild birds. The viruses can devastate poultry industries and have economic repercussions due to trade restrictions. Some varieties, including H5N1, can cross species barriers and may cause severe illnesses in mammals.

Adapted from a press release.