Raw pet food recalled after house cats get bird flu and die

Consumers urged to use caution if they feed their pets food containing raw meat, poultry

February 19, 2025

Courtesy of Washington State Department of Agriculture | Public Domain

On Feb 14, 2025, the Washington State Department of Agriculture said an unspecified number of house cats in Oregon became sick with avian flu became sick after eating raw pet food from Wild Coast, LLC. Further testing from the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and National Veterinary Services Laboratory found that the food was contaminated with HPAI/H5N1 Avian Flu. Wild Coast has issued a recall of two lots of the contaminated food.

If you have one of the recalled products, Wild Coast says you should stop using it immediately and contact the point of purchase for a refund. Wild Coast sells in Oregon and Washington and plans to expand to California soon.

We recently discussed the risks of raw food for humans and pets in our Food for Thought 2025 food safety report.

Raw products are not pasteurized, meaning they are at higher risk of containing pathogens, including the recent strain of bird flu. Pasteurization can prevent many foodborne illnesses through the heating process. Regulators are investigating an ongoing bird flu outbreak affecting poultry flocks and dairy herds in the United States.

On Jan. 17, 2025, the USDA announced new requirements for companies that manufacture dog and cat food using uncooked or unpasteurized products from cattle or poultry (such as unpasteurized milk and uncooked/ unpasteurized meat or eggs) and the pet food falls under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule that took effect in 2016.

Pet food companies under the 2016 requirements must now “reanalyze” their procedures and recognize that the “highly pathogenic avian influenza” virus – specifically H5N1 – is a “known or reasonably foreseeable hazard,” the FDA said. The FDA is tracking cases of H5N1 in domestic and wild cats in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington that are linked to contaminated food.

We encourage consumers to understand the risks of raw foods before making a purchase, such as for their pets. Contaminated raw food can infect humans through direct contact or if it touches utensils or surfaces such as counters. Washing hands thoroughly after touching raw food – as well as preparation surfaces, refrigerator handles, etc. – can help to reduce the risk of spread.