02/17/2025
Some clients have raised questions about the Avian Flu (H5N1 virus) and its potential impact on cats, who are susceptible. The two most important things you can do are to πββ¬ keep your cat indoors and πββ¬ do not feed a raw diet, or any raw food.
Cat owners and caretakers can help keep their cats safe by following these further tips from the AVMA. See the linked article for even more information!
π Refrain from feeding cats any dairy products or colostrum that have not first been pasteurized or thoroughly cooked to kill the virus.
π Thoroughly cook meat before feeding, and avoid feeding raw meat-based treats or diets.
π Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to birds and other wildlife.
π Avoid contact with sick or dead birds and other wildlife yourself.
π Keep cats away from livestock, poultry, and their environments, especially in areas with known H5N1 outbreaks.
π Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your cat and after any encounters with poultry, livestock, or wild birds and other animals.
π Change your clothes and shoes, and thoroughly wash any exposed skin, after interacting with sick or dead animals that may harbor the H5N1 virus, and before interacting with your cat.
π If you feed birds or walk near bird feeders or other places birds (including poultry) gather, change your shoes or disinfect their soles before entering your house.
π Immediately contact your veterinarian if you notice signs of H5N1 or think your cat might have been exposed to the virus.
Since the U.S. outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) in dairy cattle began in March 2024, dozens of cats are known to have contracted the virus, including barn and feral cats, indoor cats, and big cats in zoos and in the wild (e.g., mountain lions, tigers, leopards, and bobcats).