The County of Los Angeles Public Health is warning the public to not feed their cats and dogs raw pet food because it may be contaminated with the bird flu virus. Northwest Naturals raw frozen pet food is contaminated with the H5N1 virus and is being recalled.
The product has been recalled. It is Northwest Naturals Brand Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food that is packaged 2-pound plastic bags with “Best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. Pet owners are urged to immediately dispose of the product.
If your pet ate this product and is showing signs of illness, see your veterinarian immediately.
Public Health recently confirmed H5 bird flu in four house cats that consumed recalled Raw Farm raw milk and became sick and died. Cats infected with H5 bird flu can develop severe illness that may include neurologic signs, respiratory signs, or liver disease that can rapidly progress to death.
Public Health is also investigating more possible cases of H5 bird flu in three house cats from a different household. One cat has tested positive for Influenza A, a rare result in cats that indicates possible H5 bird flu. Two other cats, which have died after worsening respiratory illness, are presumed to have been positive for Influenza A. These cats were not known to have consumed raw milk, but public health is investigating other possible sources of infection, including raw meat.
While these viruses mainly affect wild birds, sometimes they also infect other animals, including wild and domestic animals such as seals, foxes, cats, and cows. H5N1 is one type of avian influenza that has been spreading among birds and mammals, leading to a nationwide outbreak. This is the first time these bird flu viruses have been found to be spreading in cows. And there are 65 cases of bird flu in humans, although there is not yet person to person transmission.
