Uncooked pet meals is recalled and warnings issued in two states after cats die of chook flu

Some a number of uncooked pet meals offered in two states are being recalled after two indoor cats turned in poor health with chook flu earlier this month and have been euthanized as a result of severity of their sicknesses.

Officers in Oregon and Washington issued public well being alerts late final week after checks confirmed extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) within the felines, which lived in numerous households in Multnomah County, Oregon. 

Each cats had eaten the identical model of uncooked pet meals earlier than turning into in poor health, in line with the notices. The virus was present in each the cats and meals samples, together with unopened containers, they mentioned. 

Because of this, Wild Coast Pet Meals is recalling Boneless Free Vary Hen System Lot #22660 and #22664 with a best-buy date of December 2025. Folks with the recalled product ought to eliminate instantly and make contact with the place of buy for a refund. 

“In case you presently feed our rooster system and are involved, I like to recommend cooking till 165 levels, changing with a non-poultry system or changing with a gently cooked system,” Tyler Duncan, founding father of the corporate mentioned in an announcement posted on the corporate’s web site. 

Wild Coast’s merchandise are offered at retail shops all through Washington and Oregon, with plans to broaden to California, in line with its web site.

Cats and HPAI 

Home and wild cats are notably delicate to chook flu. Canine can even contract HPAI, however often exhibit delicate medical indicators and low mortality in comparison with cats, in line with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration. “At current, HPAI has not been detected in canines in the USA, however there have been deadly circumstances in different nations,” the FDA said.

The company in January cited a number of latest investigations indicating the virus had been transmitted to cats by means of meals, with greater than a dozen cats killed or sickened by HPAI, most frequently by consuming unpasteurized milk or uncooked meats. 

The Oregon Division of Agriculture presents the next tricks to defend pets:

• Do no feed your pet undercooked or uncooked meat, together with raw or freeze-dried meat-based diets, treats or animal merchandise.
• Don’t feed your pet uncooked (unpasteurized) milk or colostrum.
• Cease pets from consuming birds or different wild animals.
• Wash your arms after touching uncooked meat or interacting with poultry, livestock or animals outdoors your property.
• Contemplate altering clothes and sneakers after interacting with animals or birds and earlier than interacting along with your pets.
• Contact your veterinarian in case your pet seems sick and allow them to know of potential exposures.

Pets with HPAI infections could expertise fever, lethargy, low urge for food, reddened or infected eyes, discharge from the eyes and nostril, problem respiratory, and neurological indicators like tremors, seizure, incoordination, or blindness. In case your pet has consumed this product and has any of those signs, contact your veterinarian instantly, The Washington State Division of Agriculture suggested. 

The present human well being danger is low, however individuals uncovered ought to look ahead to signs like eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nostril, muscle/physique aches, complications, fatigue, fever, hassle respiratory, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, and pet house owners or handlers displaying these indicators ought to contact their healthcare suppliers.

The Wild Coast recall isn’t the primary of its type, with Northwest Naturals recalling a batch of pet meals in December after a cat died of chook flu in Oregon. 

That late 2024 motion concerned 2-pound baggage of Feline Turkey Recipe uncooked frozen pet meals, marked with greatest if utilized by dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. The product was offered in a dozen U.S. states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington. It was additionally offered in British Columbia in Canada.