Another Raw Pet Food Recalled After Bird Flu Sickens Two Cats

Key TakeawaysSavage Pet has recalled raw chicken pet food due to bird flu concernsTwo cats in New York City died after possible exposure to the virusExperts warn against feeding pets raw food.THURSDAY, March 20, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- A California pet food company has recalled raw chicken products after they were linked to bird flu infections in two cats and suspected in a third in New York City.Savage Pet, based in El Cajon, California, recalled one lot of large and small chicken boxes due to potential contamination with Type A H5N1 influenza virus, commonly known as bird flu.The recalled boxes contain individually packaged products and are stamped with the lot code and best-by date 11152026. They were distributed in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington state, The Associated Press reported.New York City health officials urged pet owners to avoid Savage Pet products after the reported cat illnesses. One cat that ate the recalled food became sick and died this month. While final test results are pending, preliminary tests detected traces of the bird flu.A second cat, which did not eat the food but was exposed to another sick cat, also died after testing positive for bird flu. A third cat that ate the food became ill but survived and was not tested.The cases are part of a growing concern over bird flu transmission to domestic animals.Cats can contract the virus through contaminated food, milk or contact with infected wildlife, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Other recent recalls include Wild Coast Raw’s frozen boneless raw chicken cat food, linked to cat deaths in Oregon and Washington, and Northwest Naturals raw turkey pet food, recalled in December after testing positive for bird flu.Dr. Jarra Jagne, a veterinary expert at Cornell University, advises pet owners to avoid feeding animals raw or unpasteurized food due to the risk of bird flu, salmonella, listeria and E. coli.“I wouldn’t give my animals raw anything,” she said. “It’s all about cooking.”More informationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the current bird flu situation.SOURCE: The Associated Press, March 18, 2025 .What This Means For YouPet owners are advised to avoid raw pet food to reduce the risk of bird flu..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter