Is my pet safe from bird flu in North Carolina? What you need to know for cats & dogs
A brand of natural cat food was recalled on Tuesday, Dec. 24 after reports that a cat in Oregon who ate the pet food contracted highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, commonly known as bird flu or avian flu, and died.
While North Carolina is not among the 12 states that sold the contaminated cat food (according to manufacturer Northwest Naturals), pet owners in our state are concerned.
North Carolina’s Food and Drug Protection Division is “not aware of any illnesses in NC” but continues to monitor the situation, food administrator Daniel Gaines told The News & Observer.
Here’s what to know about keeping your pets safe from bird flu.
How to keep pets safe from bird flu
The Food and Drug Administration’s main advice is to not feed your cats any products that have not been thoroughly cooked and pasteurized — meaning sterilized through heating to deactivate viruses and bacteria.
“There have been several recent investigations indicating transmission of HPAI to cats through food, most often unpasteurized milk, or raw or undercooked meats,” the FDA says. (Northwest Naturals’ recalled cat food was a raw frozen variety.)
While North Carolina state law says raw milk cannot be sold for human consumption, it can be sold as pet milk, Department of Agriculture spokesperson Heather Overton told The N&O.
The FDA also advises keeping cats from hunting and consuming wild birds.
Can dogs get bird flu?
It’s possible, but dogs appear to be less susceptible than cats to the virus, the FDA says.
As of Friday, Dec. 13, HPAI/bird flu has not been detected in dogs in the United States.
Avian flu found in NC cows last spring
In April, avian flu was detected in a dairy herd in the state, The News & Observer reported at the time.
The NC Department of Health and Human Services said then that there were no concerns with the safety of commercial milk supply because products are pasteurized before entering the market.
“Milk from infected cows wasn’t going to enter the food supply because it was thick and discolored,” NC State virologist Matt Koci said in a blog post at the time.
This story was originally published December 27, 2024 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Is my pet safe from bird flu in North Carolina? What you need to know for cats & dogs."
