Two indoor cats in Los Angeles County have died after consuming recalled raw milk products that were potentially contaminated with H5N1 bird flu virus, according to county health officials.
The cats, who lived in the same household, developed severe symptoms including loss of appetite, fever, and neurological issues approximately 8-10 days after drinking the raw milk. Both cats tested positive for influenza A before their deaths, which is an unusual finding in felines.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating these cases as presumptive H5N1 infections while awaiting confirmatory testing. The raw milk consumed by the cats had lot numbers matching products recently recalled statewide by Raw Farm LLC.
"I think this is just the tip of the iceberg," warned Jane Sykes, professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She noted that cats are highly susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with mortality rates between 50% and 67% when infected.
County health officials are monitoring people who had direct contact with the infected cats and have offered them antiviral medications as a precaution. However, there have been no reported human infections connected to these cases.
The health department advises residents to keep their pets away from raw dairy products, undercooked meat, sick or dead animals, and wild birds. Cat owners should be alert for symptoms including breathing difficulties, neurological abnormalities, and rapid health deterioration.
This incident follows other concerning H5N1 outbreaks affecting cats globally, including cases at a Texas dairy farm where half of 24 barn cats died after consuming infected raw milk, and a South Korean shelter where 38 of 40 cats perished after eating contaminated pet food.
While cats have previously transmitted other influenza strains to humans, there have been no documented cases of H5N1 transmission from cats to humans during the current nationwide outbreak.
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