The ongoing bird flu outbreaks ravaging the country could now pose a real danger to domestic, indoor cats.
Wild Coast Raw, an Olympia, WA-based pet foods company, is recalling its frozen Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw cat food in 16 and 24 ounces.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recall went into effect on March 1 "because it has the potential to be contaminated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 also known as bird flu." The virus can be transmitted to animals eating the contaminated product.
The products in question were distributed to pet food retailers in Washington State and Oregon. Per the FDA, "the product is frozen in a small round white plastic container with a green label. There are six affected lots, each identified by a sticker on the lid with a Best Buy date of 12/25.
Pet owners are advised to be on the look out for symptoms of bird flu, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological sings like tumors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness. Pet owners are urged to rush their felines to a vet if they exhibit these symptoms.
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While no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, the FDA warns that people can become infected if the virus gets into a person's eyes, nose, or mouth. People are advise to wash their hands and sanitize contact surfaces such as countertops, refrigerators, bowls, or utensils after handling the raw product. Symptoms of the bird flu for humans include eye redness, or irritation, cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting.
The recall comes just days after two domestic, indoor cats in New Jersey tested positive for the bird flu after possibly coming into contact with wild birds, and at least one of the cats had to be humanely euthanized due to the severity of the illness.
"This is a difficult situation -- we love our pets, and it's devastating when they fall ill," said Dr. Zac Turner, a Washington State Department of Agriculture field veterinarian.
The pet food recall comes nearly a month after a report claimed the bird flu may have already infected at least some of the half-million New York City stray cats amid an increased risk due to contact with poultry or dairy cows on farms, or exposure to sick or deceased wild birds.