WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported two cases of severe H5N1 bird flu in indoor cats, possibly linked to dairy farm workers.
According to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the cats may have caught the virus from drinking unpasteurized milk from sick cows or eating raw pet food. Outdoor cats could also get infected by coming into contact with sick or dead animals.
In May 2024, two cats from different homes developed serious breathing and nerve-related symptoms. Tests showed they had the same strain of H5N1 that was spreading among cows at the time.
Health officials offered flu tests to the cat owners and their families. One owner, who worked on a dairy farm, refused testing, but three other family members tested negative. This worker had no direct contact with animals but had experienced vomiting and diarrhea before the cat got sick.
The second cat's owner lived alone and transported unpasteurized milk between farms. Even after getting splashed in the eyes with milk, the worker declined testing. However, they reported eye irritation two days before their cat became ill. Both dairy workers were in a county where cows were infected with H5N1.
The CDC recommends that veterinarians in areas with H5N1 outbreaks ask pet owners about their jobs, test sick cats for flu, and wear protective gear when handling pets with breathing or nerve-related symptoms.
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