FDA releases guidance to prevent bird flu risk in cats

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The FDA recently released a document offering guidance on how to minimize the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in felines and highlighting recent investigations on HPAI infection in cats. According to the FDA report, felines—both domestic and wild species like tigers, mountain lions, and lynx— are especially vulnerable to HPAI H5N1, so precautions should be taken to prevent their exposure to the virus.¹

Clinical signs of HPAI infection are better understood in cats than in dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).² Still, both canines and felines exhibiting any of the following symptoms should receive prompt veterinary treatment^1,2:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Low appetite
• Reddened or inflamed eyes
• Discharge from the eyes and nose
• Difficulty breathing
• Neurologic signs, like tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness

To help prevent the risk of a HPAI infection in cats and dogs, the AVMA recommends maintaining cats indoors; keeping pets that go outdoors away from wild birds, poultry, and cattle, including these animals’ environments; ensuring pets do not consume dead birds or other animals; and steering clear of feeding pets raw meat or poultry and unpasteurized milk.²

According to the FDA document, several investigations have shown that HPAI can spread to cats through food, with the most common route of transmission being raw or undercooked meats and unpasteurized milk. “Cats should not be fed any products from affected farms that have not been thoroughly cooked or pasteurized to kill the virus. Cats should also be kept from hunting and consuming wild birds,” wrote the FDA.¹

A study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in July 2024 on HPAI A(H5N1) infection in domestic dairy cattle and felines in the US detailed that domestic cats fed raw colostrum and milk from infected cattle developed a fatal system influenza infection. These cats also exhibited neurologic signs before death. Affected cattle, meanwhile, showed signs of nonspecific illness, reduced feed intake and rumination, and a sudden decline in milk production.^1,3

In Seoul, South Korea, investigators reported multiple cases of HPAI in 2023 from July of the same year at 2 cat shelters where the felines were fed raw food that was “improperly sterilized” and made from domestic duck meat.^1,4 According to the study, the postmortem examination of the cats showed “systemic pathologic lesions.” Additionally, the virus was found in different tissues.⁴

The United States Department of Agriculture runs a testing program to detect HPAI in wild mammals, including both feral and domestic felines, according to the FDA.¹ These most recent HPAI detections can be found on the usda.gov website.

References

1. FDA outlines ways to reduce risk of HPAI in cats. United States Food & Drug Administration. December 13, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-outlines-ways-reduce-risk-hpai-cats?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
2. Avian influenza in pets and backyard flocks. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-companion-animals
3. Burrough ER, Magstadt DR, Petersen B, et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus Infection in Domestic Dairy Cattle and Cats, United States, 2024. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2024;30(7):1335-1343. doi:10.3201/eid3007.240508.
4. Kang Y, Heo G, An S, et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infection in Cats, South Korea, 2023. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2024;30(12):2510-2520. doi:10.3201/eid3012.240154.