Northwest Naturals Pet Food Linked to Bird Flu in Cat, Issues Recall

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A batch of pet food has been voluntarily recalled nationwide after a cat in Oregon died of bird flu, an illness state officials linked to contaminated food.

The recall, according to a news release published Dec. 25, 2024, involves Northwest Naturals’ Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food with sell-by dates between May 21, 2026, and Jun. 23, 2026.

Tests confirmed the batch was contaminated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, according to a company statement.

This comes after a recent study highlighted concerns that cats could serve as carriers of the virus, as they are susceptible to infection through contaminated food or contact with infected birds.

Consumers should discard the affected pet food and may contact Northwest Naturals at 866-637-1872 for a refund.

“This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other,” State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz told NBC News.

State health officials are monitoring the household for bird flu symptoms, though no human cases have been reported.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified the first severe human case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States during this outbreak. The individual, hospitalized in Louisiana, was potentially exposed through a backyard flock.

More information

The CDC has more on the current situation of H5N1 bird flu.

SOURCE: NBC News, news release, Dec. 25, 2024; Northwest Naturals, news release, Dec. 24, 2024