Bird Flu and Your Cat by Dr. Taia Lubitz

I wanted to share some important information about bird flu and its potential impact on cats. While we’re still learning about how this virus affects our feline companions, there have been concerning reports of spillover to domestic cats. This can occur through contact with infected wild birds or by consuming raw dairy, meat, or poultry.

Unfortunately, the bird flu virus has proven fatal in the majority of cats diagnosed with the virus.We are unsure if this is because these cats had more severe illness or if cats are more sensitive to the virus. To protect your pet, I strongly recommend taking the following precautions:

1. Do not feed your cat raw pet food diets, raw milk, or raw meat and poultry.
2. Eliminate unsupervised outdoor time for your cat to prevent exposure to wild birds.

Cats with bird flu may exhibit respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, fever, runny nose and
eyes, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite. They may also show neurological signs
like incoordination, head tilt, and inappropriate behavior.

Currently, there are no recent reports of bird flu in cats in Texas. The last reported cases were in April 2024, and those cats had consumed raw milk from infected cattle. It is not a time to panic about your pet, but instead to be informed and aware of the virus.

Please be vigilant and contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice any of these
symptoms in your cat, especially if they go outside or if they consume raw animal products.