An Oregon pet food company has sent out a voluntary recall after a domestic cat died from eating its products, which tested positive for bird flu, and the company says the same contaminated batch was sold in British Columbia.
Northwest Naturals of Portland, Oregon, said in a statement that it is recalling one 2-pound batch of its Feline Turkey Recipe frozen pet food after it tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus.
The company says the same product was sold in several states, including California, Colorado, Washington, and British Columbia in Canada.
Tests confirm that a domestic cat in Washington County became infected with the H5N1 virus and died after eating raw and frozen pet food sold by Northwest Naturals, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said in an advisory issued Thursday.
The test results have prompted a voluntary nationwide recall with the company alerting consumers to check its products.
The recall applies to products packaged in two-pound plastic bags with “best if used by” dates between May 21, 2026 and June 23, 2026.
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Northwest Naturals says customers who purchased the recalled product should dispose of the product immediately.
Dr. Ryan Schulz, a state veterinarian with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, says in a statement that they are confident that this cat contracted bird flu by eating Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food, especially since this cat was “a completely indoor cat,” Which cannot be exposed to the virus in their living environment.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture says so far no human cases of bird flu have been linked to the incident.
She also says this case reminds pet owners that feeding pets raw meat can lead to severe illness and that harmful pathogens, including H5N1, can be destroyed when meat is thoroughly cooked.
Health Canada has not officially recalled the products and has not yet responded to media requests.
& Edition 2024 The Canadian Press
