Multnomah County recorded its first bird flu infections in cats this past week after two cats contracted the disease and had to be euthanized, the state agriculture department announced.
This means four cats in Oregon have now been infected by avian influenza in the past two months, including two others in Washington County. The disease is more common among chickens and other poultry, but can spread to other animals through direct contact with infected birds or by consuming raw meat or milk.
Both of the infected cats had consumed raw food produced by Wild Coast Raw, an Olympia, Washington-based company that sources its products from West Coast farms. Testing at multiple labs confirmed the presence of the infection in the cats and their food, the Oregon Department of Agriculture said.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert notifying of risk related to Wild Coast Raw’s Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula.
Bird flu can lead to severe and fatal symptoms. Typical signs of bird flu are fever, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite and eye or nasal discharge. Dogs can also contract the disease but are less susceptible, according to the state agency.
The state agency recommends not feeding pets raw meat or milk. It also advises keeping pets away from wild birds or poultry and washing hands after handling raw meat or interacting with poultry or dead animals.
“Contact your veterinarian if your pet appears sick,” the agency said in a press release. “Tell your veterinarian if your pet has been exposed to raw meat, raw milk or wild waterfowl.”
Prior to the recent wave of infections in cats, Oregon had only two recorded cases of bird flu infecting cats. Both cases occurred in Linn County in 2022, according to agency spokesperson Andrea Cantu-Schomus.
In rare cases, humans can also contract bird flu. However, there have been no reported human infections in Oregon following contact with an infected cat, the agency said.
— Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com.
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