The Oregon Department of Agriculture reports that a house cat in Washington County died after consuming raw frozen pet food from Northwest Naturals and catching avian flu.
On Christmas Eve, the state sent out a notice on the voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals’ two-pound feline turkey recipe by Portland-based Morasch Meats.
The agricultural agency is certain that the cat got the virus by consuming the uncooked pet food, according to state veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz.
According to a statement from Scholz, this cat was only ever indoors and was not exposed to the virus in its surroundings.
According to Scholz, tests revealed a genetic match between the virus in the raw and frozen pet food and the affected cat, and the food tested positive for an H5N1 subtype of the avian influenza virus.
The home members who came into contact with the cat are being watched for possible flu symptoms by the Oregon Health Authority and local public health officials. The sick animal has not yet been connected to any human cases.
Two-pound plastic bags containing the recalled food’s Best if Used by dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026 are used to package it.
The product was distributed across the country by Portland-based Morasch Meats.
Pet owners are advised to discard the product and inspect their supplies.
State and federal officials advise individuals and their pets to restrict contact with sick or dead animals, report sick or dead birds to the Oregon Department of Agriculture at 503-986-4711, and refrain from eating raw or undercooked meat and raw dairy products in order to prevent the disease from spreading.
— Maxine Bernstein writes about criminal justice and federal courts. You can contact her via [email protected], 503-221-8212, X@maxoregonian, or LinkedIn.
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