The Oregon Department of Agriculture has recalled Wild Coast Raw pet food after two cats died from bird flu. The company urges pet owners to check the lot numbers on their products and stop feeding them if they match certain lots. Testing confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in both cats, which lived in separate households, and samples of the raw food.
Washington State’s Department of Agriculture has also issued a public health notice warning consumers about the risk of some Wild Coast Raw products. Oregon health officials advise pet owners not to feed their animals undercooked or raw meat or milk, citing previous cases of sickened and killed barn cats.
Wild Coast Pet Foods’ founder Tyler Duncan has halted sales of two affected lot numbers and advises customers to dispose of the product and request a full refund. He recommends cooking food to 165 degrees, replacing with a non-poultry formula, or using a gently cooked formula instead.
California’s bird flu outbreak, which has killed millions of chickens and turkeys, has infected about two-thirds of the state’s dairy herds since August. This is the latest in a series of pet food recalls linked to bird flu, including Monarch Raw Pet Food and Northwest Naturals.
Research shows that raw pet foods are more likely to carry disease. Despite warnings, the industry has grown into a $3 billion market in the US. Domestic cats have carried bird flu since 2004, but the current outbreak’s death rates seem higher than previous ones, with about 90% of infected cats dying, according to expert Kristen Coleman.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/18/cats-bird-flu-raw-pet-food/79063984007