Northwest Naturals issue urgent recall after indoor cat dies from bird flu in contaminated pet food

Its death has prompted a North American recall by Portland-based pet food company Northwest Naturals, which includes its 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food. Laboratory tests confirmed that the cat contracted the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus from the contaminated food, according to a statement from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).

“Consumption of raw or uncooked pet food contaminated with HPAI can cause illness in animals,” Northwest Naturals said in a statement. “To date, one case of illness in a domestic cat has been reported in connection with this issue.”

The company urged customers to immediately dispose of any recalled cat food with “best by” dates between May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026, and to contact their point of purchase for a full refund.

The affected pet food was distributed across the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington, as well as British Columbia, Canada.

According to ODA State Veterinarian Dr Ryan Scholz, genome sequencing confirmed that the virus found in the raw pet food and the virus that infected the cat were exact matches. “This cat was strictly an indoor cat. It was not exposed to the virus in its environment,” Dr Scholz said. “We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food.”

The Oregon Department of Agriculture stated that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and local public health officials are monitoring household members who had close contact with the infected cat for flu symptoms. The agency said no human cases have been linked to this incident and that the risk of human transmission remains low.

To minimise the risk of HPAI and other harmful pathogens, state and federal experts recommend the following precautions:

• Avoid raw or undercooked meat and raw dairy products.
• Limit contact with sick or dead animals.
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw animal products.
• Keep pets and poultry away from wild waterfowl.

The ODA also encouraged the public to report any sick or dead birds to the agency.

This incident highlights the dangers of feeding pets raw meat products, which may contain harmful pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and H5N1. Experts say thorough cooking destroys these pathogens, reducing the risk of illness for both pets and humans.