Skip to main content

Another Raw Pet Food Recalled After Bird Flu Sickens Two Cats

By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 20, 2025.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, March 20, 2025 -- A California pet food company has recalled raw chicken products after they were linked to bird flu infections in two cats and suspected in a third in New York City.

Savage Pet, based in El Cajon, California, recalled one lot of large and small chicken boxes due to potential contamination with Type A H5N1 influenza virus, commonly known as bird flu.

The recalled boxes contain individually packaged products and are stamped with the lot code and best-by date 11152026.

They were distributed in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington state, The Associated Press reported.

New York City health officials urged pet owners to avoid Savage Pet products after the reported cat illnesses. One cat that ate the recalled food became sick and died this month.

While final test results are pending, preliminary tests detected traces of the bird flu.

A second cat, which did not eat the food but was exposed to another sick cat, also died after testing positive for bird flu.

A third cat that ate the food became ill but survived and was not tested.

The cases are part of a growing concern over bird flu transmission to domestic animals.

Cats can contract the virus through contaminated food, milk or contact with infected wildlife, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other recent recalls include Wild Coast Raw’s frozen boneless raw chicken cat food, linked to cat deaths in Oregon and Washington, and Northwest Naturals raw turkey pet food, recalled in December after testing positive for bird flu.

Dr. Jarra Jagne, a veterinary expert at Cornell University, advises pet owners to avoid feeding animals raw or unpasteurized food due to the risk of bird flu, salmonella, listeria and E. coli.

“I wouldn’t give my animals raw anything,” she said. “It’s all about cooking.”

Sources

  • The Associated Press, March 18, 2025

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Florida House Cat's Latest Conquest Yields New Virus Discovery

THURSDAY, July 17, 2025 — Florida virologist John Lednicky couldn’t have a more devoted research partner than his sleek black house cat Pepper. Pepper, an avid hunter...

CDC Says COVID-19 Cases Rising in 25 States

MONDAY, July 14, 2025 — COVID-19 cases are on the rise again across the United States, with the biggest increases in parts of the South, Southeast and West Coast. The U.S...

'Harmless' Virus Might Trigger Parkinson's Disease, Researchers Say

WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2025 — A common virus once thought harmless to humans might be linked to Parkinson’s disease, a new study says. The germ, Human Pegivirus (HPgV)...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.