L.A. County health officials warn pet owners to avoid raw cat food after feline dies of bird flu
Los Angeles County health officials are urging pet owners to avoid Northwest Naturals Brand 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food after an Oregon house cat ate the recalled raw pet food and died from an H5N1 bird flu infection.
The recalled products are sold in California and can be ordered from the brand’s website. Samples of the product contained the virus.
The food was packaged in 2-pound plastic bags with “best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. County health officials are urging pet owners to dispose of the product if they have it.
Los Angeles County health officials have identified three more cats with presumptive H5N1; the source of the virus has not yet determined, but experts suspect raw meat.
Authorities are also asking residents to look for signs of illness in their cats, especially if they have consumed raw meat or raw dairy products. If pet owners notice any symptoms — such as listlessness, loss of appetite, severe depression, fever, difficulty breathing, neurological disease, respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, jaundice and death — they should notify their veterinarian immediately.
Health officials have confirmed H5N1 bird flu in four L.A. County house cats that consumed recalled raw milk and later got sick and died.
The health department is also investigating three cases from another household. These cats were not known to have been exposed to raw milk; the health department is investigating other sources of infection, including raw meat.
