Five Brands. Multiple Dead Cats. Bird Flu in the Food Supply.
Since December 2022, the United States has recorded over 130 feline H5N1 cases. The mortality rate in infected cats: 67 percent.
The source? Raw cat food made from poultry contaminated with highly pathogenic avian influenza. Five brands have been recalled. Cats are seizing, going blind, and dying. And the "raw feeding" community still thinks kibble is the real danger.
The Recalls, One by One
1. Northwest Naturals -- December 2024
A cat in Washington County, Oregon died after eating their raw chicken product. Genetic sequencing confirmed an exact match between the H5N1 strain in the food and the virus that killed the cat.
2. Monarch Raw Pet Food -- December 2024
Los Angeles County. One confirmed feline H5N1 infection and four presumed infections, all linked to Monarch's raw chicken formula. The LA County Department of Public Health issued warnings directly to pet stores.
3. Wild Coast Raw -- 2025
Based in Olympia, Washington. The FDA confirmed H5N1 contamination in their Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula, sold frozen across Oregon and Washington.
4. RAWR Raw Cat Food -- September 2025
The FDA confirmed H5N1 in two lots of RAWR Chicken Eats sliders (Lot CCS 25 077 and Lot CCS 25 093). A cat in San Francisco was euthanized after eating the contaminated food. The strain in the food matched the strain in the cat.
5. Savage Pet Cat Food -- 2025
El Cajon, California. The New York City Department of Health confirmed bird flu in two NYC cats linked to Savage's raw chicken product. Both cats showed severe neurological symptoms.
What H5N1 Does to a Cat
The symptoms are not subtle. Infected cats develop high fevers, stop eating, and show neurological damage: seizures, tremors, involuntary eye movements, paralysis. Many go blind. The virus attacks the brain.
Two out of three infected cats die.
The University of Maryland has called for increased surveillance of raw pet food. The FDA has issued multiple consumer warnings. Veterinary organizations have urged owners to stop feeding raw diets entirely.
The Human Risk
H5N1 can infect humans. No human cases have been linked to raw pet food yet, but the FDA explicitly warns that the virus can enter through the eyes, nose, or mouth during handling. Every owner scooping contaminated raw food into a bowl is one face-touch away from a potential infection.
Five brands recalled. Over 130 sick cats. A 67% kill rate. And the raw feeding influencers on Instagram are still posting aesthetically arranged bowls of raw chicken for their followers to replicate at home.
Sources:
CIDRAP: LA Cat H5N1 Deaths Prompt Warning About Raw Pet Food
FDA: H5N1 in RAWR Raw Cat Food
NYC Health: Bird Flu in Two NYC Cats Linked to Savage Cat Food