How to Protect Your Cat From This Deadly Bird Flu

Fowl flu has been round for a very long time, however a serious U.S. outbreak of H5N1, ongoing since March 2024, has raised concern for a wider unfold that may have an effect on extra than simply birds. Additionally in danger: indoor cats, who’re extremely prone to the virus and prone to expertise extreme sickness if contaminated. A number of animal deaths have already been reported across Oregon and California.

When you have a pet cat—or have feral or barn cats close by—you ought to be conscious of the signs of chicken flu in felines and take preventive measures to guard your animals from an infection.

What are the indicators of chicken flu in cats?

Symptoms of bird flu infection in cats might embrace lethargy, fever, and lack of urge for food in addition to temper and conduct change (resembling uncommon hiding or extreme sleeping). Some cats will even develop redness of their eyes and/or discharge from their eyes and nostril, and will expertise respiratory issue (labored respiratory, sneezing, and coughing) or neurological signs (seizures or tremors).

In case your cat exhibits any of those indicators, hold them away from different cats and anybody with a compromised immune system and name your vet instantly.

How you can shield your cat from chicken flu

There are a couple of preventive measures you may take to reduce the danger of your cat contracting chicken flu:

• Don’t feed them uncooked meat or unpasteurized dairy, together with uncooked milk. (Cooking and pasteurizing kills viruses and germs which are harmful for animals.) Verify the substances in your cat’s meals to make sure it would not include any uncooked meat or dairy. Northwest Naturals has already recalled frozen pet food with uncooked turkey—the affected batches had been bought in 12 states and in British Columbia, Canada.

• You must also hold your cat away from livestock, poultry, and wild birds, all of which can carry the virus. Hold them indoors, or at the very least forestall them from wandering unsupervised round exterior, the place they’re prone to encounter and hunt birds.

• Lastly, you need to wash your fingers after touching poultry and any animals, together with your cat. Don’t work together with sick or useless birds without sufficient protection.