As the bird flu outbreak continues to spread, stray cats are facing increased risk.
The outbreak, which began in January 2022, has impacted over 166 million chickens, turkeys, and other bird species across all 50 U.S. states, including wild, commercial, and backyard flocks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus has also spread to dairy cows, with viral fragments detected in milk samples.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is now issuing a warning about the potential for cats to contract bird flu.
Health officials caution that cats can become infected through eating contaminated birds, drinking unpasteurized milk, consuming raw pet food, or spending time in areas with other infected animals. Stray cats, in particular, are more vulnerable due to their time spent outdoors, hunting, and consuming wild birds.
Symptoms in cats can include fever, reduced appetite, lethargy, red or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, and breathing difficulties. Infected cats may also exhibit neurological symptoms, such as tremors, seizures, coordination problems, or even blindness.
According to the AVMA, “Cats appear to be particularly susceptible to severe illness, often resulting in death.” The association further notes, “While it’s unclear whether infected cats can transmit the virus to other cats, that possibility cannot be ruled out.”
Although the risk of transmission from cats to humans is considered extremely low, experts warn that prolonged, unprotected exposure to infected animals could increase the risk.
While it remains highly unlikely for humans to contract the virus from cats at this stage, owners are still advised to take precautions when handling potentially infected animals.
Dr. Diego Diel, a veterinarian and virologist at Cornell University, emphasized the importance of understanding the risks, especially given the large number of cats in the U.S. and their close proximity to people. “There is definitely a need to understand the potential risk,” he told The New York Times.
Health officials also stress that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus.
“There’s no human-to-human transmission, and the risk to humans is minimal, with only a very small percentage of people potentially at risk,” Dr. Joseph Khabbaza, a critical care pulmonologist at the Cleveland Clinic, explained in a previous interview with PEOPLE.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the current outbreak as a “significant public health concern.” In April 2024, WHO confirmed the first fatality linked to this strain of bird flu in Mexico. In January 2024, the U.S. also reported its first death related to the bird flu in Louisiana.
Despite these developments, WHO has not yet classified the bird flu outbreak as a global health emergency.
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