H5N1 Bird Flu Found in Raw Cat Food: FDA Warnings and Recalls

Several raw cat food brands have been recalled after laboratory testing confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza, with at least one cat death reported in connection with a contaminated product. The situation has prompted the FDA to require pet food manufacturers using raw poultry or cattle-derived ingredients to formally address H5N1 as a known risk in their food safety plans.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s happened, which products have been affected, and what cat owners feeding raw diets need to know.

What Happened

According to CIDRAP (the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota), a cat in San Francisco became severely ill with H5N1 after eating RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats and was ultimately euthanized. Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of H5N1 avian influenza virus in the recalled product, according to a follow-up CIDRAP report.

This was not an isolated incident. Multiple raw cat food brands have issued recalls after testing linked their products to H5N1 contamination:

• RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, with recalled lots including Lot CCS 25 077 (Sell By September 18, 2026) and Lot CCS 25 093 (Sell By October 3, 2026)
• Northwest Naturals, which issued a voluntary recall of one batch of its 2-lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for H5N1, affecting products with “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026
• Savage Cat Raw Chicken Cat Food, recalled following an investigation into cats that contracted H5N1 infections after eating the product

Why the FDA Is Responding at the Industry Level

In response to this pattern of contamination, the FDA has determined that manufacturers of cat and dog food using uncooked or unpasteurized materials derived from poultry or cattle must reanalyze their food safety plans to formally include H5N1 as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard, according to the FDA’s own published guidance. This is a significant regulatory step, effectively requiring the raw pet food industry to build H5N1 testing and mitigation into standard food safety practices going forward, rather than treating individual contamination events as isolated incidents.

Why Cats Are Particularly Vulnerable to H5N1

Cats have shown notable susceptibility to severe illness from H5N1 avian influenza in recent years, especially when exposed through raw or unpasteurized animal products, including raw pet food, raw milk, and raw meat, or through contact with dairy farm environments where the virus has circulated in cattle. Infections in cats are frequently associated with severe, sometimes fatal, disease rather than mild symptoms.

Symptoms of H5N1 in cats can include:

• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Difficulty breathing or respiratory distress
• Neurological signs, including seizures or loss of coordination
• Eye discharge or conjunctivitis

Given the severity of illness reported in affected cats, any cat showing these symptoms after eating raw pet food, especially a recalled product, should be seen by a veterinarian promptly. A sudden loss of appetite is one of the earliest warning signs worth acting on.

What Raw-Feeding Cat Owners Should Do Right Now

1. Check your cat food packaging against the recalled lots and dates listed above for RAWR, Northwest Naturals, and Savage Cat Raw products.
2. Stop feeding any matching recalled product immediately and discontinue use even if your cat appears healthy.
3. Contact your veterinarian promptly if your cat has eaten a recalled product and is showing any signs of illness, particularly respiratory or neurological symptoms.
4. Handle raw pet food carefully in general, washing hands thoroughly after contact, cleaning food-prep surfaces and bowls, and avoiding cross-contamination with human food areas, since raw pet food can carry other pathogens beyond H5N1 as well.
5. Talk to your veterinarian about the risks of raw feeding more broadly if you currently feed a raw diet, particularly during periods of active avian influenza circulation in poultry or dairy cattle.

Is Raw Cat Food Safe Right Now?

This is an active, evolving situation rather than a single resolved event. The FDA’s decision to require H5N1 hazard planning across the raw pet food industry signals that regulators view this as an ongoing risk tied to how raw ingredients are sourced and processed, not just a one-time contamination issue with a single brand. Cat owners currently feeding raw diets should stay closely informed about recalls and consider discussing the relative risks and benefits of raw feeding with their veterinarian, particularly while H5N1 continues to circulate in poultry and dairy cattle populations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can cats get bird flu from raw pet food? Yes. Multiple raw cat food products have tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza in 2026, and at least one cat death has been linked to a contaminated product. The FDA now requires raw pet food manufacturers to address H5N1 specifically in their food safety plans.

What are the symptoms of H5N1 in cats? Reported symptoms include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, respiratory distress, and neurological signs such as seizures or loss of coordination. Cats showing these symptoms after eating raw pet food should see a veterinarian immediately.

Which raw cat food brands have been recalled for H5N1? As of the most recent reporting, RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, Northwest Naturals Feline Turkey Recipe, and Savage Cat Raw Chicken Cat Food have all been recalled in connection with H5N1 contamination. Always check current FDA recall listings for the latest information, since additional recalls may occur.

Can H5N1 in raw pet food affect humans in the household? While the confirmed cases reported so far involve illness in cats, avian influenza is a zoonotic virus, meaning transmission between animals and humans is possible. The CDC has previously confirmed cases of H5N1 transmission from infected cats to humans in other contexts, so careful handling of raw pet food and hygiene precautions are strongly recommended.

Where things stand

The confirmed presence of H5N1 in multiple raw cat food products marks a serious, ongoing food safety concern rather than an isolated event. If you feed your cat a raw diet, check your products against current recall lists regularly, watch closely for symptoms, and talk to your veterinarian about the evolving risks of raw feeding while avian influenza continues to circulate in poultry and dairy herds. For related coverage, see our report on a deadly feline coronavirus variant confirmed in the US.

This article is based on reporting from CIDRAP, the FDA, the AVMA, and ConsumerAffairs as of the time of writing. Recall statuses and risk assessments can change quickly; check the FDA’s official recall page for the most current information.

Sources

• CIDRAP: FDA warns of H5N1 avian flu detection in raw cat food
• CIDRAP: Tests confirm H5N1 avian flu virus in recently recalled raw food for cats
• FDA: Cat and Dog Food Manufacturers Required to Consider H5N1 in Food Safety Plans
• AVMA: Cat deaths linked to bird flu-contaminated raw pet food, sparking voluntary recall
• ConsumerAffairs: RAWR raw cat food recalled after link to H5N1 bird flu case