Cat euthanized after bird flu from recalled pet food
5 September, 2025
Authorities euthanized a cat in San Francisco after it ate raw pet food and contracted the bird flu. Testing performed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests a link between the strain of H5N1 virus detected in the cat and in certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, a product the cat consumed before falling ill.
This event highlights how widespread avian influenza virus likely is in the United States, beyond the scope of official reports, and that despite the authorities’ efforts, the virus still leaks into the food supply. In this case, it involved cat food, but similar incidents could plausibly occur with food intended for humans.
