New York City cats stricken with bird flu. Recall pending

March 15, 2025

The New York City Department of Health is advising cat owners not to feed Savage Cat Food to their cats after the bird flu virus was confirmed in two cats. A third cat also was suspected of being infected with the virus.

Two of the three cats had eaten Savage Cat Food, poultry packets lot number 11152026. The third cat had not been fed this product, but had come into contact with one of the other sick cats.

Both cats with confirmed infections died; the third cat became ill with symptoms consistent with bird flu, but survived and was not tested.

Cat A became ill earlier this month, and was hospitalized with fever, loss of appetite and severe respiratory disease and died as a result of its infection. Testing for the H5 bird flu virus was conducted by the Cornell Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Confirmatory H5N1 testing by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) is pending.

Cat B became ill in February 2025 with fever and severe respiratory and liver disease and also died as a result of infection. The cat was confirmed by the NVSL to be infected with the H5N1 virus. Additional testing recently performed at NVSL suggests the cat was infected with an H5N1 strain related to that found in Savage Cat food, lot 11152026. Cat B did not consume the Savage Cat Food, but had come into contact with Cat C.

Cat C became ill with fever after consuming Savage Cat Food lot number 11152026, but survived. The cat was not tested for bird flu at the time of its illness, and cannot be tested now as too much time has elapsed.

The chain of events

On February 17, 2025, Savage Cat Food posted a notice on the company’s website advising its customers that a cat in Colorado had developed bird flu after consuming Lot 11152026 of the company’s raw poultry cat food.

Colorado State University tested a sealed package of the food and detected the H5 virus using PCR technology. The company initiated a “market withdrawal” while awaiting virus viability test results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

The NVSL was unable to recover live H5N1 virus from the sample.

Upon learning that the New York City cats had been exposed to the same batch code of raw cat food as the Colorado cat, the company announced it would convert its “market withdrawal” to a voluntary product recall.

The recall covers product with lot code/best buy date of 11152026 which was sold in Large and Small Chicken Boxes in November 2024.

As the product has been shipped across state lines, we can expect a recall notice to be posted on the FDA’s website in the next few days.

How can “negative” product cause infection?

Savage Cat Food is not the first example of a raw pet food that tested positive by PCR for the H5 bird flu virus, but tested “negative” for live virus. A similar situation occurred with Northwest Naturals raw frozen pet food in December 2024.

Microbiologists know well that microbes—whether bacteria or viruses—are not uniformly distributed in a solid food. Especially if contamination is low, a pathogen might be present in only one or two packages out of a hundred, possibly less. And a contaminated package might only harbor the pathogen in one small zone within the box.

It is not unusual in foodborne disease outbreak investigations for the source of the outbreak to be identified based on epidemiology (eating patterns), without the outbreak strain ever being recovered from a sample of the implicated food.

That is what occurred with Northwest Naturals, and that is what has happened (so far) with Savage Cat Food.

What cat owners should know

The New York City Department of Health strongly encourages New Yorkers whose cats are experiencing illness after consuming Savage Cat Food products or other raw meat or dairy products to contact their veterinarian.

Symptoms of H5N1 bird flu virus infections in cats may include:

Fever
Lethargy
Low appetite
Reddened or inflamed eyes
Discharge from the eyes and nose
Difficulty breathing
Neurologic signs, like tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness

The New York City Department of Health offers the following tips for pet owners:

Avoid feeding pets raw food or raw milk
If you pet has eaten raw food and shows sign of sickness, call your vet immediately and isolate from other pets
Keep your cats indoors
If you are walking your dog, avoid dead or sick animals

“A complete and compelling account of the hidden and not-so-hidden ways the food we give our beloved pets can be contaminated.” – JoNel Aleccia, Health Reporter, Food & Nutrition, The Associated Press.

“An invaluable resource for busy pet owners” – Food Safety News

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Memo to RFK, Jr: Raw milk not worth the risk

Once upon a time, raw milk was reasonably safe to drink. But, that was long, long ago.

An early scene in the movie “A League Of Their Own” (set in the 1940s) depicts two sisters sitting in a barn, each of them milking a cow.

In this idyllic scenario, the milk that flowed into scrupulously clean pails would be consumed fresh, churned into butter, or used to make cheese. None of this liquid gold (okay, white gold) would sit around in chilled bulk tanks waiting to be bottled.

Of course, even back then, raw milk was not without its problems. Dairy cows suffering from bovine tuberculosis could shed the bacteria in their milk. Likewise, undulating fever (brucellosis) could be transmitted to individuals who drank milk from an infected cow.

A growing milk market

In Spoiled. The Myth of Milk as Superfood, Anne Mendelson traced the evolution of Western civilization’s love affair with drinking milk.

As demand in cities grew for fresh milk, problems with purity, safety, and spoilage mounted exponentially. As the frequency and size of milk-borne epidemics increased, pasteurization gained reluctant acceptance as a means of ensuring a safe milk supply.

Nevertheless, now that collective memories of the ‘bad old days’ of milk-borne diseases have faded, a growing cadre of consumers have united in their desire to consume raw milk, cream, cheese, and butter.

And dairy farmers across the United States (and in Canada) have stepped up to fill this market niche.

Regulating raw milk

In September 1987, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Final Rule mandating that “…milk and milk products in final package form for human consumption in interstate commerce be pasteurized.”

The FDA does not regulate food products (including raw milk) that are produced and sold intrastate (ie., without crossing state lines). Oversight of those products is left to each individual state.

As of 2024, approximately 30 states permitted intrastate sale of raw milk, while 20 states prohibited it. Yet, raw milk can be purchased even in those 20 states through a loophole known as the “cow share program.”

According to the website, realmilk.com, a consumer can enter into a contract with a dairy farmer in which the consumer pays the farmer to feed, house, and care for Betsy. In turn, the consumer receives the output of the cow (milk, butter, cheese, etc.).

In practice, Betsy’s milk is mixed with milk from Elsie, Matilda, and all of the other members of the dairy herd, and the consumer receives a portion of that commingled output. Thus, if Betsy is one of 100 dairy cows in the herd, the consumer would be entitled to 1% of the total output of the herd.

If that’s more dairy product than one consumer’s family can handle, he or she could opt to purchase just a fraction of Betsy’s theoretical output. Perhaps just one-half or one-quarter of a cow.

Raw milk risks

Raw (unpasteurized) milk and dairy products made with raw milk have been the source of multiple outbreaks of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7 infections.

The FDA compiled a list of 133 outbreaks associated with raw milk covering the period 1987 to 2010. These outbreaks caused 2,659 cases of illnesses, 269 hospitalizations, 3 deaths, 6 stillbirths, and 2 miscarriages.

The list of outbreaks continues to grow. Between 2009 and 2021, the CDC logged 143 enteric disease outbreaks that were confirmed or suspected to be associated with consumption of raw milk.

From October 18, 2023 through May 4, 2024, the California Department of Public Health and its partner agencies investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium that encompassed 171 confirmed outbreak cases, the majority of them among children. Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback investigations identified Raw Farm brand raw milk as the source of the outbreak.

And in February/March 2024, the CDC advised consumers that eleven cases of E. coli O157:H7 infection had been traced to raw cheddar cheese, also manufactured by Raw Farm, LLC, a California-based raw dairy producer. Five of the eleven victims were hospitalized and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The company at first agreed to recall the implicated products, then reversed its position and cancelled the recall.

Raw Farm is owned and operated by Mike McAfee, and has a long history of regulatory disputes both with California regulators and with the FDA.

And if that wasn’t enough…

In March 2024, the bird flu virus, H5N1, was detected in the US cattle population for the first time. As infected cattle are able to shed live virus in their milk, this raised a concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply across the USA.

In response, the FDA carried out an initial sampling of retail (pasteurized) milk and reported that all 297 samples analyzed were negative for the H5N1 virus. A second follow-up survey showed similar results. The FDA also carried out a series of lab tests and confirmed that pasteurization inactivates the H5N1 virus.

To determine the extent to which the bird flu virus has contaminated raw milk, federal and state agencies are working cooperatively to test milk samples drawn from raw milk storage silos at dairy processing facilities. Analysis of these samples for the H5N1 virus is being carried out by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

Why H5N1 in raw milk matters

There is a small but growing body of reports indicating that the bird flu virus can be transmitted to animals (and occasionally to humans) via ingestion. On January 17, 2025, the FDA notified the cat and dog food industry that manufacturers who are covered by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule and are using uncooked or unpasteurized materials derived from poultry or cattle must reanalyze their food safety plans to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (specifically H5N1) as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard.

This notice followed reports of domestic cats that had become infected with the H5N1 virus after consuming a raw pet food that was later found to be contaminated with the virus.

Several cats also have become infected after drinking raw milk that was later recalled due to the presence of the H5N1 virus.

Raw milk and MAHA

If RFK, Jr. directs the FDA to rescind its 1987 Final Rule and allow the interstate shipment of retail-packaged raw milk across state lines, the impact on public health could be staggering. And negative.

Considering the decades-long history of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with raw milk consumption, expanding the availability of this commodity will inevitably increase the risk to consumers.

Furthermore, once a dairy product is shipped across state lines, the manufacturer of that product falls under FDA jurisdiction. The FDA’s budget already is inadequate to support its existing regulatory responsibilities. Adding an new industry sector to its workload will stretch resources to the breaking point, with disastrous effects on the entirely of the agency’s food safety activities.

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Bird flu: what you need to know

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), otherwise known as bird flu, has insinuated itself into the wild bird and domestic fowl populations around the world since at least 1997.

Although there are several antigenic variants of the bird flu virus, H5N1 is the current dominant form.

A brief history

The first human case of H5N1 bird flu was identified in 1997. By the end of that year, 18 human cases had been confirmed.

The virus faded into the background until 2003/2004, when a large outbreak of H5N1 infections spread through poultry flocks in several Asian countries.

Between 2003 and February 2011, the virus infected millions of birds in multiple countries. During this same period, 528 human cases of H5N1 infections were reported in 15 countries in Asia and Africa. Of these, 311 died.

Courtesy of the World Health Organization

As H5N1 has spread into flocks of wild birds and domestic fowl around the world, so too has the risk of spread to humans increased.

The situation in the USA

Since February 2022, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed the presence of H5N1-infected birds in 1376 poultry flocks, including 623 commercial flocks and 753 backyard flocks. More than 130 million birds from all 50 states have been affected.

The virus also is widely distributed across the wild bird population. The USDA has confirmed nearly 11,000 cases of bird flu in multiple species of wild birds since January 2022.

During this same period, the USDA confirmed H5N1 in 418 mammals across the country, including deer mice, house mice, domestic cats, mountain lions, coyotes, bottlenose dolphins, foxes, skunks, raccoons, black bears, and other species.

In March 2024, the USDA reported the first confirmed case of H5N1 infection in a dairy herd. As of December 31, 2024, there were 916 confirmed cases in cattle in 16 states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming.

In 2022, a poultry worker in Colorado was infected with H5N1—the first reported case of a human H5N1 infection in the USA. The next case was identified in March 2024.

From March 2024 to December 31, 2024, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 66 cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus in 10 states: California (37), Colorado (10), Iowa (1), Louisiana (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (1), Oregon (1), Texas (1), Washington (11), Wisconsin (1).

Sixty-three of the 66 infected individuals worked either with dairy herds or in poultry farms and culling operations. No person-to-person spread has been reported.

The situation in Canada

Since December 2021, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has detected 517 infected poultry premises (commercial and non-commercial) in nine provinces: Alberta (86), British Columbia (235), Manitoba (24), New Brunswick (2), Newfoundland and Labrador (2), Nova Scotia (8), Ontario (56), Québec (58), Saskatchewan (46).

Seventy-six of the 517 premises are currently infected. The other 441 have been cleared and released.

To date, the H5N1 virus present in US livestock (dairy cattle) has not been found in domestic poultry flocks in Canada.

To date, 3439 instances of confirmed or suspect H5N1 cases in wildlife (birds and mammals) have been reported to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative. Infected wildlife have been found in every province and territory.

As of January 4, 2025, no cases of H5N1 infections in either humans or cattle have been reported in Canada.

What is being done to protect the milk supply?

In Canada

In May and June 2024, CFIA labs studied the effectiveness of milk pasteurization to inactivate the H5N1 virus. The study concluded that standard pasteurization procedures currently in use are effective.

Between March and September 2024, the CFIA tested 1,211 retail pasteurized milk samples from across Canada. All of the samples were negative for H5N1.

As of December 19, 2024, CFIA labs have tested 1,432 samples of raw milk arriving at processing plants in all provinces across Canada. All of the samples tested negative for H5N1.

In the USA

In May 2024, the FDA conducted a surveillance study of retail dairy products. All 297 samples were negative for the H5N1 virus.

In June 2024, the FDA released the results of its study on the inactivation of H5N1 virus in milk by standard commercial pasteurization procedures. The report concluded that the commercial pasteurized milk supply in the US is safe.

In August 2024, the FDA released the results of a second surveillance study that included aged raw milk cheese, pasteurized fluid milk and products made from pasteurized milk, such as pasteurized cheeses, cream cheese, butter, and ice cream. All 167 samples were negative for H5N1.

In October 2024, the FDA invited states to participate in a voluntary “silo study.” Grade “A” raw cow’s milk from participating states intended to be pasteurized were be sampled from raw milk storage silos at dairy processing facilities, over a six-week period.

On December 23, 2024, the FDA announced that it would begin to collect and test aged raw cow’s milk cheese for the presence of viable H5N1 virus.

Several state departments of agriculture have initiated surveillance of raw milk for the presence of the H5N1 virus. In December 2024, the California Department of Public Health announced the recall of raw milk and cream from two producers of retail raw dairy products—Raw Farm, LLC and Valley Milk Simply Bottled—after finding viable H5N1 viruses in samples of the companies’ milk.

Finally, on December 6, 2024, the USDA announced a new National Milk Testing Strategy. As part of the strategy, the USDA announced it would immediately begin testing of raw milk silos at dairy processing facilities.

How to protect yourself from bird flu

The CDC recommends the following precautions:

Protective actions around wild birds Avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe them only from a distance, if possible. Learn more.
What to do if you find a dead bird Avoid contact with wild or domestic birds that appear ill or have died and call to report sick or dead birds. Learn more.
Protective actions around other animals with H5N1 bird flu Avoid unprotected exposure to infected live or dead animals or surfaces contaminated by them. Learn more.
Protective actions if you work with potentially infected dairy cattle Avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with cattle and materials potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with HPAI A(H5) virus. Learn more.
Consuming Milk People should not eat or drink raw milk or products made with raw milk. Choosing pasteurized milk is the best way to keep you and your family safe. Learn more.
Preparing food It is safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry in the United States. There are recommendations around products from other animals with H5 virus infections, including cattle and milk. Learn more.
Traveling to other countries CDC does not currently recommend any travel restrictions related to bird flu to countries affected by bird flu in birds, other animals or people. Learn more.
If you have contact with infected birds or other animals and become sick Learn what to do if you have contact with infected birds or other animals and become sick. Learn more.
Clinicians can visit CDC’s avian influenza (bird flu) information for health professionals for the latest guidance. Learn more.
Public health professionals and laboratorians can visit CDC’s avian influenza (bird flu) information for public health partners for the latest guidance. Learn more.
Get a seasonal flu vaccine Seasonal flu vaccination will not prevent infection with bird flu viruses, but can reduce the risk of getting sick with human influenza viruses and thus the risk for seasonal and bird flu co-infection. Learn more.