Bird flu in cats: causes, symptoms and treatment

If you are a cat parent, you may have noticed a recent increase in reports of cats contracting avian influenza in the United States, although the current strain of avian influenza known as H5N1 is widespread in wild birds throughout the worldit is very rare for cats to be diagnosed at this stage.

We spoke with Anne Kimmerlein, DVM, a veterinary epidemiologist at VCA Animal Hospitals iin Sacramento, California to learn more about avian influenza in cats and steps pet owners can take to keep their cats safe.

What causes bird flu in cats?

“Cats can be exposed to avian influenza when they come into contact with infected animals such as wild birds or livestock, eat deceased wild animals, drink raw milk, or come into contact with contaminated objects such as clothing, shoes or equipment,” says Kimmerlein.

Therefore, the cats most at risk of contracting the current strain of avian influenza are outdoor farm cats.

Signs of bird flu in cats

If our cat contracts avian flu, it may present the following symptoms:

Additionally, some cases of avian flu in cats can be fatal. “Unfortunately, some cats have died from the virus without showing any signs of illness,” says Kimmerlein.

Can my cat give me bird flu?

Although the disease is called avian influenza, it can affect both cats and humans. “This version of H5N1 can infect many different types of mammals, including dairy cows, cats, and, rarely, people,” Kimmerlein says.

According to the CDC, three dairy workers have been diagnosed with the H5N1 virus so far. However, humans are unlikely to contract bird flu from their infected cat, and your cat is unlikely to spread the disease to other animals as well.

“While H5N1 avian influenza can affect both animals and people, cats are not known to be a significant route of infection to humans or other animals,” says Kimmerlein.

Indoor cats are less likely to contract bird flu. “Currently, the risk posed by the current H5N1 strain of avian influenza to domestic cats is considered low, and scientific investigations are underway to better understand how the virus may be transmitted,” says Kimmerlein. .

Treatment of avian influenza in cats

The good news is that even if your cat contracts bird flu, it is possible for them to recover. However, because there is no specific treatment plan for avian influenza in cats, it is important to address the severity of your cat’s symptoms promptly.

If you suspect your cat is acting strangely or sick, it’s important to involve your vet as soon as possible.

How to prevent bird flu in cats

There isn’t any at the moment Vaccine against avian influenza for cats, so it is important to take additional preventive measures to prevent cats living indoors or outdoors from contracting H5N1.

“The best way to protect cats from avian influenza is to limit their interaction with wildlife, livestock, and any animals whose health status is unknown,” says Kimmerlein.

Other prevention tactics include:

• Change clothes and shoes after interacting with poultry, wildlife, livestock, or any sick or injured animal
• Prevent cats for unpasteurized consumption dairy products
• Monitoring your cat’s health at all times