Raw meat and unpasteurized dairy are direct vectors for the virus.
In the opening days of 2025, health officials in Los Angeles issued a warning that touches on one of the oldest bonds in human life — the care we extend to the animals who share our homes. H5N1 bird flu, the same virus reshaping poultry and dairy industries across the country, has now been found in raw pet food products, infecting household cats and claiming at least one life. The incident is a quiet reminder that the boundaries between wild ecosystems, industrial food chains, and domestic life are more porous than we tend to assume.
- H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in Monarch Raw Pet Food samples, with one Los Angeles cat infected and four others in the same household presumed positive.
- A second company, Northwest Naturals, has already recalled frozen raw turkey cat food after the virus was linked to the death of a house cat in Oregon.
- Cats are proving especially vulnerable to H5N1, developing rapid and severe illness — neurological symptoms, respiratory failure, and death — at a rate that alarms veterinarians.
- Health officials and the American Veterinary Medical Association are urging pet owners to immediately switch to cooked meat and pasteurized dairy, and to keep cats away from wild birds and livestock.
- Despite the confirmed infections, Monarch has issued no public statement and Los Angeles County has not yet announced a formal recall, leaving pet owners to navigate the risk without full institutional guidance.
Los Angeles County health officials have warned pet owners to stop feeding animals Monarch Raw Pet Food after H5N1 bird flu was detected in the product. At least one cat in the county has been confirmed infected, and four others from the same household are presumed to have contracted the virus from the same source.
The warning follows a similar incident just days earlier, when Portland-based Northwest Naturals recalled frozen raw turkey cat food after the virus was found in the product and connected to the death of an Oregon house cat. The recalled batches were distributed across twelve U.S. states and British Columbia, and affected consumers are being advised to discard the product and seek refunds.
Cats have emerged as particularly susceptible to H5N1. Since the virus was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle last spring, dozens of felines — barn cats, indoor pets, and zoo animals alike — have fallen ill. Infected cats can deteriorate rapidly, showing neurological changes, respiratory distress, lethargy, fever, eye discharge, tremors, and seizures. The disease can progress to death with alarming speed.
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey of the American Veterinary Medical Association stresses that raw meat and unpasteurized dairy are direct transmission vectors. Cooking and pasteurization destroy the pathogen. Dogs appear less vulnerable than cats but should also eat only cooked food. Keeping cats indoors and away from wild birds and poultry is strongly advised.
The CDC considers direct transmission from pets to humans unlikely but not impossible — a 2016 case saw a New York veterinarian develop mild flu symptoms after prolonged unprotected exposure to infected cats. Pet owners who have used Monarch or other raw products should monitor their animals closely for any signs of illness and contact a veterinarian immediately if symptoms appear. As of now, Monarch has offered no public statement, and no formal recall has been announced.
Los Angeles County health officials have issued an urgent warning to pet owners: stop feeding your animals Monarch Raw Pet Food. The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected in samples of the product, and at least one cat in the county has been confirmed infected after consuming it. Four other cats from the same household are presumed to have contracted the virus from the same food source.
The discovery marks the second major incident in recent weeks linking raw pet food to bird flu transmission. Just days earlier, Northwest Naturals, a Portland-based pet food company, announced a voluntary recall of frozen raw turkey cat food after the virus was found in the product and traced to the death of an Oregon house cat. The recalled batches, with "best if used by" dates of May 21, 2026, and June 23, 2026, were distributed across twelve U.S. states and British Columbia. Consumers who purchased the product are being advised to discard it and seek refunds.
Cats appear to be particularly vulnerable to H5N1. Since the virus was first confirmed in U.S. dairy cattle last March, dozens of felines have fallen ill—barn cats, feral cats, indoor pets, and even big cats in zoos. When infected, cats can develop severe and rapidly progressive disease. Symptoms include neurological changes, respiratory problems, liver damage, loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, inflamed eyes with discharge, difficulty breathing, tremors, and seizures. The illness can move quickly toward death.
Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association, emphasizes that raw meat and unpasteurized dairy are direct vectors for the virus. Cooking meat or pasteurizing milk destroys the pathogen and other disease-causing organisms. Dogs appear less susceptible than cats but should also eat only thoroughly cooked food. Pet owners should keep cats indoors and away from wild birds, livestock, and poultry—cats are natural hunters, and birds are among their preferred prey.
The bird flu outbreak has been spreading through wild birds, chickens, turkeys, and other animals for years. In people, it has caused sporadic, mostly mild illnesses, nearly all in workers on dairy or poultry farms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says direct transmission from pets to owners is unlikely but possible. In 2016, a veterinarian in New York City contracted mild flu symptoms after prolonged exposure to infected cats without protective equipment.
Pet owners who have fed their animals Monarch raw food or any other raw meat or dairy products should watch closely for signs of illness. If a cat shows unusual behavior—sleeping excessively, hiding when it normally would be playful, loss of appetite, or any of the neurological or respiratory symptoms—contact a veterinarian immediately. Keep a sick cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has not announced a formal recall of Monarch products, and the company has provided no public statement about the contamination or the infected animals.
Citas Notables
Raw milk, raw meat products can be and are a vector for carrying this virus.— Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Residents should avoid consumption of all raw milk and raw meat products and not feed these to their pets.— Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why are cats getting sick from this food when dogs seem to be spared?
Cats are just more susceptible to H5N1 at the cellular level. We've seen this pattern since before the cattle outbreak—feline cases linked to wild birds and poultry. It's not fully understood why, but it's consistent across the outbreak.
If cooking destroys the virus, why do people feed raw food to pets at all?
Some owners believe raw diets are more natural or nutritious. But that belief is now colliding with a real outbreak. The virus is in the food chain, and raw products are a direct pathway into the animal's body.
How worried should someone be if they own a cat?
Not panicked, but attentive. Keep the cat indoors, cook any meat you give it, and know what sick looks like—lethargy, eye discharge, tremors. Most people won't encounter this. But if you do, it moves fast.
Can I catch this from my cat?
Extremely unlikely through casual contact. There's been one documented case—a veterinarian with prolonged exposure and no protective gear. But it's not zero risk, which is why you should call a vet rather than handle a sick cat yourself.
Why didn't the companies catch this before it reached homes?
That's the question. The virus is in the supply chain. Testing should have been more robust, especially after the first recall. This is the kind of failure that makes people ask what we learned from COVID.