H5N1 bird flu strain infecting domestic cats across US

Bird flu now infecting domestic pet cats across US

At least 21 cats have been infected since H5N1 outbreak
At least two indoor cats with no dairy farm ties have been infected
Researcher: 'We know cats are being infected, so let’s get ahead of it'

Updated: Aug 20, 2024 / 12:59 PM CDT

PORTLAND, ME – DECEMBER 7: Barnyard cats rest on a bail of hay at Hall Farms in East Dixfield Thursday, December 8, 2016. (Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — A deadly strain of avian bird flu has been ravaging American farms for the past 2 1/2 years, and now, it’s spreading to one of America’s most popular pets.

Since the start of the outbreak, H5N1 Bird Flu has taken out more than 100 million birds and 191 dairy farm herds and has infected at least 13 farm workers. All human cases were mild and believed to have spread directly from infected animals to people.

But the strain isn’t done yet as recent reports say the influenza strain seen in dairy cows has now spread to indoor pet cats.

21 domestic cats infected with bird flu

A cat walking in a barn is pictured. — SHELBURNE FALLS, MA – JANUARY 11: A cat walks past the dairy cows of Norman Davenport as they stand in the barn of his family’s farm in Shelburne Falls, MA on Jan. 11, 2018. The Davenports 40 Normande milk cows are being be sold off this month, and Maegan and Nate Senser will pivot to a different blend of farming, raising Devon cattle for meat production and bringing in Berkshire hogs to produce high-end pork. The number of Massachusetts dairy farms is being thinned out by a combination of development pressures and complex economics. (Photo by Keith Bedford/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Since the H5N1 influenza outbreak, at least 21 domestic cats have reportedly been infected.

The Colorado Department of Public Health confirmed earlier this month that there have been six cat infections in the state so far this year.

One of the six infections was directly linked to a dairy facility in the state that had seen the infection in cattle.

However, two of the cases were discovered in indoor cats that had no direct exposure to the virus, the press release said.

The remaining three cats were indoor-outdoor cats that were known to have hunted mice and other small animals like birds.

How are indoor cats getting sick?

A barn cat asks for attention. — BOONSBORO, MARYLAND – APRIL 4: A barn cat asks for attention on a farm on April 4, 2021 in Boonsboro, Maryland. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Veterinary experts believe most of the cases were linked to dairy farm outbreaks. According to a USA Today report, the bird flu strain could have also been transmitted through mice in and around homes that act as carriers for the disease.

Kristen Coleman, an assistant professor in the UMD School of Public Health, said that domestic cats provide a potential pathway for the disease to spread to humans.

“We looked at the global distribution and spread of bird flu infections in feline species between 2004 and 2024 and found a drastic rise in reports of feline infections starting in 2023, with a spike in infections reported among domestic cats, as opposed to wild or zoo-kept animals. This increase coincides with the rapid spread of the current strain of H5N1 among mammals,” Coleman said.

Preventing cats from contracting bird flu

Carlisle, MA – May 3: A cat roams through a barn at Clark Farm. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Coleman said that the fatality rate for this current H5N1 strain in cats has been around 67%, and while it’s more common for cats associated with infected dairy farms to contract the illness, she recommends keeping cats indoors and away from birds and mice.

“The virus is going to sneak up in more places, just like it did in dairy farms. We know cats are being infected, so let’s get ahead of it,” Coleman states.