Companion animals enter the H5N1 risk picture

Companion animals are part of the H5N1 story now, and that changes the conversation for veterinarians as much as for pet parents. Federal agencies and veterinary groups have been warning that cats, and to a lesser extent dogs, can become infected after exposure to contaminated raw milk, raw meat, raw pet food, infected birds, infected livestock environments, or even contaminated clothing and equipment brought into the home. The FDA in early 2025 told cat and dog food manufacturers using uncooked or unpasteurized poultry- or cattle-derived ingredients to reanalyze their food safety plans to account for H5N1, after cat illnesses and deaths linked to contaminated food products. CDC guidance for veterinarians also now highlights neurologic signs such as ataxia, tremors, seizures, and blindness, alongside respiratory signs, as key clues in exposed cats. AVMA reporting adds that USDA had documented nearly 70 domestic cat infections in 2024 alone and around 200 U.S. cat cases since the virus appeared in the country at the end of 2021, underscoring that this is no longer a rare edge case in feline practice. (fda.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, H5N1 in companion animals is no longer a theoretical spillover issue. Cats appear especially vulnerable, with severe disease and rapid decline reported after exposure to raw dairy or raw diets, and CDC has advised veterinarians and staff to use precautions when handling suspect cases. AVMA coverage also noted that cats in San Francisco and Los Angeles died after eating a contaminated raw chicken diet, and that the product’s long sell-by window highlighted a practical concern for clinics and owners alike: H5N1 may remain viable in frozen or refrigerated raw diets for extended periods. The practical takeaway for clinics is to ask about diet, wildlife exposure, household livestock or dairy work, and contaminated fomites, while counseling pet parents to avoid raw milk and raw meat diets and to keep pets away from sick or dead birds. (cdc.gov)

What to watch: Expect continued scrutiny of raw pet food safety, more guidance on testing and PPE in clinics, and likely broader surveillance as H5N1 remains active in birds, dairy cattle, and spillover hosts. With avian migration patterns linked to renewed rises in poultry and mammal infections, the risk picture for cats that hunt or eat raw animal products is unlikely to fade soon. (fda.gov)