H5N1 updates put cats and cattle back in focus
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A fatal H5N1 case in an outdoor cat in Washington state and new evidence of prior H5N1 exposure in Dutch dairy cattle are adding to the picture veterinarians have been watching for months: cats remain highly susceptible, and cattle exposure isn’t limited to the U.S. In Washington, state agriculture officials listed one domestic cat in Grant County as a confirmed H5N1 detection on January 20, 2026, with wild birds named as the suspected source. In the Netherlands, investigators first found H5N1 antibodies in one dairy cow on a Friesland farm after a farm cat tested positive, then reported that five cows on the farm had antibodies, suggesting earlier infection without active virus detected at the time of testing. Dutch and EU officials said no other cows on the farm had active infection, no exposed people had developed symptoms, and the public health risk assessment was unchanged. (cms.agr.wa.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the update reinforces two practical points: cats are still a sentinel species for spillover from birds, raw animal products, or farm exposure, and mild or missed infections in cattle may only be recognized later through serology. Washington’s companion-animal guidance says most domestic cat cases have been linked to infected poultry or dairy farms, ingestion of wild birds, or raw products such as raw milk and raw pet food. That fits broader feline data summarized by International Cat Care, which noted a sharp rise in avian influenza cases in cats since 2023, frequent respiratory and neurologic signs, and high reported mortality, while also noting that some cats may be infected without obvious illness. FDA and CDC have also continued warning against feeding raw meat, raw pet food, or unpasteurized milk because of H5N1 and other pathogen risks. (cms.agr.wa.gov)
What to watch: Watch for more Dutch follow-up testing, any evidence of cow-to-cow spread in Europe, and whether U.S. companion-animal surveillance picks up additional wildlife-linked cat cases this spring. For clinicians, it is also worth watching whether public messaging shifts further toward practical cat-risk reduction, including keeping cats from scavenging birds, avoiding raw poultry and unpasteurized milk, and reducing hunting where feasible during periods of local avian influenza activity. (wur.nl)