Another Raw Pet Food Recall Is Tied to Illness, Death in Cats

A California pet food maker has recalled its raw chicken products after they were linked to bird flu infections in two cats and suspected in a third in New York City.

The recall is the latest in recent months tied to products potentially contaminated with the virus that has sickened and killed cats in several states, after racing through poultry and dairy cattle in the U.S. and causing illnesses in at least 70 people.

Savage Pet, of El Cajon, California, this week recalled one lot of large and small chicken boxes because they may be contaminated with Type A H5N1 influenza virus. The boxes are cardboard and contain individual plastic packages of products. The lot code and best-by date 11152026 is stamped on products. The pet food was distributed in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington state.

New York City health officials this week urged consumers to avoid Savage Pet products because of the cats’ illnesses.

One cat fell ill and died this month after eating the Savage Pet products. Final test results are pending, but a preliminary test for H5N1 was “nonnegative,” which indicates that a certain amount of virus was detected, a department spokesperson said.

A second cat was diagnosed with H5N1 and died — and tests suggested it was infected with a strain related to that found in the recalled Savage Pet food. However, that cat did not eat the food; it was exposed to a third cat that fell ill after eating the food from the implicated lot. That cat survived but was not tested.

Read More: Why the U.S. Doesn’t Vaccinate Poultry Against Bird Flu

The New York cases are the latest reports of cats in several states sickened and killed by H5N1. At least 115 bird flu infections in domestic cats have been reported to the U.S. Agriculture Department since 2022, with most logged since 2024. Cats can catch the virus from wildlife or contaminated milk and food.

Earlier this month, Wild Coast Raw, of Olympia, Washington, recalled frozen boneless raw chicken cat food after it was linked to illnesses and deaths in cats in Oregon and Washington. In December, Morasch Meats of Portland, Oregon, recalled its Northwest Naturals brand of raw and frozen turkey pet food after it tested positive for the virus and was linked to the death of a local cat.

Dr. Jarra Jagne, a veterinary expert at Cornell University, said pet owners should avoid feeding their animals unpasteurized milk or raw pet food because of the risk of bird flu as well as other germs such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli.

“I wouldn’t give my animals raw anything,” she said. “It’s all about cooking.”