Bird flu has killed over 166 million birds worldwide and is now spreading to other animals, including cows, and more concerningly, cats.
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In cartoons, Sylvester chasing Tweety was just for laughs, but in real life, it could help spread a deadly virus
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Avian influenza or bird flu has already killed more than 166 million birds nationwide
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Now, scientists are sounding the alarm about a surprising new threat, domestic cats
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A new study from the University of Maryland warns infections in cats could help bird flu adapt to mammals, increasing the risk it could one day spread to humans and spark a future pandemic
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Unlike cattle, which are routinely tested for bird flu, cats aren't being systematically monitored, even though they often live in close contact with people
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And cases are rising, especially among outdoor and farm cats. Most infections have been traced to cats eating infected birds or contaminated raw chicken feed
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In some outbreaks, cats also got sick after drinking raw milk from infected dairy cows
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Since 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported 126 cases of bird flu in domestic cats, about half of them in the past year
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In February 2025 a Portland Oregon resident said his cat became sick after eating premium raw pet food quote it was finally ground to a consistency that I thought was beneficial to my cats After the cat developed a fever and stopped eating
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a test confirmed bird flu. He ultimately had to put her down. That same month, New Jersey confirmed
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its first case of bird flu in a cat, following similar reports in other states. Bird flu is
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often deadly in cats, but not always easy to detect. Some cats show no symptoms at all
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meaning they could quietly carry and spread the virus further. Globally, bird flu has infected cats in at least seven countries, including Finland, France, Italy, and South Korea
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Most cases occurred in shelters, zoos, and rural areas. Scientists say cats are especially vulnerable because they often hunt wild birds and can be exposed through raw meat
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Their bodies contain receptors that let the virus spread more easily, often leading to severe, even fatal infections
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So far, there's no evidence of bird flu spreading from cats to humans and human cases are still rare
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But public health experts say the virus is only a few mutations away from being able to spread between people
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That's why they're urging vets, pet owners and health officials to keep a much closer eye on cats
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With Straight Arrow News, I'm Kennedy Felton. Download our app or visit san.com for more
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