A recent study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that humans can pass bird flu to their pet cats, with potentially fatal consequences.
The study, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, examined two cases in Michigan from May 2024, raising concerns about the virus mutating into a form that could trigger a human pandemic.
Additionally, new findings indicate that cats can contract the virus through contaminated pet food and that it can spread among big cat species in shelters.
Both Michigan cases involved pet owners who worked on or near dairy farms affected by bird flu, and in both instances, the infected cats did not survive.
In the first case, a five-year-old indoor female cat developed loss of appetite, poor grooming, disorientation, lethargy, and neurological decline. Despite receiving emergency care at Michigan State University’s (MSU) Veterinary Medical Center, her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to euthanasia within four days. Postmortem tests confirmed bird flu infection.
Two other cats in the household were also exposed. One exhibited mild symptoms, which the owners initially dismissed as allergies, and they later ceased communication with health officials.
While one household member refused testing, three others—including two adolescents—tested negative for the virus.
Days later, a six-month-old male Maine Coon was brought to the same university for treatment. He displayed symptoms such as anorexia, lethargy, facial swelling, and limited mobility, succumbing to the illness within 24 hours.
This cat’s owner regularly transported unpasteurized milk from multiple farms, including those with confirmed infections. The owner frequently handled raw milk without protective gear, allowing contaminated clothing to come into contact with the sick cat. The unaffected cat in the same household had no known exposure.
The owner also experienced eye irritation before the cat fell ill but declined to be tested for bird flu.
CDC researchers advise farmworkers to remove contaminated clothing and wash off animal byproducts like milk and feces before entering their homes to reduce infection risks.
Since the bird flu outbreak began in 2024, 69 human cases have been reported in the US, though the actual number is likely higher due to limited testing among farm workers. So far, one fatality has been recorded.
Experts caution that as bird flu continues to spread among birds and mammals, it could combine with seasonal influenza, increasing the risk of human-to-human transmission.
Meanwhile, newly appointed US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for shifting government focus away from infectious disease research. He has also expressed skepticism about whether germs cause illness, questioned the role of vaccines in containing bird flu, and promoted the consumption of raw milk, a known vector for infection.
