Bird Flu - Blog Posts
The H5N1 (bird flu) virus is going around, and cats are proving especially susceptible to it. A big cat sanctuary in Washington state had TWENTY of their big cats (cougars, tigers, etc) die of bird flu.
There have also been cases of indoor-only domestic cats getting sick or even dying of bird flu after contracting it from raw cat food. And of course coming into contact with birds also puts your cat at risk.
To keep your cat safe:
Keep them away from birds, preferably keeping them entirely inside. If they are indoor-outdoor then remove any bird feeders from your yard to make cat-bird contact less likely.
Do NOT feed them raw food of any sort, including freeze-dried raw food. Freezing will not kill the virus!
A lot of raw pet food companies are using PR speak to assure customers that their raw food is safe. Remember that at the end of the day their priority is to make money and stay in business. Unless they are testing every bird carcass for the virus their assurances are meaningless, and they certainly are not testing every bird because it would be too expensive.
Cooking kills most viruses and bacteria, including H5N1.
Friendly reminder to not give raw meat and eggs to your pets. Animals like cats and dogs have been domesticated. A golden retriever is a lot different than a wolf.
Raw meat and eggs can carry bacteria and other things that can be harmful for your pets. Your pet will be both happy and safe if they eat cooked food.
Lately, the bird flu has been spreading in the US. Cats and dogs can get it by eating raw meat and eggs. It has a very high mortality rate for cats and dogs. It’s dangerous for humans as well. It’s an important time to remember that a domesticated animal should not be consuming raw meat and or eggs. If you wouldn’t eat a raw egg right now, then you shouldn’t give one to your pet.
Thanks :3
