5 Cats Have Reportedly Been Infected with Bird Flu from Raw-Food Brand

Five cats in a Los Angeles home have been reportedly infected with H5 bird flu (H5N1) virus from Monarch Raw Pet Food. Per a press release from Los Angeles County of Public Health (LAPH) on Dec. 31, a house cat who ate the product tested positive for the virus, and four other cats in the same household are thought to be infected as well.

The LAPH warns pet parents who fed their cats this food “or other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pet is experiencing symptoms” to call their veterinarians. While this food has not been recalled, the LAPH is continuing an investigation of the product. As of Dec. 31, there were no cases of human strains of H5N1 in connection to these cats’ exposure.

Monarch Raw Pet Food is only sold at farmers’ markets listed here:

• Laguna Nigel, California

• Orange, California

• San Jacinto, California

• Fountain Valley, California

• private locations in Corona, California; Fountain Valley, California; Beaumont, California; and Palm Springs, California

Per the company’s website, their food is made from raw-ground chicken comprised of muscle, organ, skin, fat, and bone. The company states, “Our pet food is made of human grade USDA free-range poultry that is raised in the San Joaquin Valley.”

For questions or to find care, local residents can call the Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473. The line is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

H5N1 in cat food

This follows a similar case last week, when the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) connected a cat’s h5n1 death to Portland-based raw-pet-food company Northwest Naturals.

“We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food,” ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz said  in a release by the ODA. “This cat was strictly an indoor cat; it was not exposed to the virus in its environment, and results from the genome sequencing confirmed that the virus recovered from the raw pet food and infected cat were exact matches to each other.”

As a result of this cat’s infection and death, Northwest Naturals issued a recall of its Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food with the “best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026 and June 23, 2026.

What to look out for

If you believe your cat has been exposed to H5N1, contact your vet right away.

The LAPH lists the following symptoms in cats as those of concern:

• Loss of appetite

• Tiredness

• Respiratory and/or neurological signs

And watch for the following in humans:

• Eye redness or discharge

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Muscle or body aches

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Trouble breathing

• Fever

As of November 2024, H5N1 has been found in seven states, including: California, Washington, Michigan, Oregon, Missouri, Texas, and Colorado.