Recall of raw pet food for cats

A public health notice has been issued after some indoor cats fell ill from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or H5N1) following the consumption of raw pet food.

The incidents led to the recall of a raw pet food manufactured by Wild Coast Raw. The product was described as 16 ounce and 24 ounce containers of boneless free range chicken formula raw pet food that was distributed to pet food retailers in Washington.

The affected lots can be identified by a sticker on the lid with the numbers 22660 and 22664 with a best date of 12/2025. People who have bought the products are urged to discontinue use and either dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase.

The indoor cats, which were from Oregon, were later euthanized. A following investigation into the source of the illness determined the cats ate the same brand of raw pet food before getting sick.

“After receiving reports of the illnesses, ODA (Oregon Department of Agriculture) collected samples from the affected cats pre- and post-mortem, and from open containers of the raw pet food,” states the notice, which was released by the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department on Friday, Feb. 14.

“Tests conducted by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories at the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of HPAI in both cats and the food samples.”

The notice states that pets with H5N1 infections may have a fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, seizure, incoordination or blindness.

“While no human infections have been identified among those handling raw pet food products, people can become infected if the virus enters their eyes, nose or mouth — such as by handling contaminated pet food or touching contaminated surfaces, especially without thoroughly washing their hands afterward,” the notice states.

“Although the current human health risk is low, those exposed to H5N1 should monitor themselves for symptoms like eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, and pet owners or handlers showing these signs should contact their (health care) providers.”

For more on avian influenza (bird flu), click here.