MENDOCINO CO., 9/5/25 – Federal health officials are warning that certain lots of raw cat food may be contaminated with H5N1 bird flu after a pet cat in San Francisco that ate the food became infected with the virus and had to be euthanized.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that two lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats tested positive for the virus. Analysis by San Francisco health department officials showed that the same strain of the H5N1 virus was present in the pet food and in the cat that died.
Grass Valley-based RAWR cat food tested positive for H5N1
The incident is the first reported case of an H5N1 infection from raw food in pet cats since March. Dozens of domestic cats, including nearly 70 this year, have been infected with H5N1, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. Many of the animals became infected after consuming raw milk or raw pet food contaminated with the virus.
The affected lots of RAWR food include CCS 25 077, with a sell-by date of Sept. 18, 2026, and CCS 250 093, with a sell-by date of Oct. 3, 2026. RAWR raw pet food is sold frozen and must be thawed before use. No recall was posted for the products, but representatives for the Grass Valley, California, company said they had removed the lots in question from circulation weeks ago.
RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats are sold in frozen 2.5-pound resealable bags containing 40 1-ounce sliders of food. The product is sold in stores nationwide and online.
H5N1 puts pets and people at risk
The U.S. Agriculture Department’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the virus in samples from the food and the cat. Genetic sequencing showed that they contained a virus lineage that was detected in November and December and is no longer circulating. The virus is the same type that has been circulating widely in birds and in U.S. dairy cattle, including those in California.
H5N1 infections can cause illness and death in birds, poultry and mammals such as cats. The virus has not been detected in dogs in the U.S., but there have been fatal cases in other countries. Animals that are very young, very old or have weakened immune systems are at risk of becoming seriously ill from an infection.
No human infections from H5N1 bird flu have been identified in people who handled raw pet food, but humans can become infected and sick if active virus gets into their eyes, nose or mouth.
Should pet parents feed their cats raw food or raw milk?
Dr. Ashlie Saffire, president of the Feline Veterinary Medical Association advises against feeding cats unpasteurized dairy or raw food.
“We would like to remind feline caregivers that cats are very susceptible to severe illness, possibly resulting in death, from the H5N1 virus,” she said.
The FVMA recommends that pet parents take the following precaution to protect cats from contacting H5N1:
- Avoid feeding cats any dairy products or colostrum unless they have been pasteurized or thoroughly cooked to eliminate viruses.
- Cook meat thoroughly before feeding it to cats and avoid giving them raw meat-based treats or food.
- Keep cats indoors to prevent exposure to birds and other wildlife.
- Household members should avoid contact with sick or dead birds and other wildlife.
- If you feed birds or walk in areas where many gather, change or clean your shoes before coming inside.
- Keep cats away from livestock, poultry, and their environments, especially in areas with known H5N1 outbreaks.
- Thoroughly wash your hands after handling your cat and after any encounters with poultry, livestock, or wild birds and other animals.
- After handling sick or dead animals that might have the H5N1 virus, change your clothes and shoes and wash any exposed skin thoroughly before interacting with your cat.
“Immediately contact your veterinarian if you observe any signs of H5N1 or think your cat might have been exposed,” Dr. Saffire said.
According to Saffire, a cat that has contracted H5N1 may show symptoms starting with lethargy, loss of appetite and/or fever. Those signs can quickly progress into seizures, uncoordinated movement, depression, runny nose, blindness, fast breathing, difficulty breathing and possibly sneezing.
For more information on H5N1 in cats, visit https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-h5n1-cats.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Mendocino Voice’s Sarah Stierch also contributed to this story.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.