In a significant health alert, Northwest Naturals, a Portland, Oregon-based pet food manufacturer, has issued a voluntary recall of its Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after an indoor cat tragically died as a result of bird flu contamination. This incident has raised alarms about the potential risks associated with feeding pets raw meat products, especially in light of the ongoing avian influenza outbreaks affecting both wildlife and domestic animals across the United States.
Background of the recall
The recall was initiated after testing by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the U.S. The Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a domestic cat in Washington County, Oregon. HPAI is commonly referred to as bird flu. Dr. Ryan Scholz, Oregon Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian, said the genomic sequencing showed an exact match between the virus in the suspect pet food and that isolated from the dead cat. The cat was an indoor pet only, which means it got the virus only from the contaminated food.
The recalled products are 2-pound bags of Northwest Naturals’ Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food with “Best if used by” dates of May 21, 2026 (B10) and June 23, 2026 (B1). The products were distributed across the country to many retailers and distributors in several states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington, and British Columbia in Canada.
Health risks associated with bird flu
Bird flu is a serious viral disease that generally affects birds, but like all influenza strains, it can be spread to mammals, including cats and humans. The viral strain in this case is H5N1, which is known to cause severe disease and death in infected animals. In cats, it presents subtly at first but could rapidly progress to severe respiratory problems and conditions similar to pneumonia, which could end the animal within 24 hours.
Health officials are also monitoring household members exposed to the infected cat for any signs of flu-like symptoms. While there have been no reported human cases associated with this particular incident at this time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken note that transmission from pets to humans is possible but remains rare.
Consumer advisory and actions
As a result of the recall, Northwest Naturals directed consumers who purchased the impacted products to immediately discard those products and contact their point of purchase for a complete refund. The firm provided a customer service telephone number (866-637-1872) to use for inquiries about the recall and refund process.
Another healthy habit for pet owners, along with their pets is not to eat raw or inadequately cooked meat products and therefore decrease the chances of illness. Pet owners, especially should maintain good personal hygiene after handling raw products derived from animals by handwashing and also avoiding direct contact with ill or dead animals
Broader implications
The incident has heightened growing concern over bird flu outbreaks in several states and their impacts on both animal health and public safety. California recently declared a state of emergency given the rise in human cases associated with exposure to bird flu from livestock. Since avian influenza keeps on spreading among wild and domestic animals, it poses huge threats not only to the population of animals but also probably to human health.
This was a very quick response by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. It just goes to show how important it is to be diligent in monitoring animal health and food safety standards within pet food manufacturing processes. The agency says, though the risk of transmission remains low for humans in Oregon at this time, continued awareness and precautionary measures are important because avian influenza is such a dynamic and pressing public health issue.
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