Warning for pet owners after stray cat infected with bird flu in San Mateo Co.
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KGO) -- The growing bird flu outbreak in the Bay Area is a reason to contact your veterinarian if you suspect your pet could be ill.
Health leaders on the Peninsula are warning pet owners to be on the lookout for symptoms after a stray cat came down with bird flu. They say to consider keeping cats indoors and away from a raw diet for now.
The stray cat in Half Moon Bay had to be put down after getting sick.
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A concerned family brought the cat in to the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo County for treatment.
"It was determined he had the bird flu along with a number of symptoms," said Colleen Crowley with the Peninsula Humane Society.
It is not known how the cat was infected.
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Medical experts say this is an uncertain time for our pets. There are some important symptoms to look out for that could point to the virus.
"Loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, neurological symptoms like circling around excessively or maybe tremors, vision loss and then respiratory signs, respiratory things happening. That could like rapid shallow breathing, excess discharges from nose and eyes," said Crowley.
Back in December, in Oregon, a house cat died from the virus after eating pet food that tested positive for bird flu. A Portland-based company issued a nationwide voluntary recall for the pet food.
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This is what one veterinary official told ABC7 News then:
"We do have many reports of cats acquiring bird flu, predominantly from raw food sources. So, this goes with raw milk as well as raw meats," said Dr. Michael Q. Bailey with the American Veterinary Medical Association.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of cats spreading the bird flu to people is extremely low.
