Cat Tested Positive for Avian Influenza After Eating a Bird, Health Officials Confirm

A cat in Thermopolis, Wyoming, tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza after eating a bird. The Wyoming State Veterinary Lab (WSVL) confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic bird flu in a barn cat. It is the first reported case of a cat infected with the virus in the United States.

How the Cat Got Infected

The WSVL said that the cat got the illness by eating wild duck flesh. They also noted that the virus has been detected in mountain lions and a red fox in recent months.

Moreover, the WSVL stated that clinical indications of avian flu infection in animals can include neurologic signs similar to rabies, and it recommended people to use gloves and masks while handling ill and deceased mammals.

The University of Minnesota's CIDRAP reported that the discovery of avian flu in a domestic cat follows similar news earlier this week of a domestic dog testing positive for H5N1 in Canada. Similar illnesses were recorded in a limited number of dogs and cats exposed to infectious poultry or other animals during previous H5N1 outbreaks in Asia and other regions of the world.

The laboratory believes that the cat probably caught the virus by eating wild water birds, as cats are known to hunt and consume birds when given the opportunity, the Cowboy State Daily reports.

This is the first time that a domestic cat in Wyoming has been reported to have contracted highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Unfortunately, there is no bird flu vaccine available in the United States.

On February 24, Dr. Sylvie Briand, a World Health Organization spokesperson, expressed concern about the prevalence of the H5N1 virus in birds all around the world, as well as the increasing number of cases in mammals, including humans. The WHO believes that countries need to be extremely vigilant about this virus.

Mammals Infected With Avian Influenza

Earlier this month, a domestic dog in Canada tested positive for the H5N1 avian influenza. This occurrence marks the country's first known case of H5N1 in a dog and adds to the variety of mammals that have been infected with the virus.

The joint statement of the Canadian Health Inspection Agency and the Public Health Agency of Canada stated that the dog was diagnosed with the virus after chewing on a dead goose. The dog subsequently died and further examination revealed respiratory symptoms. The incident occurred in Oshawa, Ontario, located approximately 40 miles east of Toronto.

But the world's first case of bird flu in a dog was reported in Thailand in 2006. According to CIDRAP, a dog in Thailand's central Suphan Buri province contracted avian influenza after consuming infected ducks. Yong Pooworawan, who disclosed the case at a university seminar, stated that a researcher at Kasetsart University had found the case.

Before this case, the medical literature only reported the H5N1 virus in animals such as domestic cats, tigers, leopards, and civets. However, Yong did not provide extensive details on the findings.

Despite large outbreaks in poultry in recent years, the number of non-avian illnesses reported has remained low. To prevent the spread of the virus, pet owners were urged to prevent the consumption of raw meat from game birds or poultry by their pets and avoid allowing them to come into contact with dead birds found outside. Further investigation is underway into the news of the dog's diagnosis.

Check out more news and information on Bird Flu in Science Times.