First, do not feed your cats raw milk or pet food with raw meat. Unpasteurized milk can have especially high concentrations of virus and is thought to be an important route of H5N1 transmission during this outbreak. On one Texas farm, more than half of the cats that drank contaminated milk died. Cats have also died after ingesting raw frozen pet food found to contain H5N1.
Kristen K. Coleman, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, told me she has decided to feed her cats dry food only. “That’s largely because the pet food industry is not as closely regulated as the human food industry,” she said. Coleman has not been giving her cats canned food, as it might contain unpasteurized milk. Kibble, on the other hand, is heated at very high temperatures, which, like pasteurization, would kill H5N1.
Second, cat owners should be aware of bird flu symptoms. These often start with tiredness, loss of appetite, and discharge from the nose and eyes, then quickly progress to unstable gait, difficulty breathing and seizures. Cats with respiratory or neurological symptoms should be brought to veterinary clinics for testing. Though cat-to-human transmission has not been documented during this outbreak, it has happened before, so people with sick animals should take precautions and monitor their own symptoms.
Third, cats should not interact with dead or dying animals, especially birds. This is not a problem for people with indoor-only cats, but what about cats that roam outside? Mary from Maryland, for instance, wrote that she cannot imagine keeping her two cats indoors. “They wander around the neighborhood and live their best lives. Please don’t tell me I have to stop that.”
Experts have different opinions on this. Stacey Schultz-Cherry, an influenza researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a self-described “crazy cat lady,” said that if she tried to keep her cat in the house all the time, “I would be afraid that I wouldn’t wake up the next morning because he would go feral.” Since most cats involved in this outbreak were sickened from contaminated food or drink, not exposure to wild birds, she hasn’t taken the step of limiting her cat’s outdoor activity.
But Meghan F. Davis, a veterinarian and Johns Hopkins professor, recommends that domestic cats stay indoors, especially if H5N1 is spreading or on the flyway nearby. She lives on a major flyway near a large body of water with migratory waterfowl, so she built a “catio” for her cats: a fenced-in area on her patio that keeps wildlife out and cats in.
Coleman says the decision should be up to each owner. “The message I have been trying to give is to be aware that there is a risk out there,” she told me. People who let cats outside should understand the risk and watch for respiratory or neurological symptoms.
“You mentioned cats — what about dogs?” asked Debbie from D.C. “Can they contract bird flu?”
H5N1 has been known to infect dogs, especially those with high exposure to waterfowl, though dogs don’t appear to be as susceptible to infection or severe illness as cats. It’s probably wise to avoid feeding dogs raw milk or raw pet food, and Davis advises that people avoid high-contamination areas such as shorelines with a lot of bird feces while walking their dogs. And make sure they — and you — don’t go near dead or dying birds. “Call the authorities rather than trying to address it yourself,” she said.
“Should families be concerned about visiting nature centers with animals?” asked Julia from New York. “There are many places with wonderful children’s programs and outdoor activities.” Sandra from Maryland similarly wanted to know whether it’s okay to keep going to zoos. “We have a membership at our local zoo. Are zoos safe?”
Yes, nature reserves and zoos should “definitely be safe,” Coleman said. There have been no documented cases of visitors becoming infected in these settings.
It’s also fine to continue using bird feeders. This is an issue many readers have inquired about before. Removing them is “getting a bit carried away,” Coleman argued. “Don’t start taking things away that you enjoy.”
Crucially, this advice could change if the virus evolves. Public health experts are nervous that H5N1 might become more infectious to humans. The current high level of seasonal flu is worrisome, not only because of its impact on those who fall ill but also because it increases the likelihood that a person — or animal — could contract both H5N1 and seasonal flu at the same time. If that happened, the viruses could exchange genetic material, boosting H5N1’s transmissibility.
This article is from WWSG thought leader, Dr. Leana Wen.
