01/16/2025
January 2025
H5N1 serves up a dangerous kitty cocktail
Cat
First it was birds, then it was cattle, and now it's being noticed more frequently in cats. H5N1 is expanding its reach and infecting more than farm cats in areas where there are known influenza cases in livestock. Because of the growing concern of H5N1 appearing in new cat populations, the University of Wisconsin's Shelter Medicine Academic Collaborative says H5N1 in feline patients should be a focus for veterinarians. The neurological signs in infected cats associated with the H5N1 virus are indistinguishable from those of cats infected with rabies. All cats with neurological signs that either die or are euthanized should be tested for both diseases. Because of the similarity of clinical signs to rabies it is very important (for both the owners and veterinary staff) to wear the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) such as masks, gloves, and eye protection, as well as reporting any bites or scratches obtained while working with potentially infected cats.
H5N1 infected cats may exhibit any one or a combination of the following:
Fever
Lethargy
Low appetite
Reddened or inflamed eyes
Discharge from the eyes and nose
Difficulty breathing
Neurologic signs like tremors, seizures, confusion or circling
Unexplained death
Shelters and rescues should also consider periodic surveillance testing for avian influenza type A (H5N1) in cats where 10 - 20 percent of the cat population is showing clinical signs of respiratory infection. Common prevalence of respiratory disease can mask the arrival of a new pathogen. While positive results identify infected animals, negative results in live animals do not rule out infection.
The following are risk factors for feline exposure to H5N1:
Contact with sick or deceased cats, wild birds, backyard flocks, or poultry farms
Contact with dairy farms
Consumption of raw meat, dairy products, or raw pet food
Known exposure to other animals infected with H5N1
Recommended intake questions for feline patients:
Is this cat from a dairy or poultry farm?
Has this cat had any known exposure to sick or deceased birds?
Has this cat had any known exposure to sick or deceased cats?
Has this cat shown any neurological or respiratory signs?
Has this cat had exposure to a person diagnosed with H5N1?
Is this cat fed a raw pet food diet?
No cases of transmission between humans and cats have been reported in the current national outbreak. H5N1 is considered low risk to the public, but risk is greater for those who handle and care for infected animals.
