03/01/2025
Bird flu, also known as avian influenza A (H5N1) or highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), is caused by a virus that can cause serious illness and death in birds, cows, and other mammals. It also causes sporadic disease in people. While dogs can contract H5N1, cats are particularly susceptible. The first feline case of H5N1 in New Jersey has been confirmed in a feral cat from Hunterdon County.
Signs of H5N1 in cats or dogs may include the following: loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, fever, neurologic signs (e.g. circling, tremors), and respiratory signs (oculonasal discharge, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, sneezing, coughing).
You can reduce your pet’s risk by (1) keeping cats indoors (2) reducing/eliminating contact with birds and (3) avoiding raw foods (including raw milk and commercial raw pet diets).
For more information about H5N1, please see: https://www.nj.gov/health/news/2025/approved/20250228a.shtml