A popular pet food brand’s manufacturer has issued a recall of its cat food due to contamination with bird flu, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has reported. The recall affects Northwest Naturals 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen food, produced by Morasch Meats, following tests that confirmed contamination with the H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Alarming news from Oregon revealed a direct connection between the cat food and the tragic death of an indoor cat, detailed in a WSDA Facebook post. The recall targets products with “best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/26 B1, sold across the U.S. and British Columbia, as noted by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).
Customers are urged to dispose of the affected products immediately and contact their place of purchase for a full refund. To combat the spread of bird flu, experts strongly advise avoiding the consumption of raw or undercooked meat and raw dairy, limiting contact with sick or dead animals, washing hands thoroughly after handling raw animal products, and keeping pets away from wild waterfowl.
The bird flu is rapidly spreading among both wild and captive animals, causing significant distress. An outbreak devastated the Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Shelton, where 20 big cats succumbed to the virus, disrupting ongoing conservation efforts. This crisis impacted tigers, cougars, lynxes, bobcats, among others.
In addition, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife discovered bird flu in two wild cougars and a raccoon. The Woodland Park Zoo also reported the death of a red-breasted goose due to suspected bird flu.
Though rare, the virus has crossed over to humans. Four agricultural workers in Franklin County tested “presumptively positive” after exposure to infected chickens. This underscores the need for vigilance, as prolonged close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments poses a potential health risk.
Vocabulary List:
- Contamination /kənˌtæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The act of making something impure or harmful by exposure to a poison or toxic substance.
- Influenza /ˌɪn.fluˈɛn.zə/ (noun): A highly contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system.
- Contagion /kənˈteɪ.dʒən/ (noun): The spread of a disease from one person or organism to another.
- Tragic /ˈtrædʒ.ɪk/ (adjective): Causing or involving great sadness or distress.
- Vigilance /ˈvɪdʒ.ɪ.ləns/ (noun): The action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
- Disrupting /dɪsˈrʌptɪŋ/ (verb): Interfering with the normal progress or activity.
How much do you know?
What is the reason for the recall of Northwest Naturals cat food?
Which strain of Avian Influenza was confirmed in the cat food?
What precautionary measures are experts advising to combat the spread of bird flu?
What animals were impacted by the bird flu outbreak at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Shelton?
Where did the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife discover bird flu in wild animals?
How did the virus cross over to humans in Franklin County?
Bird flu has been detected in both wild and captive animals.
The outbreak at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center did not impact any big cats.
The Woodland Park Zoo reported no cases of bird flu in its animals.
Exposure to infected animals or contaminated environments does not pose any health risk to humans.
Prolonged close contact with infected animals can potentially lead to human infection with bird flu.
All cases of bird flu in animals have been successfully contained and resolved.
The best if used by dates for the recalled cat food were 05/21/26 B10 and .
The number of big cats that succumbed to bird flu at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center was .
Experts recommend avoiding the consumption of raw or undercooked meat and raw dairy to prevent the spread of bird flu as well as washing hands thoroughly after handling raw products.
Four agricultural workers in Franklin County tested “presumptively positive” after exposure to infected .
The need for vigilance arises due to the virus potentially crossing over to humans through prolonged close contact with infected animals or contaminated .
The outbreak of bird flu led to a tragic death of an indoor cat connected to the recalled cat food, as noted in a post by the Washington State Department of .