Contaminated Cat Food Withnatural Bird Flu Concerns Distributed Across Five States
Heads Up, Pet Parents! 🐾 A Potential Bird Flu Contaminated Cat Food Recall 🐓
Savage Pet, a Cali-based pet food manufacturer, has issued a recall on certain batches of their raw chicken cat food. This is due to the potential of bird flu contamination, also known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1.
The affected products include the Large Chicken Boxes (84 oz) and Small Chicken Boxes (21 oz) that bear the lot code and best by date of November 15, 2026. These products were packaged in cardboard boxes containing individual plastic pouches.
The states affected by this recall are California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington. If your furry friend has been munching on these batches, keep an eye out for symptoms in cats, such as fever, lethargy, low appetite, red eyes, discharge, breathing issues, and neurological signs like tremors or seizures. If you notice any of these symptoms, consult your pet's veterinarian immediately.
Back in February, Savage Pet became aware of a sick cat from Colorado that had contracted H5N1 following consumption of their cat food. Colorado State University Laboratory tested the sealed packets of the cat food for H5N1, which returned as "non-negative." These samples were forwarded to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa for further testing.
In March, another kitten in New York was found to have contracted the virus after consuming the suspicious food. Although further testing is ongoing, the recall was initiated to ensure the utmost safety.
The FDA asserts that no human infections have been reported among individuals handling raw pet food products. However, it advises handwashing and sanitizing surfaces to avoid any potential transmission. Additionally, watch out for any symptoms in humans, such as eye redness, cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting. If you experience any of these signs, contact your healthcare provider along with your local health department.
Don't feed the recalled product to your pets or give it away. Instead, return it to the retailer for proper destruction and receive a full refund. For more information, contact Savage Pet at [email protected], or give them a call at 619-270-0295. Stay safe, pet parents! 🐾❤️
Fun Fact: Bird flu isn't exactly a fan-favorite among feline families, as cats can get sick from the virus, although severe cases are rare.
Sources:1. FDA's Recall Notice2. California Department of Food and Agriculture3. Savage Pet's Press Release4. CDC's Information on Bird Flu Transmission
- Savage Pet has recalled certain batches of their raw chicken cat food due to bird flu contamination, and pet parents should be aware if their pets have been living with these affected products.
- The recalled products are the Large Chicken Boxes (84 oz) and Small Chicken Boxes (21 oz) with the lot code and best by date of November 15, 2026.
- symptoms such as fever, lethargy, reduced appetite, red eyes, discharge, breathing issues, and neurological signs like tremors or seizures should be watched for in cats that have consumed the recalled pet food.
- Two separate cats, one from Colorado and another from New York, have been confirmed to have contracted the H5N1 bird flu virus after consuming the affected cat food.
- If you've purchased the recalled cat food or know someone who has, do not feed it to your pets and contact Savage Pet for a refund, as the affected products have been linked to bird flu contamination.
