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What to Know About Cat Food Recall After Pet Dies of Bird Flu in Oregon

The Oregon recall covered Northwest Naturals 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen cat food with two specified date codes. Learn how to identify the product, discard it and request a refund, and when to contact a veterinarian.
7-minute read By Animalso Team
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The recalled product was Northwest Naturals 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food, with “Best if used by” dates 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. Oregon officials reported that a Washington County house cat died after consuming the food and that testing found a genetic match between virus in the food and the cat. If you have a matching package, stop feeding it, discard it, and contact the place of purchase for a full refund; contact a veterinarian if your cat ate it or appears ill.

Key takeaways

  • The recall covers Northwest Naturals 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food with date codes 05/21/26 B10 or 06/23/2026 B1.
  • Oregon’s Department of Agriculture (ODA) reported a genetic match between H5N1 virus found in the food and the virus in a cat that died after consuming it.
  • ODA instructs customers to discard matching food and contact the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions, the notice lists [email protected] and 866-637-1872.
  • Contact a veterinarian if your cat ate the food and is ill; share the food and exposure details.
  • FDA and ODA advise caution with raw or undercooked animal products. Do not assume every raw-food product is contaminated or that every exposure causes illness.

What happened in the Oregon cat food recall?

ODA announced on December 24, 2024, that samples of Northwest Naturals brand raw and frozen pet food had tested positive for an H5N1 strain. Its public notice, published December 26, reported that a Washington County house cat contracted H5N1 and died after consuming the food. Testing by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories and Oregon State University’s Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed the infection; tests found a genetic match between the virus from the food and the cat.

ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz said, “We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food.” He also said the cat was strictly indoors and the genome-sequencing results confirmed an exact match between virus recovered from the food and the cat. These are statements from ODA’s December 2024 notice, not a new 2026 announcement. Read the ODA recall announcement for the original findings.

This finding concerns the identified product and incident. It does not establish that every raw pet-food product is contaminated or that every cat exposed to raw food will become ill.

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Which Northwest Naturals cat-food lots were recalled?

Compare the brand, recipe, form, package size, and date code on your actual package with the full ODA notice. Do not rely on the brand name alone.

Recall detail Information to check
Brand Northwest Naturals
Product Feline Turkey Recipe, raw and frozen pet food
Package 2-pound plastic bag
“Best if used by” dates 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1
Distribution listed by ODA Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada

These product and distribution details are from the ODA notice. Check the official notice for the complete product identification and instructions.

What should you do if you have the recalled food?

  1. Stop feeding it. Do not taste, donate, resell, or feed the recalled food to another animal.
  2. Compare the package details. Check the brand, recipe, raw and frozen form, 2-pound size, and date code against ODA’s notice.
  3. Discard the product. ODA says customers who purchased the recalled product should immediately discard it.
  4. Request a refund. Contact the place of purchase for a full refund, as ODA instructs.
  5. Contact a veterinarian if your cat ate it and appears ill. Share the product and date code, when your cat ate it, and any signs of illness. Call before bringing the cat in so the clinic can advise you.
  6. For recall questions, contact the company. ODA’s notice lists [email protected] and 866-637-1872.

Can indoor cats get H5N1 from raw food?

Yes. The Oregon cat was reported as strictly indoors, and ODA said the genetic match supported the raw food as the source in that incident. Indoor status does not rule out exposure through contaminated food.

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FDA investigations have linked H5N1 transmission to uncooked meat or unpasteurized milk. FDA advises considering the risk before feeding uncooked meat or uncooked pet food; ODA also advises against feeding pets raw or undercooked meat, including freeze-dried meat-based diets, or raw milk. These cautions do not mean that every such product is contaminated.

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What are possible bird-flu symptoms in cats?

FDA guidance lists fever, lethargy, low appetite, inflamed or red eyes, eye or nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, and neurologic signs such as tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness. These signs are not a diagnosis. Contact a veterinarian if your cat may have been exposed and is ill, and tell the veterinarian about possible exposure to raw meat, raw milk, or wild birds. See FDA guidance on reducing HPAI risk in cats.

Possible sign Action
Fever, lethargy, or low appetite Contact a veterinarian if there is possible exposure or your cat is unwell.
Red or inflamed eyes; eye or nasal discharge Share the signs and any possible exposure with the veterinarian.
Difficulty breathing Seek prompt veterinary advice.
Tremors, seizures, incoordination, or blindness Seek prompt veterinary advice and describe any possible exposure.

Can people catch bird flu from an infected cat?

ODA reported no human HPAI cases linked to this incident at the time of its December 2024 notice and said Oregon’s risk of human transmission remained low. That statement is specific to the incident and date; it does not mean transmission is impossible or describe the current broader situation.

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If a cat may be infected, follow advice from a veterinarian and relevant public-health authorities. Avoid unnecessary contact with potentially contaminated materials, and ask those authorities for situation-specific instructions.

What should you feed a cat instead of recalled raw food?

FDA says heat treatments can inactivate H5N1 and advises considering the risk of uncooked meat and uncooked pet food. Choose a cooked or heat-treated food appropriate for your cat, and check that it is labeled complete and balanced for the cat’s life stage. No specific replacement brand is established by the sources cited here.

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If your cat has a medical condition, follows a therapeutic diet, or refuses a new food, ask a veterinarian how to choose and transition to an appropriate alternative. Check current recall notices for any product you buy; a cooked product should not be assumed free from all recall risks.

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Decision factor What to check
Processing Whether the food is cooked or heat-treated rather than uncooked.
Ingredients and handling Whether the food uses uncooked or unpasteurized animal-derived ingredients and what controls apply.
Recall status Whether the specific product or lot is subject to an active recall.
Suitability for your cat Whether the food is complete and balanced for the cat’s life stage and compatible with any health needs.

What do separate H5N1 notices say?

Other H5N1 notices involve different products and incidents; they should not be confused with the Northwest Naturals recall described above. ODA reported two Multnomah County cats and a separate Wild Coast Raw alert in 2025. FDA also notified pet owners about H5N1-positive lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, including lot CCS 25 077 (sell-by 09/18/26) and lot CCS 25 093 (sell-by 10/03/26). Check the respective ODA notice and FDA notice for those separate events and product details.

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What did FDA require of some pet-food manufacturers?

FDA requires covered cat and dog food manufacturers using uncooked or unpasteurized poultry- or cattle-derived ingredients to reanalyze their food-safety plans to account for H5N1 as a known or reasonably foreseeable hazard. This requirement applies to manufacturers covered by the relevant rule, not every manufacturer without qualification. Read the FDA manufacturer guidance for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cat food was recalled after the Oregon cat died?

The recall covered Northwest Naturals 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food with “Best if used by” dates 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1.

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What should I do if my cat ate the recalled food?

Contact a veterinarian if your cat is ill and provide the product, date code, and exposure details. ODA instructs customers to discard matching food and contact the place of purchase for a full refund.

How can I tell whether my package is included?

Compare the brand, recipe, raw and frozen form, 2-pound package size, and date code with the ODA recall notice.

Can an indoor cat get bird flu from food?

Yes. ODA reported that the cat in this incident was strictly indoors and identified the contaminated raw food as the source supported by testing.

Does this recall mean all raw cat food is contaminated?

No. The recall and testing concern the identified product and incident. FDA and ODA advise caution about raw or undercooked animal products, but the evidence does not show that every raw-food product is contaminated.

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The Bottom Line

The Oregon recall involved Northwest Naturals 2-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen pet food with “Best if used by” dates 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. Stop feeding a matching product, discard it, and contact the place of purchase for a refund. Contact a veterinarian if your cat ate it and is ill; share the product and exposure details.

Quick Recap

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Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Wet Cat Food Variety Pack, (24) 3 oz
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Made with vitamin A and taurine to support healthy vision; This Purina Pro Plan wet cat food contains no artificial colors or preservatives
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Purina Friskies Wet Cat Food Variety Pack, Shreds, 40 Pack 5.5 oz Cans
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High Protein wet cat food formula to help maintain an ideal body weight
$47.04

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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