PSA for cat owners in the US: cats have been contracting H5N1 (bird flu). They are very susceptible to it and the fatality rate for cats is 67%. To avoid it:
-keep your cats indoors. They can catch it from infected birds and mice.
-do not feed them raw dairy
-do not feed them raw meat
-keep your cats indoors. They can catch it from infected birds and mice.
-do not feed them raw dairy
-do not feed them raw meat
Comments
My cats are 100% indoors, fortunately.
The neighborhood stray I've been feeding for several years still won't let me get within 5 feet of them, so I doubt there's a risk of transmission. Hopefully. (About 50% of the time, I don't even see them. The food is just gone next morning.)
they’re also snack sized for raptors, coyotes, and other rural predators.
1/2
Then there's the ones he eats.
If there's a sick or dead bird, he'll find it.
It never has been for outdoor cat owners, to be fair
64% mortality ain't no joke, holy shit.
HOLY SHIT WE'RE FUCKED
Stay safe out there, please.
The world needs people like you, more than ever!
And I've been wanting to go visit that big cat rescue one of these days, I hope the worst is over for them. Tragic ❤️
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/26/oregon-cat-food-recall-bird-flu
I also don’t feed my girl any table food (raw or cooked) for a variety of reasons.
Wonder if dogs also susceptible to H5N1 🤔
Thank you
Volunteers doing cat intake are at risk
I shudder to think what this means for treatment of animals
Already wildlife rehabbers are refusing birds
The nation has a vet shortage already
This could worsen that too
Raw diet came from someone I trust, and even someone inept like me can follow it.
there are also some 'sensitive skin and stomach' wet foods that may be worth a try if you haven't already.
There's a lot of great resources out there for cooking food for cats, I know you can do it!
@vivien2112.bsky.social
@mizpeachykeen.bsky.social
@sanlong.bsky.social
@sandie-sandiekins.bsky.social
@queenofmaybe.bsky.social
(I realize you're not all in the US, but who knows how long before this reaches you...😬.)
It's coming here in time without a doubt. Especially if we're stupid enough to elect #PeePee in 2025. 😬🙄
The right just doesn't care enough about (or trust) science/prevention. 🤡
Hate, intolerance, protectionism and constant disinformation are rampant here it seems.
As much as miss my birds, I haven’t put any feeders out. Recommended not to😔
Avian flu is going to create a huge problem.
But there are plenty of cats on my street that are outdoors…
I heard zoo in state of Washington lost 20 big cats…😿
Have any of you tried to turn an outdoor cat into an indoor cat? I've had several, and the destruction they can cause is immense when they want outside.
But if a cat is already an adult accustomed to outside roaming, you can't just stop that without consequences. My cat became VERY aggressive when she couldn't go outside
there was one weirdo claiming H5N1 was a human-created virus, which I am reasonably confident is not true.
I've also socialized over 20 feral cats. Socialization takes weeks, sometimes months; you don't just release a feral cat into your home.
I've also had to euthanize feral cats I've caught who were very sick with Feline Leukemia.
I literally brought a street cat indoors a couple months ago (at least 7yo, intact, and unchipped when I found him) and now he lives happily indoors with his very own old man and just wants to cuddle with everyone.
Take the time and effort to give them healthy stimulation, and they never want the stress of being outside again.
In my case, I choose to listen to the official stance of the American Humane society.
She enjoys some supervised outside time now but usually wants to go back inside pretty quickly.
/i mean i prefer they eat clean grass over random plants ;)
https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.30.24306585v2.article-metrics
Let's not lose sight of who is actually still in charge
I feed 2 ferals and they sometimes stay in, even sleep with me. Now that I have pneumonia, I'm afraid. I hate to not let them in, but my immune system is shot, now that I'm so sick.
😳
I can’t have that.
Oh crap! Yes. Roosevelt county has a lot of dairy farms.
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/usda-reports-more-h5n1-detections-mice-and-cats
See CIDRAP https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/h5n1-strikes-more-us-poultry-flocks-pet-cats
https://gofund.me/ecc3028d
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/25/bird-flu-cat-food-death/77213477007/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/northwest-naturals-pet-food-recalled-bird-flu-contamination-cat-dies-rcna185405
Because of liability issues, most stores won't even sell unpasteurized cider, so if you want to ferment it, you have to buy apples and make it yourself.
https://bsky.app/profile/phyphor.one-dash.org/post/3le5ejfokls2z
😄
I can keep my indoor cats away from raw milk but we’ve had mice get in before.
Our cats are all indoor only, but the dogs go outside and chase birds and squirrels.
Since the neighbor on one side feeds birds, squirrels, cats, possums, etc. year round, chances of a close interaction with the dogs are higher. 🤔
"Northwest Naturals, a pet food company based in Portland, Oregon, said Tuesday it had voluntarily recalled one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the virus. "
https://apnews.com/article/cat-pet-food-bird-flu-oregon-recall
Yes indeed, I’ve never let my cats outside. I’ve always been concerned about feline leukemia… now this!
No one is stopping you mate.
CA declared a state of emergency over this. Over 800 dairy farms have been affected. I'm guessing scientists are trying to get ahead of the problem, but if the government doesn't step in to assist with adequate funding...🤷🏻♀️
Source: I volunteer at a wild bird rehab facility. We sanitize our shoes whenever entering our clinic to prevent bringing it inside.
With a 67% fatality rate the precautionary principle seems the wisest course of action right now.
https://bsky.app/profile/latticemindset.bsky.social/post/3le7zon6f7c2q
If I give my cat some milk, its the same 2% I put on my cereal.
If I give them some chicken, its the same I just baked in the oven.
Its just... why...
https://bsky.app/profile/cannon4nh.bsky.social/post/3leafzk33t22y
🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/animal-news/northwest-naturals-pet-food-recalled-bird-flu-contamination-cat-dies-rcna185405
It's horrible for you no matter your species.
It's worth noting that there *are* ways you can prepare raw food safely - certain spices or deeply freezing it can also make *some* food safe.
Poultry has a fairly high salmonella risk, and pigs were religiously banned for a reason - if you butcher them wrong, they're not even safe when cooked.
https://www.nw-naturals.net/12-24-24-voluntary-product-recall/
Many reasons to keep your cat indoors!
"Well im just an asshole! Like that 90s Dennis Leary song!"
Yeah...the song was making fun of assholes like you...there's a line about being wrong and acting like a damn child.
WELL SET UP 👆
USEFUL INFERMATION
AMERICAST 🇺🇸 CATS 🙀 BREEDERS
FOLLOW THIS BRIEFLY DESCRIPTION OK
Cata should be indoor pets only anyway. Working cats should be fixed and properly trained im their duties as well as have a strict veterinary check up schedule