H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread amid commercial and backyard poultry, and additional cases have been reported in domestic cats

A few cats have died from bird flu after eating raw food. And some raw pet food products have been recalled. Here's what to know about the risks to your fur babies, and how to keep them safe.

The first case of bird flu was confirmed in New Orleans last week after the H5N1 virus was detected in a house cat on Jan. 14, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.  The agriculture department listed the case among other instances where the virus has turned up in mammals since May 2022.

Cats and birds aren't exactly similar but they're both proving to be susceptible to avian influenza A (H5N1) -- bird flu in other words. Since the bird flu

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Bird flu (H5N1) has jumped from poultry to pets, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirming that 13 domestic cats across eight households in the U.S. have fallen ill or died, CBS News reports. The cases were recorded in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington State, the FDA said.

As dozens of cats have contracted the bird flu virus through infected poultry and cattle, veterinarians weigh in on the safety risks of raw cat and dog food.

The cases have spurred new pet food safety rules and poultry surveillance efforts. Federal officials who spent the last year grappling with a surge of bird flu infections in cows and people are now confronting a spate of new cases in cats,

The FDA has investigated bird flu outbreaks linked to raw pet food, which have sickened or killed over a dozen cats in several U.S. states. Reports include 13 domestic cats, one exotic cat, and animals at two big cat sanctuaries.