More than half of the cats on a dairy farm in Texas, where bird flu was first detected in cattle, died after being fed raw milk from infected cows. This was reported by the American news channel CBS News, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Cats were fed raw milk from cows infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. About a day after health issues were noticed in the cattle on the farm, the cats began to fall ill. As a result, more than half of them died, the channel reports.
Tests of samples taken from the brain and lung tissue of the deceased cats revealed a "significant amount of the virus." Researchers also noted that the autopsy showed "microscopic lesions characteristic of severe systemic viral infection," including in the eyes and brain.
Cats are known for their high susceptibility to the H5N1 virus. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), farms where outbreaks of the infection were recorded often reported cases of mortality and neurological diseases in cats. While the signs of illness in cows develop in only 15% of cases, officials note that in general, cows recover within a month after infection.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the virus was found in about 20% of milk samples sold at retail, although last week the agency reported that pasteurization destroys the virus.
This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to test retail ground beef for the H5N1 virus, as well as to study the impact of cooking beef on the infection.
Scientists suggest that the most likely initial source of outbreaks on dairy farms is feed contaminated with feces from infected wild birds. "As of April 30, 2024, 34 dairy herds in the U.S. have been affected by the infection. In comparison, there are more than 26,000 dairy herds in the country," the channel quotes a USDA representative.
