• Posted January 13, 2025

Tragic Pet Cat Deaths Linked to Bird Flu in Raw Milk

A California man's tragic story highlights the growing risks associated with bird flu infections in domestic animals.

Joseph Journell of San Bernadino lost two of his beloved cats, a 14-year-old tabby, Alexander, and Tuxsie, a 4-year-old tuxedo cat, after they drank raw milk from a lot recalled for H5N1 bird flu contamination, a news release from Associated Press shows.

A third cat, Big Boy, was hospitalized and is still recovering from severe symptoms, including blindness and paralysis.

Journell had been giving his pets unpasteurized milk from Raw Farm of Fresno, believing it would boost their health. Tragically, the milk turned out to be contaminated with the virus, which has caused a massive outbreak in dairy cattle across the United States.

"I was trying to make him healthier and make him live longer," Journell said in a news release about his 14-year-old cat Alexander, who died on Thanksgiving Day.

The outbreak has raised alarms about the safety of raw milk for both humans and animals.

This news comes on the heels of a recent tragedy in Washington where bird flu killed 20 large cats at a sanctuary, as well as the first U.S. death from bird flu earlier this month in Louisiana.

Both incidents highlight the escalating risks posed by the bird flu virus and its potential to impact a wide range of species, including humans and animals.

Health officials strongly advise against feeding unpasteurized products to pets or people, citing severe illness and death risks.

Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee disputed the claims in an interview with Associated Press, stating that the virus shouldn’t be able to survive long enough to infect animals post-sale.

However, experts like Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, believe that the evidence points to a clear link.

“I think the poor cats are the best indicator!” Webby wrote in an email to Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued several warnings about consuming raw dairy products, emphasizing that thorough pasteurization is essential to eliminate harmful pathogens.

Journell, who said he also fell ill after being exposed to the contaminated milk, expressed his grief and frustration. While he still believes in the potential health benefits of raw milk, he says he won’t be drinking it again anytime soon.

“Not right now,” he said. “And not in the foreseeable future.”

In a previous notice posted in Dec. 2024, Raw Farm said it recalled all whole milk and cream products with "use by" dates of Nov. 27 to Dec. 13 after bird flu was discovered on the farm in numerous milk samples.

California health officials took additional steps to keep consumers safe, including quarantining the farm.

"While this voluntary recall only applies to raw whole milk and cream, due to multiple bird flu detections in the company's operation, the California Department of Public Health [CDPH] urges consumers to avoid consuming any Raw Farm products for human consumption including raw milk, cream, cheese, and kefir, as well as raw milk pet food topper and pet food kefir marketed to pet owners," the CDPH said in a previous health alert.

"In addition to the statewide voluntary recall, CDFA [California Department of Agriculture] has placed the farm under quarantine, suspending any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter and cheese products produced on or after November 27," the agency stated.

No human bird flu cases linked to the raw milk products have been confirmed at this point, the CDPH noted.

Unlike raw milk, pasteurized cow's milk is heat-treated to kill off any viruses and remains safe to drink.

The latest actions follow recalls of two lots of Raw Farm products after bird flu was first reported in raw milk samples on Nov. 24.

Bird flu, also known as H5N1, first surfaced in U.S. dairy cows in March 2024. Since then, the virus has been spreading across the country, particularly in California, where over 700 of the more than 920 infected herds nationwide have been detected, according to CDC data.

As of the date of this publication, the virus has infected 66 people in the United States, including 37 in California, according to the CDC. One death has been reported in Louisiana.

Mild illnesses have been seen in dairy and poultry workers who had close contact with infected animals. No cases of bird flu spreading between people have been detected so far.

In a previous statement posted to its website, Raw Farm officials said they were working to restore raw milk supply quickly.

“There are no illnesses associated with H5N1 in our products. But rather this is a political issue,” the post stated. “There are no food safety issues with our products or consumer safety. We are working towards resolving this political issue while being cooperative with our government regulatory agencies.”

Robert Kennedy Jr., who has criticized crackdowns on raw milk, has been nominated to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has vowed to push for greater distribution of raw milk products.

More information

The CDC has more on bird flu.

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California Department of Public Health, news release, Dec. 4, 2024; Associated Press