For the second time this month, cat food has been recalled due to a risk of contamination with H5N1, also known as bird flu. A recall notice published Saturday announced the recall of Savage Cat Food boxes.
According to the announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, El Cajon, Calif.-based Savage Pet recalled 66 large, 84-ounce, chicken boxes and 74 small, 21-ounce chicken boxes. These cardboard boxes with individual plastic pouches inside were distributed to retailers in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington on Nov. 24 of last year and they have the lot code/best by date of 11152026 stamped on the bottom of each packet.
Concerns about the product being contaminated with bird flu began in February, when Savage Pet was made aware of one cat in Colorado who contracted the virus, got sick and then recovered. After that, the Colorado State University Laboratory tested sealed packets of Savage Cat Food using PCR testing for H5N1. The PCR test results were “non-negative” and that product was sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for virus isolation testing.
While that testing was being conducted, the product was removed from shelves. By Feb. 17, every retailer who may have received the lot code in question was informed to return it for proper destruction. On March 6, the NVSL virus isolation testing results confirmed the virus to be negative.
Around a week later, on March 13, Savage Pet was made aware of an additional case in New York. There, a kitten that was fed 11152026 contracted avian flu.
“Do not feed the recalled product to pets or animals. Do not sell or donate the recalled products. Consumers who have purchased this lot code are urged to immediately return it to their retailer for proper destruction and a full refund,” the FDA said. “For more information contact us at info@savagecatfood.com or by calling 619.270.0295.”
Further testing is ongoing and the recall was issued to ensure maximum safety.
Earlier this month, the FDA also announced a recall of lots of frozen “Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw pet food for cats” from Wild Coast Raw of Olympia, Wash., due to bird flu concerns. Another brand of cat food was recalled after testing positive for bird flu last December.
“People who fed cats the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness,” the FDA warned. “People with cats exhibiting these signs after feeding this product should immediately contact their veterinarian.”
Domestic cats have been diagnosed with bird flu, also called avian flu, in the past. Last summer, the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association reported on six feline cases of Influenza A (HPAI H5N1) had been diagnosed in domestic cats in the state.
“Five of the six cases have presented with similar clinical signs and disease progression: an initial complaint of lethargy and inappetence, followed by progressive respiratory signs in some and fairly consistent progressive neurologic signs in most,” said the CMVA.
Per the FDA, there have been no human infections liked to people handling raw pet food products. However, humans can become infected if live virus gets into their eyes, nose, or mouth. Those who handle raw cat food products should hash their hands and sanitize all contact surfaces.
Anyone who handled the recalled Savage Cat Food products should watch for symptoms of bird flu including eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting.
“People exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare provider and local health department,” said the FDA.
While the current public health risk for bird flu in humans is low, it has spread widely in wild birds and caused outbreaks in both poultry flocks and dairy cows here in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been 70 reported human cases in the U.S. – including one death – with no person-to-person cases reported.