An Oregon man filed a lawsuit against wild coastal pet food this week after his cat died of avian flu. The lawsuit alleges that it misconstrued consumers when selling raw chicken cat food as healthy and failed to recognize any potential risks, including potential deaths from consumption of H5N1-infected foods.
The lawsuit filed by Tim Hanson seeks damages covering veterinarian claims and legal costs compensation. KTVB 7 In Oregon. Hanson adopted Cat Kira in 2021 and told the news outlet he would feed on raw cat food like chicken that killed cats, “Because I believe in the benefits of its health.” The health benefits Hanson believes to come from raw chicken are not entirely clear.
Hanson told KTVB 7 that he bought cat food from the Wild Coast pet food brand in January, but one day in early February, Kira stopped eating. Hanson told the news outlet that she took her to the vet on February 5th, and a few days later, a test confirmed that Kira had the bird flu. Kira was very sick and had to be euthanized on February 9th.
Washington-based Wild Coast issued a recall on March 1st for raw pet food for 16 and 24 ounces of frozen boneless free range chicken formula cats. The food was sold in Washington and Oregon.
Warnings from recalls posted on the FDA website:
Those who give pets to recalled products should monitor their pets for bird flu symptoms. It includes neurological signs such as fever, lethargy, appetite, red, inflamed or inflamed eyes, drainage from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, trembling, stiff body movements, seizures, and lack of coordination. People with pets showing these signs after feeding this product should contact their veterinarian.
The spread of avian flu has been devastating for many cat owners. Because from H5N1, they appear to be the most sensitive among livestock outside the birds. Many cats from New York to Oregon have been recorded as having died from the disease, and there are likely many more undetected deaths.
At least as far as health officials can say, Americans have no contracts to eat the bird flu. However, it appears that cats are getting it from their raw food consumption. The US health agency has tested both milk and beef, and both appear to be safe for human consumption in the presence of avian flu, as long as the milk is pasteurized and the beef is cooked at least in the medium.
There is also no evidence of the spread of American avian flu from humans to humans, but there is concern that it could happen. There are 70 cases of H5N1, with one death recorded among Americans. 41 of these cases are tied to dairy cows, 24 are traced to poultry farms, two cases are from backyard herds and wild birds, and three cases are still unknown sources.
The Wild Coast did not respond to questions sent via email on Friday. Gizmodo will update this post if you receive a reply.
