Lawsuit Filed Against Pet Food Company After Cat Dies from Bird Flu

A lawsuit has been filed in Oregon against Wild Coast Pet Food by a man whose cat died from bird flu after consuming the company’s raw chicken cat food. The lawsuit, filed by Tim Hanson, alleges that the company misled consumers by selling the product as healthy without acknowledging the potential risks, including death from H5N1 infection.

The lawsuit seeks damages of almost $8,000, which covers veterinarian bills and legal fees, according to a report by KTVB 7 in Oregon. Hanson, who adopted his cat Kira in 2021, typically feeds his cats raw food, including the chicken that killed Kira, because he believes in its health benefits. However, it is unclear what specific health benefits Hanson associates with raw chicken.

Background of the Incident

Hanson purchased the Wild Coast Pet Foods brand cat food in January, but Kira stopped eating in early February. He took her to the vet on February 5, and tests later confirmed that Kira had bird flu. Unfortunately, Kira’s condition deteriorated, and she had to be euthanized on February 9.

Recall and Warning

Wild Coast, based in Washington, issued a recall on March 1 for its 16 oz and 24 oz frozen Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw pet food for cats, which was sold in Washington and Oregon. The FDA posted a warning on its website, advising pet owners who fed their pets the recalled products to watch for symptoms of bird flu, including:

• Fever
• Lethargy
• Low appetite
• Reddened or inflamed eyes
• Discharge from the eyes and nose
• Difficulty breathing
• Neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness

Pet owners are advised to contact their veterinarian if their pets exhibit these symptoms after consuming the recalled product.

Spread of Bird Flu

The spread of bird flu has been devastating for many cat owners, as cats appear to be the most susceptible domestic animals to H5N1, outside of birds. Many cat deaths have been documented in various parts of the country, including New York and Oregon, and it is likely that many more cases are going undetected.

Human Risk and Precautions

While no humans in the U.S. have contracted bird flu from eating food, cats seem to be getting infected from consuming raw food. Health authorities have tested milk and beef and found them to be safe for human consumption if pasteurized and cooked to at least medium, respectively. However, there is concern that a mutation could allow human-to-human spread of the bird flu. So far, 70 cases of H5N1 have been documented in Americans, with one death, and 41 cases have been tied to dairy cattle, 24 to poultry farms, two to backyard flocks and wild birds, and three cases are still unknown.

Company Response

Wild Coast did not respond to questions emailed on Friday. This post will be updated if a response is received.