The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) are warning pet owners about the risks of raw pet food after indoor cats in Oregon became ill from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or H5N1) beginning in early February 2025.
The owners of the cats, in consultation with their veterinarians, have elected to euthanize them due to the severity of the illness. Upon further investigation into the source of the illness, officials found the cats all consumed the same brand of raw pet food before becoming ill, reports the WSDA.
After receiving reports of the illnesses, ODA collected samples from the affected cats pre- and post-mortem, and from open containers of the raw pet food. Tests conducted by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ODVL) at Oregon State University and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of HPAI in both cats and the food samples.
This public health notice was initiated in response to these findings and further testing conducted by WSDA on unopened containers of the raw pet food, manufactured by Wild Coast Raw. Consumers are urged to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast, LLC products at home. Lots in the alert are #22660 and #22664 with Best By dates of 12/2025.
Updates and additional details will be posted by the WSDA here.
