Latest news with #SavageCat
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NYS Agriculture Department sends out alert on raw cat food
ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — The New York State Department of Agriculture is alerting consumers on a particular brand of raw cat food due to the threat of bird flu. Commissioner Richard Ball alerted consumers on Friday, March 28 who use Savage Cat Raw Chicken Cat Food — a company out of California — due to the possible presence of the H5N1 virus, also known as Avian Influenza or Bird Flu. Illnesses in cats who have eaten this food have been reported in other states, including New York City. Pet owners who may have Savage Cat Food Large Chicken Boxes, sold in 84-ounce cardboard boxes containing individual plastic packets, with a lot code/best by date of 11152026 andSavage Cat Food Small Chicken Boxes, sold in 21-ounce cardboard boxes containing individual plastic packets, with a lot code/best by date of 11152026, should not feed this product to their cat or other animal. The product should also not be sold or donated. — New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, in a statement on the alert. The product in question was distributed in November 2024 at various retailers across the state. Consumers can find the lot code and best-by dates on the bottom of the cardboard box and on each packet within. The Department of Agriculture is also notifying retailers to make sure the product is pulled from store shelves. If you have fed your cat this product, watch for signs of avian influenza, including: fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs, such as tremors, stiff body movement, seizures, lack of coordination, or blindness. If your cat is exhibiting any of these symptoms, you are urged to contact your veterinarian. No H5N1 infections have been reported in humans in New York State. The New York State Department of Health is continuing to remind consumers that the risk to the public is low. For more information on the alert, you are asked to contact Savage Pet at their e-mail address — info@ — or by phone at 619-270-0295. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cat food with positive bird flu test recalled in New Mexico
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — A brand of raw, frozen cat food has been recalled after it tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus, also known as bird flu, according to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Officials are advising pet owners to check the lot numbers on their products. Savage Pet issued the voluntary recall for its product, Savage Cat Frozen Cat Food chicken, 84 oz. (packaged in boxes containing 28 three-oz. plastic packets of product) and 21 oz. (packaged in boxes containing seven three-oz. plastic packets of product). The large size is packaged in 28-count boxes with three oz. plastic packets of product. The smaller size is packaged in seven-count boxes, also with three-oz. plastic packets. The lot code is 'Lot. 11152026.' If you have this product, you're asked to immediately stop feeding it to your pet. If any of your pets seem ill, you're asked to call your veterinarian. An HPAI infection in a domestic cat could cause the following symptoms: Fever Lethargy Low appetite Reddened or inflamed eyes Discharge from the eyes and nose Difficult breathing Neurological symptoms such as tremors, seizures, incoordination or blindness The agriculture department says the product was distributed nationally, and some New Mexico retailers sell Savage Cat products. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bird Flu detected in 3 NYC cats who came in contact with 'Savage Cat Food'
The Brief The NYC Health Department is warning New Yorkers to not feed their pets food from the raw pet food company Savage Cat Food. According to officials, about three cats have been infected with Avian influenza (bird flu) in the past two months, all connected to Savage Cat Food and poultry packets. Health officials report that one cat fell ill this month after eating Savage Cat Food, showing fever, loss of appetite, and severe respiratory symptoms. NEW YORK - The NYC Health Department is warning New Yorkers to not feed their pets food from the raw pet food company Savage Cat Food. What they're saying According to officials, about three cats have been infected with Avian influenza (bird flu) in the past two months, all connected to Savage Cat Food and poultry packets. Two cats were confirmed and another became ill but was not tested for the virus. "We strongly encourage New Yorkers whose cats are experiencing illness after consuming Savage Cat Food products or other raw meat or dairy products to contact their veterinarian," said NYC Health Department Acting Commissioner, Dr. Michelle Morse. " The lot number for the packets is 11152026. What we know Health officials report that one cat fell ill this month after eating Savage Cat Food, showing fever, loss of appetite, and severe respiratory symptoms. Testing at Cornell Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed H5 bird flu, with testing by the USDA still pending. The cat later died from the infection. A second cat also died as a result of H5N1 after developing a fever and severe respiratory and liver disease. Additional testing suggests the cat was infected with an H5N1 strain related to that found in Savage Cat food, lot 11152026. Officials say this cat did not consume the raw food product but was exposed to a sick cat, which is now the third cat reportedly ill. The third cat developed a fever after eating Savage Cat Food but survived. However, H5 testing was not conducted and cannot be due to the time that has passed. The Health Department has been communicating with cat owners and veterinary staff, as well as Savage Pet Food. According to the NYC Health Department, while cat H5N1 infections are rare, people who were in contact with the sick cats have been advised to monitor their health. Arrangements will be made for testing, treatment, or prophylaxis if indicated. Cats sick with bird flu might experience loss of appetite, lethargy and fever. They could have reddened or inflamed eyes and discharge from the eyes and nose. They might have difficulty breathing or have tremors or seizures. If your cat is sick, call your veterinary clinic and keep the cat away from anyone with a weakened immune system. The bird flu can spread through an infected animal's bodily fluids, but there have also been reports of cats getting the virus from food. In the past four months, three pet food brands have issued recalls, with two still in effect. Monarch Raw Pet Food remains under recall, and Wild Coast Raw recently recalled its products after a pet died from the virus. The company announced it would switch to fully cooked recipes to reduce the risk. While dogs can get the virus, officials say cats are more likely to be affected. Tips for pet owners Avoid feeding pets raw food or raw milk If you pet has eaten raw food and shows sign of sickness, call your vet immediately and isolate from other pets Keep your cats indoors If you are walking your dog, avoid dead or sick animals
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cat owners beware as pet food with bird flu risk is recalled
Cat owners have been alerted to a potential health threat. Savage Pet of El Cajon, California, is recalling 66 large chicken boxes (84 oz.) and 74 small chicken boxes (21 oz.) with the lot code/"best by" date of 11.15.2026, as these products have "the potential to contain H5N1, also known as bird flu," according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). The Savage Cat food products were distributed to retailers in five states: California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, the FDA's website says. Farmers In 6 States Told To Stop Using Certain Animal Feed As Fda Announces Recall "People who fed [their] 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 notice says. Anyone whose felines exhibit these signs after consuming the product "should immediately contact their veterinarian," the FDA advises. Read On The Fox News App The FDA indicates that "while no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, humans can become infected if [the] live virus gets into a person's eyes, nose or mouth." Two Food Products Including Macaroni And Cheese Bites Recalled For 'Undeclared Eggs' Regular handwashing and cleaning of contact surfaces is highly recommended, the notice also indicates. "People who handled the recalled 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." The notice also says, "People exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare provider and local health department." In February, Savage Pet said it was "made aware of one cat in Colorado that contracted H5N1, got sick and recovered." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The laboratory at Colorado State University "tested sealed packets of Savage Cat Food using PCR testing for H5N1," the FDA's site says. The PCR test results were "non-negative," according to the same source. For more Health articles, visit "The product with 'non-negative' PCR results was sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for virus isolation testing" — and the product was taken off the market pending final test results, the site says. The virus isolation testing was found "to be negative," it also says. On March 13, "Savage Pet was made aware of an additional case in New York of a kitten" that ate from lot 11.15.2026 and "contracted avian flu. Further testing is ongoing." The company added, as the FDA site indicates, "To ensure maximum safety, we are modifying our market withdrawal to a recall … The product with lot code/'best by' date of 11.15.2026 was distributed in November 2024." "The boxes are cardboard and contain individual plastic packets inside. The lot code/'best by' date is stamped on the bottom and on each packet." Previous studies have suggested that H5N1 could be transmitted among cats, and a March 15 statement from the New York City Health Department seems to support that possibility. The statement provided details of two cats that contracted bird flu and a third cat suspected to have it. "Avian influenza (bird flu) virus was detected in two cats and a suspected third cat over the past two months, all connected to Savage Cat Food, poultry packets lot number 11152026," the alert read. The first cat, cat A, became ill and died after eating chicken packets from Savage Cat Food. "Testing for H5 bird flu was performed at the Cornell Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and confirmatory H5N1 testing by the U.S.D.A. National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) is pending." A second cat, cat B, was diagnosed with H5N1 and also died as a result of infection, health officials said – but "this cat did not consume the raw food product but was exposed to a sick cat, cat C. Cat C became ill with fever after consuming Savage Cat Food lot number 11152026." "Cat C survived and H5 testing was not performed and cannot be performed, as too much time has passed." This suggests that cat B may have been infected after contact with cat article source: Cat owners beware as pet food with bird flu risk is recalled
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Brooklyn kitten ID'd as second NYC avian flu victim after contracting virus from another cat
A Brooklyn kitten has been identified as the second confirmed feline victim of avian flu in New York City — having contracted the contagion from another infected cat. Valentino, a 1-year-old domestic shorthair, was technically the first cat in the Big Apple to die from the H5N1 virus after undergoing an emergency euthanasia on Feb. 1, Dr. Natara Loose of The Neighborhood Vet in Bushwick, told The Post. His case was only confirmed this week after a second cat, an 8-month-old Upper West Side kitten, succumbed to the same fate. 'Legitimately, had this little kitten not died recently and had it not been confirmed this week, I would still be in the process, probably for an unknown period of time, of not knowing how Valentino got it or how he died … no one would have put it out there, so it's good news for the public,' Loose, Valentino's veterinarian and owner, explained. Valentino was put to sleep just 24 hours after he recorded a jaw-dropping 106-degree fever. The lively little black kitten had been his active and curious self in the days earlier, but Loose became concerned when she noticed he was hiding inside the Bushwick vet office, which he called home. Valentino — whose condition was already delicate due to diabetes — was put on antibiotics and fluids and checked for multiple infections, but he didn't respond to anything. The domestic shorthair was rushed to an animal hospital on Jan. 31 and underwent a procedure, but it was too late. 'I euthanized him and he was here. I'm kissing him,' Loose said in a social media video, indicating she was holding Valentino close when he was put to sleep. Suspecting her beloved kitten's cause of death, Loose submitted Valentino for a necropsy, where it was confirmed that every organ of his body was infected by bird flu via tainted food. Government officials were suspicious, however, because Valentino had not consumed any raw meat — which had caused the deaths of at least 85 cats across the US since 2022. A second Big Apple feline death last month — which experts believe was caused by ingesting the raw food brand Savage Cat, prompting investigators to question whether any of Loose's furry patients had a history with the brand. Further investigation revealed that Valentino had contracted the virus from a third cat, 'Cat C,' who had been rushed into The Neighborhood Vet days before Valentino's death. 'That cat had a mild fever. No respiratory signs, just a little uncomfortable in his belly and went home the next day completely normal,' Loose said. 'I read through the history of the cat and the cat had eaten the same food.' On Friday, Audrey Brady, owner of Savage Cat, told The Post that the company's ingredients are USDA inspected and are monitored for H5/H7 viruses. The brand's raw foods were recalled in February after a potential link to another infection, which was later proven negative. Though Valentino lives at the vet office, he did not have any direct contact with Cat C, Loose said, leading her to believe the avian flu was transmitted through the air. Neither Loose nor any of her employees contracted the avian flu, despite their close contact with Valentino, especially in the heartbreaking moments of his death. 'I think cats-to-human is going to be pretty rare or very, very, very low risk because we were all very direct contact with him,' said Loose. There have been no cases of bird flu in humans in New York City, the city health department confirmed. There has been no official recall for Savage Cat Foods, though the health department is advising New Yorkers not to feed their pets anything from the brand, or any raw meat or milk products.
