Experts Confirm Cat-to-Human H5N1 Spread, Warning of 52% Historic Fatality and Food-Supply Risks
Updated
Updated · UCHealth Today · Jul 17
Experts Confirm Cat-to-Human H5N1 Spread, Warning of 52% Historic Fatality and Food-Supply Risks
2 articles · Updated · UCHealth Today · Jul 17
Summary
Medical experts said H5N1 can pass from cats to humans, adding cats to a growing list of mammal-to-human transmission routes that already includes dairy cattle.
A 52% historic human fatality rate cited by the CDC — and 3 deaths among 12 global cases studied over the past 10 months — is heightening concern as surveillance remains patchy.
875 dairy herds in 16 U.S. states tested positive in 2024, while officials documented virus in raw pet food, unpasteurized milk and eggs; inactive viral fragments were also found in 1 in 5 pasteurized milk samples.
Cats are especially vulnerable because they hunt birds and can also be infected by raw meat, raw eggs or unpasteurized dairy; domestic cats that catch bird flu face a 67% death rate.
More than 500 million birds have been culled worldwide since 2021, yet experts say the virus’s spread across 485 bird species and 48 mammal species keeps pandemic risk elevated.
Could our household pets be the unexpected source of the next deadly global pandemic?
As bird flu adapts to mammals, are current containment efforts enough to prevent a global health catastrophe?
H5N1 Avian Influenza 2024-2025: Cat-to-Human Transmission, Food Supply Threats, and Global Preparedness
Overview
In late 2024 to early 2025, the first confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu transmission from domestic cats to humans marked a major shift in understanding the virus’s risks. This new pathway was discovered when a veterinary professional, exposed to an infected cat during ongoing H5N1 outbreaks, tested positive for the virus but showed no symptoms. Although details of the exposure were not fully documented, this event highlights the need for stronger public health and animal care measures. Pet owners are now advised to avoid feeding raw animal products to cats to help reduce the risk of future transmission.