The first case of bird flu was confirmed in New Orleans last week after the H5N1 virus was detected in a house cat on Jan. 14, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.  The agriculture department listed the case among other instances where the virus has turned up in mammals since May 2022.

"Cats (domestic and large felids) in particular can experience severe illness or death from infection with H5N1. Dogs can also contract H5N1, although they usually exhibit mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats," the FDA said in a news release.

As dozens of cats have contracted the bird flu virus through infected poultry and cattle, veterinarians weigh in on the safety risks of raw cat and dog food.

The cases have spurred new pet food safety rules and poultry surveillance efforts. Federal officials who spent the last year grappling with a surge of bird flu infections in cows and people are now confronting a spate of new cases in cats,

The FDA has investigated bird flu outbreaks linked to raw pet food, which have sickened or killed over a dozen cats in several U.S. states. Reports include 13 domestic cats, one exotic cat, and animals at two big cat sanctuaries.

Bird flu (H5N1) has jumped from poultry to pets, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirming that 13 domestic cats across eight households in the U.S. have fallen ill or died, CBS News reports.

Cats and birds aren't exactly similar but they're both proving to be susceptible to avian influenza A (H5N1) -- bird flu in other words. Since the bird flu