Cat food brand Savage Pet recalls products due to bird flu contamination

Savage Pet has issued a recall for some of its raw chicken cat food products over concerns of bird flu (H5N1) contamination. The recall affects 66 large 84-ounce boxes and 74 small 21-ounce boxes of their product, which bear the lot code and best-by date of 15 November 2026. The cat food is packaged in distinctive cardboard boxes with handles shaped like a cat’s head and marked with a yellow outline around the company’s logo.

The contaminated products were distributed to retailers in five states: California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised customers who purchased these products to return them to the retailer for a refund. Feeding the contaminated food to pets or donating it to shelters is not recommended due to the risk of spreading the virus.

Bird flu, or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, can cause severe illness in cats. Symptoms in pets include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, inflamed eyes, difficulty breathing, and neurological issues such as tremors or seizures. Cat owners are urged to contact their veterinarian if these symptoms are observed in their pets after consuming the affected food.

Though no human infections have been reported, the FDA warns that handling the contaminated food may cause symptoms in people, including eye irritation, sore throat, coughing, and body aches.

This recall follows a similar action by Wild Coast LLC, which also recalled its raw pet food due to potential bird flu contamination earlier this year. The FDA and veterinarians are closely monitoring the situation as the outbreak continues to affect pets in the US.