While there haven’t been any reports of bird flu in companion animals like dogs and cats on Long Island, veterinarians are urging caution as infected cats have died in NYC, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. They warn that cats are especially vulnerable to H5N1, or “bird flu.”And there are concerns among infectious disease experts that cats can become sick from contact with humans who work around infected cows, and in the reverse, that cats could become a vector for cow to human transmission as well.

A study mentioned in the CDC February “Morbidity and Mortality Report” describes two Michigan households where a member of the family worked in a dairy and cats died from the virus. In the first case, one of three cats in the home liked to sleep and roll around on the worker’s discarded work clothing, on which unpasteurized milk had splashed during the course of the workday.

The cat soon sickened and died. A second cat got sick but recovered. The third remained healthy. In the second home, the cat became sick a few days after the worker had eye irritation, a symptom of bird flu.  Although the cats tested positive for the H5N1 virus, neither worker agreed to be tested.

Since cats of all kinds—wild and domestic—are highly susceptible to the virus, it is also possible that cats living in or around dairy farms could transmit the virus to humans. And, because of this, health care officials are concerned there are more undiagnosed, asymptomatic cases among humans who experience only mild symptoms and don’t recognize them as bird flu.

A sub-type of influenza A, “bird flu,” or H5N1 symptoms include pinkeye, irritated eyes, fever, cough, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, nasal congestion, shortness of breath.

Anyone experiencing these symptoms should be tested for avian influenza as soon as possible since it is very contagious, especially to cats.

To help protect your cat, veterinarians recommend limiting opportunities for exposure to the virus. Keep up to date on vaccines. Avoid feeding them raw cat food or raw milk.  Remove standing water around your yard since it could contain bird excrement or have sick birds drinking and splashing in it. Keep a close eye on bird feeders and observe the health of the birds in your yard. Are they eating, drinking, behaving normally, not having diarrhea?

If you keep chickens, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after feeding, handling or cleaning up after them. Center Moriches Veterinary Hospital will treat single chickens if they become sick, but call in advance of seeking care.  For larger numbers of chickens or poultry, a large-animal practice is advised.

Monitor your cat(s) for any signs of illness, lethargy or behavior as early diagnosis and supportive care are crucial.  A cat showing signs of illness should be kept separate from any other pets since there is risk of cat-to-cat transmission. The virus is often fatal and there is no cure.