A public health warning is an important message for people with cats. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has advised people not to purchase Monarch Raw Pet Food, often sold at farmer's markets across California, after a cat tested positive for bird flu from their products.

The first brand to issue a voluntary recall is an Oregon-based pet food company, Northwest Naturals. The recall is specifically for the 2lb plastic bags of their Feline Turkey Recipe, with best by dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. The packaging looks like this:

Bird flu has been found in both Northwest Naturals and Monarch Raw Pet Food. One cat has died while several have been sickened after eating the food.

L.A. County public health officials are reupping their warning to pet owners: Do not feed pets raw food. More cats have been sickened from eating H5N1-infected food.

Is raw pet food safe? Another raw pet food brand has been contaminated with bird flu. Raw milk and meat can be contaminated with bacteria and viruses, experts warn.

The recall, according to a news release published Wednesday, involves Northwest Naturals' Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food with sell-by dates between May 21, 2026, and Jun. 23, 2026. Tests confirmed the batch was contaminated with highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, according to a company statement.

Yes, pets can get bird flu from eating raw food. Pets can contract bird flu through contact with infected poultry or carcasses, or from eating contaminated food. Since cooking and pasteurization kill viruses, food will not be contaminated unless it’s raw.

A Portland brand of cat food is being recalled in 12 states, including Washington, after a cat that ate it contracted bird flu and died.

With concern over the bird flu continuing to mount across the country, one Inland Empire man says that his beloved pets fell victim to the virus after drinking contaminated raw milk.