In a turn of events that has pet owners on high alert, a voluntary recall has been issued for Northwest Naturals brand 2lb Turkey Recipe raw & frozen feline pet food. The recall was initiated after a house cat in Washington County fell victim to the H5N1 strain of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus, which was found in its food.
According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), tests by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ODVL) at Oregon State University confirmed the presence of the virus. "We are confident that this cat contracted H5N1 by eating the Northwest Naturals raw and frozen pet food," stated Dr. Ryan Scholz, ODA State Veterinarian, in a report.
Pet owners who have purchased the impacted product, identified with “Best if used by” dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1, should discard it immediately. Northwest Naturals of Portland, the company behind the product, is offering full refunds to consumers who contact the place of purchase or Northwest Naturals directly at [email protected] or via their helpline at 866-637-1872 during regular business hours.
While no humans in Oregon have reported flu symptoms in the wake of this incident, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is vigilantly watching those who had contact with the affected cat. ODA and OHA jointly recommend safety measures, including avoidance of raw or undercooked meat products, limited contact with sick or dead animals, and washing hands after handling animal products or coming into contact with potentially infected animals. Additionally, keeping pets or poultry away from wild waterfowl is advised.
Despite the isolated human case of HPAI in Oregon and confirmed cases among dairy cattle in neighboring states, the ODA reports no evidence of the virus in dairy cows or cow milk within Oregon. Nevertheless, a comprehensive testing of milk from every commercial dairy is currently underway as a proactive strategy.
