HOUSTON — For the last couple of years, a deadly strain of bird flu has been spreading across the country. Millions of birds in the U.S. have died. This past spring, cases started popping up in dairy cows, including here in Texas.
Then human cases were reported, though only 13 have been confirmed so far. Most have been linked to dairy farms with infected cows.
Now cases are being reported in cats. That’s not entirely surprising since many dairy farms use cats for rodent control and often our feline friends come in close contact with birds or other small animals that could be infected with bird flu.
Scientific American reports 36 domestic cats have been infected since March, including cats in Texas.
But it’s a report out of Colorado that is sparking more concern. Of the six cats infected there, two are indoor cats. It’s possible they came in contact with raw milk or meat from infected cattle or spent some time outdoors with infected animals, but according to researchers, this is also a sign bird flu is much more widespread than we realize.
They say increased surveillance is needed not just to protect our pets, but ourselves as well.