Is it better to feed cats raw or cooked meat? And could your cat’s diet, influence their risk of contracting the bird flu? The choice of a type and brand of food owners feed their pets is a true hot-button issue. Pet owners are passionate about the diet they feed their dogs and cats. There are over 1,000 pet food companies in the United States. There are canned (wet) and kibble (dry) food, frozen, freeze-dried food, gently cooked food, low temperature air dried dehydrated food, and high pressure pasteurized (HPP) food and treats on the market. The raw food revolution was initiated in 1993 with Dr. Ian Billinghurst’s book “Give Your Dog a Bone.”

What Did Pets Eat Before Pet Food?

Prior to the 1920s, just 100 years ago, there were no commercially available dog and cat foods. Although dogs had been domesticated 16,000 years before, humans fed these dogs meat, bones and grains soaked in milk. Gradually, as dogs moved into our homes, we fed them the scraps from our tables – the bits and pieces of food that could be spared. This included bones, cabbage, potatoes, onions, bread crusts and other odds and ends. Families were big and having extra food after feeding the children was rare. By the mid 1800s, dogs in the city might be lucky enough to be fed horse meat, from carriage horses that died while working.

Affluence and disposable income as well as moving pets into the role of family members has significantly changed how we feed our dogs and cats. Slowly, a market for commercially produced food evolved.

The Importance of Pet Food Regulation

There are several regulatory agencies that oversee pet food, for both safety and nutritional adequacy. The AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) is the organization in the U.S. that develops model pet food regulations for states to oversee pet food manufacturing. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), was signed into law in 2011. FSMA represents one of the most comprehensive changes to U.S. food safety regulation in more than 70 years, and requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and food producers (for both food for humans and animals) to focus on preventing foodborne illness.

Why Don’t Vets Recommend a Raw Diet for Cats?

Is a raw meat diet good for cats? Many veterinary professionals recommend avoiding feeding raw meat or under-cooked foods. Dr. Scott Weese, author of the Worms and Germs Blog  has reported both Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), a recently emerging foodborne illness, and Salmonella contamination of pet food and makes strong recommendations against feeding uncooked or under-cooked poultry-based diets. Parasite transmission is also a risk.

There are limited scientific articles to support that raw meat diets are beneficial to the health of pets. Pet owners should take this opportunity to discuss the brand and type of pet food they are feeding their cats and dogs with their veterinary professionals.

There are board-certified veterinary nutritionists who are available for consultations. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has a very useful article to aid in selecting pet food. Additionally, you can call the 800 phone number on the package of pet food or email the manufacturer and ask to speak to their staff veterinary nutritionist. If they do not employ or consult with a veterinary nutritionist (ask if they are specifically a veterinary specialist), consider changing pet food after you engage in some research on a better quality food. Remember more expensive does not mean better.

Owners may believe that veterinarians and their teams don’t receive training on nutrition. However, this is not accurate. Both while in school and after graduation, we study pet nutrition. The teenager working in your local pet store is not a nutrition expert – they are trained to sell you the product with the highest profit margins. Your veterinary professional knows your pet’s health best and will be happy to make some recommendations.

Raw Diets, Bird Flu and Cats

Since Thanksgiving 2024, multiple cats, both domestic house cats and big cats (cougars and a half-Bengal tiger) have reportedly died of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). These big cats all resided at an animal sanctuary in Washington state. Their illness is thought to either have initiated from their raw poultry diet or from infected live birds.

Can a cat get bird flu? The answer is yes. Multiple domestic house cats have also become ill and died in the last few weeks. At this time, the foods have all been poultry based raw meat diets manufactured on the west coast by two companies (Monarch Raw Pet Food in California and Northwest Naturals in Oregon). These diets have had recalls. However, other parts of the country may also become affected associated with the wide-spread use of raw poultry in raw meat and lightly cooked diets. High pressure pasteurized diets may not be as safe as once thought.

Bird Flu Symptoms in Cats

Symptoms of avian flu (HPAI) in cats include neurologic and respiratory symptoms, starting with mild disease and progressing to fatal pneumonia. Should you have a cat or other pet showing signs of any illness, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Can My Cat Get Sick From Raw Food?

At this time, I would recommend avoid feeding raw meat and undercooked poultry-based diets. Kibble and commercially canned food are the safest and most nutritionally complete diets currently on the market. Should your pet be unable to tolerate canned or kibble diets, cook the raw meat diet to an internal temperature of 165^oF or 74^oC. (see this link for safe cooking temperatures).

Not only is there a concern about these poultry-based diets (chicken, turkey and duck) causing pets to become ill, but it is possible there could be cross-contamination of humans. Handling these foods or contamination of kitchen utensils and contact with sick pets represents a possible exposure. At this time, there are no reports of pets spreading illness to owners, but the possibility is real. Of particular concern is the exposure of immuno-compromised household members. This includes the very young, the elderly, or people on immuno-suppressive drugs such as chemotherapy, steroids, and diseases to manage immune mediated diseases.

Currently, beef and other non-poultry meat sources do not appear to be a risk. However, there are also reports of sick cats who contracted HPAI by drinking unpasteurized milk.

Bottom line: Cats and dogs can get sick from raw food. Avoid putting your pets and family at risk. Feed pasteurized dairy and egg products and a cooked diet.