Why raw diets require extra caution
Let's start with the numbers.
In late 2024 and early 2025, 19 domestic cats in Los Angeles County became severely ill after consuming commercially purchased raw milk, raw meat, or raw pet food. Of those, 14 died or had to be euthanized. Nine tested positive for H5N1.
The outbreak was traced to contaminated raw animal products. The cats weren't eating backyard scraps—they were eating commercially produced raw pet food and raw milk purchased from stores.
In Oregon, two indoor-only cats died in February 2025 after consuming commercially prepared raw pet food. These cats never went outside. They never hunted birds. They died because of what was in their food bowls.
And the problem isn't going away. According to the USDA, nearly 70 cats nationwide have tested positive for H5N1 in 2026 alone.
What the CDC Says: Clear and Direct
The CDC's guidance is unequivocal: "Do not feed pets raw pet food or unpasteurized (raw) milk."-
In a 2026 report confirming the first known cat-to-human transmission of H5N1, the CDC reiterated: "Pet owners are advised not to feed cats raw milk or other raw animal products."-
The agency also warns that feeding pets raw meat or raw milk significantly increases the risk of H5N1 infection and could lead to transmission to humans.
The case involved a veterinary professional in Los Angeles County who contracted H5N1 after exposure to an infected cat that had consumed raw products.
The FDA's New Requirements: A Game-Changer
In response to the growing evidence, the FDA has taken unprecedented action.
The agency now requires cat and dog food manufacturers that use raw or unpasteurized poultry or cattle products—including uncooked meat, unpasteurized milk, and unpasteurized eggs—to reanalyze their food safety plans and include H5N1 as a "known or reasonably foreseeable hazard".
In other words, the FDA has officially classified H5N1 as a foreseeable risk in raw pet food.
This isn't a suggestion. It's a regulatory requirement for covered manufacturers. The FDA has determined that H5N1 can be transmitted to cats and dogs when they eat products from infected poultry or cattle that haven't undergone pasteurization, cooking, or canning.
Raw Milk: A Known Source of Infection
Raw milk is a major concern. Multiple CDC reports have documented H5N1 virus infection in domestic cats after they consumed raw milk contaminated with the virus.
On dairy farms in Texas, domestic cats fed raw colostrum and milk from sick cows died after showing neurologic signs. The virus has been found at high levels in the raw milk of dairy cows.
The commercial milk supply is pasteurized and safe. But raw milk is not.
Why "Natural" Doesn't Mean Safe
Raw diets were often marketed with the promise of being "what cats ate in the wild." But there's a crucial difference:
Wild prey wasn't infected with H5N1.
Today's commercial poultry and cattle supply carries risks that didn't exist a decade ago. Feeding raw animal products now means feeding potential H5N1 contamination—and the virus doesn't care if the food was "human-grade" or "organic."
Cornell University's Feline Health Center has launched an H5N1 Surveillance Consortium, noting that mortality rates in affected cats can reach as high as 70%. The consortium explicitly links infections in cats to raw meat diets, raw milk, and exposure to wild birds.
What This Means for Cat Owners
Here's what you need to know:
✅ What's safe:
· Commercially processed, cooked cat food
· Pasteurized milk (if you give milk at all—most cats are lactose intolerant)
· Fully cooked meat (chicken, turkey, beef) prepared at home, without seasoning
❌ What's NOT safe:
· Raw chicken or raw meat of any kind
· Raw (unpasteurized) milk
· Raw pet food products containing uncooked poultry or cattle ingredients
· Raw eggs
The Bottom Line: The Risk Isn't Worth It
Raw diets used to be a trend. Now they're a liability.
Between the CDC's explicit warnings, the FDA's new regulatory requirements, and the growing number of cat deaths linked to contaminated raw products, the message is clear:
Feeding raw chicken, raw meat, or raw milk to your cat is no longer a safe choice.
Your cat doesn't need raw food to be healthy. She needs safe food—and right now, "safe" means cooked, pasteurized, and commercially processed.
The days of raw feeding for cats may not be over entirely. But for responsible cat owners in 2026, they should be.
Related articles:
· Can Cats Get H5N1 Bird Flu? What Every Cat Owner Needs to Know Right Now – A complete overview of the H5N1 risk to cats.
· Cat Hydration Philosophy: Why Moving Water and Filtration Matter – Proper hydration supports kidney health and overall well-being.
Product collections you might find helpful:
· Stainless Steel Cat Water Fountains – Fresh, filtered water every day.
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