A recent study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that two cats owned by Michigan dairy workers succumbed to bird flu infection. The report highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the source of the illness and whether there was any transmission to humans within the households.
The cats, both indoor-only pets with no direct contact with infected cattle or birds, were confirmed to have contracted the Type A H5N1 bird virus typically found in U.S. dairy herds. One cat, belonging to a dairy farm worker in a county with bird flu-infected cattle, tested positive for H5N1 after displaying severe symptoms and had to be euthanized. Another cat in the same household fell ill but eventually recovered, while a third cat remained unaffected.
