Savage Pet, a California-based company that markets raw and “prey-based cat food,” is recalling boxes of chicken that could contain bird flu, it announced Saturday through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The recall is for large and small chicken boxes distributed in November of 2024. The boxes were sent to retailers in Washington, California, Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania. The food has a best-by date of Nov. 15, 2026.
Last week, Savage Pet was notified that a New York kitten who had eaten this batch of food contracted the bird flu. Tests are ongoing, the company said, but it is recalling the food in the meantime.
Pet owners who fed these packets to their cats should watch for fever, lethargy, low appetite, red eyes, difficulty breathing and neurological issues like seizures and blindness, the company said in its recall notice. Owners should immediately call their vet if their cat has any of the above, the company said. Humans can contract the virus, though “no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products,” the recall notice said.
People who have purchased the food can take it back to the place where they purchased it for a refund.
The company issued a similar recall in February, after a Colorado cat contracted the bird flu. Tests by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory ultimately determined the virus was not present in that batch of Savage Pet food, the company said.
Wild Coast Pet Foods, based in Olympia, Washington, also recently recalled its raw-meat products after its frozen boneless chicken formula was linked to avian-influenza infections in Oregon and Washington.