Raw milk recalled from a Fresno County dairy is suspected in the deaths of two cats in Los Angeles County, health officials said Thursday.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating the two possible cases of H5 bird flu in cats that consumed recalled raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC — California’s largest producer of raw milk and other dairy products.

Investigators said the infected indoor cats drank raw milk linked to a recent recall of Raw Farm milk and cream before showing any symptoms, including a lack of appetite, fever and neurological signs.

“The infected cats died after severe worsening of their illness, and subsequently tested positive for Influenza A, a rare result in cats,” according to a news release from the department of health.

Although not common, cats can become infected with bird flu, scientists say, due to the exposure of wild birds infected with the virus or from drinking contaminated raw milk.

Since 2022, at least 53 domestic cats across the country were infected with the virus, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One of those cases was detected on Dec. 3 in Tulare County, the center of the state’s dairy industry.

Statewide, about half of the industry’s 1,100 dairies have herds with the virus, including Raw Farm LLC in Fresno County.

Los Angeles public health officials consider the cases as “suspected” until further testing can confirm them.

Health officials remind the public that the there are no human cases of bird flu associated with exposure to the infected cats.

“The risk of H5 bird flu remains low in Los Angeles County, but this suspected case of the virus in a pet cat that consumed raw milk is a reminder that consuming raw dairy products can lead to severe illness in cats,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

“To avoid the spread of disease, including H5 bird flu, we strongly encourage residents and their pets to avoid raw dairy and undercooked meat products, limit contact with sick or dead animals, report sick or dead birds and keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds.”

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