Colorado health officials warn pet owners after 6 bird flu cases found in cats

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado health officials are warning the state's pet owners after several cats were found with bird flu, including two indoor-only cats.

This year, there were ten confirmed human cases of avian flu in poultry and dairy farm workers in Colorado, making it the largest outbreak of the virus in U.S. history, according to state health officials.

Now, the virus is spreading to the state's domestic cats. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced recently that six cats were diagnosed with avian influenza.

According to the CDPHE, only one of these cases was directly associated with a known infected dairy facility. Two of the cases were indoor only cats with no direct exposures to the virus, while three cases were known indoor/outdoor cats that hunted mice and/or small birds as prey and also spent time indoors.

Five of the six cases have presented with similar clinical signs and disease progression: an initial complaint of lethargy and inappetence, followed by progressive respiratory signs in some and fairly consistent progressive neurologic signs in most, the CDPHE said.

Symptoms to look out for in domestic cats include lethargy, lack of appetite and respiratory issues such as trouble breathing, coughing or sneezing. More serious signs of bird flu in cats are tremors, seizures and an inability to stand or walk. If your pet is showing symptoms, experts recommend contacting your veterinarian.

CDPHE asks that any questions are directed to the CDPHE zoonoses team at cdphe_zoonoses@state.co.us or the Animal Health Division with CDA at animalhealth@state.co.us.