A San Bernardino man reported that two of his cats died and another was hospitalized after consuming raw milk linked to a bird flu outbreak. Health officials confirmed that the unpasteurized milk, produced by Raw Farm in Fresno, contained the H5N1 virus. The milk was recalled in December following reports of contamination. Joseph Journell, the cats’ owner, stated that he provided the milk to his pets in an attempt to improve their health. Journell’s 14-year-old tabby cat, Alexander, and a 4-year-old tuxedo cat, Tuxsie, died in late November. A third cat, Big Boy, tested positive for H5N1 and required hospitalization. The cat returned home blind and paralyzed in its hind legs but is reportedly recovering. Journell stated that his cats had no exposure to infected birds and consumed conventional pet food apart from the raw milk.

Veterinary experts confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in Big Boy through tests conducted by the U.S. Agriculture Department and Cornell University. Research published in Emerging Infectious Diseases linked similar cases to neurological symptoms in cats that consumed contaminated raw milk. Nearly a dozen cats in California have died under similar circumstances since December, according to health officials. Journell is seeking compensation from Raw Farm for veterinary costs exceeding $12,000. Raw Farm’s owner, Mark McAfee, questioned whether the virus could survive in milk long enough to infect the animals. However, federal and state agencies continue to warn against the consumption of unpasteurized milk, citing risks of infection for both humans and animals.