Another brand of pet food sold exclusively at farmers markets in California tested positive for bird flu and is believed to have sickened five cats nearly a week after a similar incident was reported in Oregon.
Los Angeles County health officials warned residents against feeding their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food after the H5 bird flu virus was detected in product samples and one cat tested positive for the avian influenza following consumption of the product.
Four other cats from the same household are presumed to have the illness, too, according to a Tuesday news release.
The warning comes weeks after the department confirmed four cat deaths tied to the consumption of raw milk and about a week after Northwest Naturals voluntarily recalled a line of raw and frozen chow linked the death of a cat in Washington County, Oregon.
Bird flu has been wreaking havoc
Dozens of people have been infected around the country, California has declared a state of emergency and the spread among livestock has begun impacting the food supply in the weeks leading up to the death of the cat in Oregon.
There have been 66 confirmed cases of bird flu involving humans, 36 in California, across a handful of states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC said last week that the first severe case of bird flu in the U.S., that of a patient in Louisiana, was showing signs of mutation, which the agency described as “concerning.” But the agency has said that “the overall risk of H5 bird flu to the public remains low.”
“There is currently no evidence of person-to-person spread of this virus,” the agency said.
Morach Raw Pet Food did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Thursday evening.
See locations: Monarch Raw Pet Food sold at various farmers markets
Monarch Raw Pet Food were sold at farmers markets in Laguna Niguel, Orange, San Jacinto, Fountain Valley, Beaumont, Corona and Palm Springs.
Anyone who has fed their pets Monarch Raw Pet Food products, or any other raw meat or dairy products and notice their pet experiencing symptoms should immediately contact their veterinarian. Residents were also told to avoid consumption of all raw milk and raw meat products.
Loss of appetite, tiredness as well as respiratory and/or neurological signs are some symptoms to watch out for if you believe your pet has consumed a food product contaminated with H5 bird flu. California residents can contact the Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time with questions, or to find a nearby clinic or doctor.
Here's a list of the farmers market locations that sold the Monarch Raw Pet Food:
- Laguna Niguel, California: Plaza De La Paz Shopping Center located at 27241 La Paz Rd.
- Orange, California: Irvine Regional Park, Lot C located at 1 Irvine Park Road
- Fountain Valley, California: Mile Square Regional Park, Lot E, located at 16801 Euclid St.
It was not immediately clear the locations of the farmers markets in San Jacinto, Beaumont, Corona and Palm Springs because Monarch Pet Food products were sold at a “private location” per the company website.
Contributing: Michael Loria, Fernando Cervantes; USA TODAY
