Pet owners warned: 6 bird flu cases found in cats, including indoor-only

DENVER (KDVR) — State health officials have a warning for pet owners after several cats were found with bird flu in northeast Colorado.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently announced six cats were diagnosed with avian influenza. Four cats were from Larimer County and one each from Morgan and Adams counties.

“We have seen avian influenza, this H5N1 virus, in Colorado since 2022. It has been present in birds,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. “But what changed in 2024, starting in April here in Colorado, is that we saw this virus start to infect dairy cattle. We also had affected poultry operations here in the state in July. It’s really been since about May that we started to see a very small number of cases occurring in domestic cats.”

According to officials , one of the six cats was directly associated with a known infected commercial dairy facility, two were indoor-outdoor cats that hunted mice and/or small birds as prey and two were indoor-only.

“It’s certainly possible the virus from the outdoor environment was somehow brought into the home. What we don’t know is how that may have occurred,” Herlihy said. “Cats that live on or near a dairy operation, those that have owners that work on a farm, cats that are fed or have access to raw or unpasteurized milk would be at increased risk. Cats also that hunt or consume rodents or birds.”

What are the bird flu symptoms in cats?

The state epidemiologist said symptoms to look out for in cats include lethargy or lack of appetite, followed by respiratory issues like nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing or difficulty breathing. More common symptoms include neurological signs like lack of coordination, inability to stand, tremors or seizures.

“At this point, these cases continue to be really rare. It’s really going to be those higher-risk situations where we want cat owners to be a little bit more conscious,” Herlihy said.

Experts recommend washing your hands after interacting with animals outside of your household, avoiding contact with sick and/or dead wildlife and contacting your veterinarian if your pet is showing symptoms.

“We still have some of those dairy farms that are infected in the state, though it does look like we are starting to see a little bit of a slowing, so we’re hoping that is good news,” Herlihy said.

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