Cat Infected with Bird Flu

The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) recently diagnosed the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in a barn cat near Thermopolis, WY. This is the first report of HPAI in a domestic cat in Wyoming, and it likely became infected from ingesting meat from wild waterfowl.

'We know that wild birds, particularly waterfowl, have been affected in large numbers by HPAI, but in recent months we have detected the virus in wild carnivorous mammals, including mountain lions and a red fox,' wrote WSVL in April 2023.

As the HPAI outbreak continues, please ensure you use gloves and masks when handling sick or dead mammals and birds. And report any sick wildlife through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Wildlife Health Laboratory online reporting tool at this link.

Additionally, various mammals infected with bird flu have been reported in Canada, Mexico, and South America in 2023. 

And about eleven humans have recently been infected with this version of bird flu.

As of April 7, 2023, there are U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved avian influenza vaccines, with several vaccine candidates conducting studies. Furthermore, annual flu shots are not effective against bird flu viruses.