6 cats in NJ test positive for bird flu after getting severely sick

🐱 Six cats test positive for bird flu in one NJ county

🐦 All the cats live on the same property

🐱 One was euthanized last month

FLEMINGTON — It started with two, but now six feral cats in Hunterdon County have all tested positive for bird flu, according to county health officials who spoke to News 12.

The cats all live on the same property in Flemington.

One feral cat had to be humanely euthanized last month when the animal was suffering from severe symptoms, including neurologic signs, the New Jersey Department of Health said.

Then another indoor-outdoor cat on the same property also tested positive for H5 HPAI, bird flu on Feb. 28.

Cats are very susceptible to bird flu and often experience severe disease and a high mortality rate when infected because potential exposure sources include consuming raw milk or raw or undercooked meat contaminated with the virus, infected birds or other animals or exposure to contaminated clothing or items.

Clinical signs of bird flu in cats include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, discharge from the eyes and mouth, sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, seizures, circling, wobbling gait, and blindness.

New Jersey residents are encouraged to contact their local veterinarian immediately if they think their cat may have bird flu.

Hunterdon County Commissioner Shaun Van Doren says while the risk of infection to the general population remains low, the county health department will continue to take proactive action, including educating those at greater risk for exposure, which includes agricultural workers.

There have been other reports of confirmed feline cases in other states, such as Oregon, California, Kansas, and New Mexico. But this is the first case for the Garden State.

There have been no human cases reported in New Jersey, state health officials said.

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