NJ has its first confirmed case of bird flu — in a cat

🐦 A cat is euthanized after testing positive for bird flu in NJ

🐱 Another feline also tested positive on the same property

🐦 Exposed humans are asymptomatic so far, health officials say

New Jersey has its first case of a cat infected with bird flu.

The infection has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

The Infected Cats and Human Risk

The feral cat from Hunterdon County developed severe symptoms, including neurologic signs, and was humanely euthanized, the New Jersey Department of Health said.

Other cats on the same property were also reported ill, and one other indoor-outdoor cat also tested positive for H5 HPAI, bird flu.

Local health officials said they are working closely with the NJ Dept. of Health in conducting follow-up and symptom monitoring on individuals who have been in contact with these cats.

All exposed individuals are currently asymptomatic. Any resident who had close, unprotected contact with a cat or another animal infected with H5 HPAI, should contact their local health department and monitor themselves for symptoms for 10 days following their last exposure, state health officials urged.

Other tests are still pending as an investigation continues.

While bird flu has been detected in humans in the U.S., primarily in individuals who had close contact with infected poultry or dairy cattle, the overall public health risk remains low at this time.

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

Also, none of the cases across the country are known to have resulted from exposure to
an infected cat.

Why are cats susceptible to bird flu?

Cats are particularly susceptible to bird flu and often experience severe disease and high mortality when infected, health officials said. Potential exposure sources for cats include consuming raw, unpasteurized milk or raw/undercooked meat contaminated with the virus, infected birds or other animals, or exposure to contaminated clothing.

State health officials say the infected cats in Hunterdon County had no known exposure to infected poultry or livestock or consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk or meat, but they did roam freely outdoors, so they may have been exposed to wild birds or other animals. But that is not known at this time.

Bird Flu Symptoms in Cats

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.

Latest Statistics

As of Wednesday, February 2025, there have been confirmed bird flu detections in wild birds in Warren and Salem Counties, with presumptive positive detections in Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, and Sussex Counties.

There are presumptive positive detections at a live poultry market in Union County.

There are no positive bird flu cases in cattle and livestock in New Jersey and no human cases.

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.

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