WASHINGTON: A study published on Friday by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that people can transmit bird flu to their domestic cats, with fatal consequences.

Two household case studies from Michigan in May 2024 were published in the agency´s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, as fears grow that the virus could mutate and cause a human pandemic.

Since then, it has also emerged that cats can be infected by pet food contaminated with the virus — and it can spread between “big cat” species in shelters. Both case studies involved pet owners who worked at or near dairy cattle farms affected by bird flu, and both resulted in deaths of infected felines.

In the first case, a five-year-old indoor female cat rapidly developed a loss of appetite, poor grooming habits, disorientation, lethargy, and neurological deterioration. Her condition worsened quickly, requiring emergency care at the Michigan State University (MSU) Veterinary Medical Centre.

Despite intervention, her symptoms progressed, and she was euthanized within four days. Postmortem testing confirmed she had contracted bird flu. Two other cats lived in the same household. One exhibited mild symptoms, which the owners attributed to allergies, and they ceased communication with public health officials.