February 15, 2025 – Wild Coast Raw Pet Food has been identified as the potential source of a bird flu infection in house cats in Oregon.
Two cats from different households became ill in early February after consuming raw pet food manufactured by Wild Coast LLC. Sadly, their illness was so severe they had to be euthanized.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture collected samples from the affected cats pre- and post-mortem, and from open containers of the raw pet food. Tests confirmed the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI or bird flu) in both cats and some of the food samples.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert warning specifically about Wild Coast Raw Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula with lot numbers #22660 and #22664 and the best by date December 2025.
Pets with bird flu infections may have a fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and/or neurological signs like tremors, seizure, incoordination, or blindness.
Officials have not linked the handling of raw pet food products to human bird flu infections. However, people can become infected if the virus enters through their eyes, nose or mouth.
Current human health risks are low, but the alert says people exposed to bird flu should monitor themselves for symptoms such as eye redness or irritation, cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting.
Wild Coast Raw Statement
Tyler Duncan, the founder of Wild Coast Pet Foods, has released a statement. In it he said:
“The WSDA notified us of a cat that tested positive for HPAI, with a potential link to our food. Containers from the household were tested and came back as non-negative and negative.
“The WSDA then conducted a sampling of 12 different lots purchased at retail to determine if there is a prevalence of HPAI in our meals. These results showed one non-negative with all other lot codes coming back as negative. Samples have been sent to a federal lab to confirm if there is prevalence of HPAI. We have consulted with numerous food safety professionals and they have advised us the USDA has HPAI under control within the human food chain. All poultry we source is USDA-inspected, passed, and human-grade.
“To prioritize safety and minimize potential harm, if you have our free range chicken formula with lot numbers #22660 or #22664 and a best buy date of 12/2025, we recommend either cooking the product to an internal temperature of 165 degrees fahrenheit or you can discard it and contact your place of purchase for a full refund. This is a developing situation and we will keep you up to date with any additional information as it becomes available.”
Reporting pet food problems
U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
Or go to the FDA’s “Report a Pet Food Complaint” page.
Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.
Get lifesaving recall alerts
Get free cat food recall alerts sent to you by email. Subscribe to the Cat Food Advisor’s emergency recall warning system.
Cancel any time.
