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Two of California Man's Cats Die, Third Hospitalized After Drinking Recalled Raw Milk with Bird Flu Risk

Jan 12, 2025, 04:18 PM

A California man, Joseph Journell, reported that two of his cats—a 14-year-old tabby and a 4-year-old tuxedo cat—died in late November after consuming raw milk that had been recalled due to bird flu risk. A third cat, Big Boy, a four-year-old, was hospitalized for a week before tests confirmed infection with the bird flu virus. Journell had given his indoor cats the raw milk believing it would promote their health and longevity, but his efforts tragically backfired. "It's horrible when you realize that you're the one that actually gave them the milk that killed them," he said. The cats had no access to potentially infected birds and were fed conventional pet food. The incident underscores the dangers of feeding pets raw milk products, especially those subject to health recalls.