Man fed his cat raw pet food, then she died from bird flu in Oregon, lawsuit says
An Oregon man is suing after he says the pet food he fed his cat was contaminated and led to her death.
The lawsuit was filed March 18 by Underdog Law Office in Multnomah County against Wild Coast Pet Foods.
McClatchy News reached out to Wild Coast Pet Foods for comment March 20 but did not immediately hear back.
In late January, the pet owner bought a package of the food to feed to his cats. In early February, his cat Kira became sick, the lawsuit said.
Kira tested positive for bird flu, and she along with the man’s other cats were quarantined, according to the lawsuit.
After being treated by veterinarians for days, Kira was euthanized at the age of 4, the civil complaint said.
“I’m just really sad. This cat was only 4. She had a great life,” Kira’s owner, Tim Hanson, told KGW.
The lawsuit said Wild Coast Pet Foods failed to advertise that the chicken in its pet food “had a particularly high risk of exposure to the H5 bird flu virus when consumed raw.”
Hanson told KGW that Kira’s brother also showed signs of bird flu.
“He quit eating for a few days and the vet didn’t think of testing him; they didn’t think his condition was bad enough. He’s completely normal now,” he told the outlet.
Wild Coast Pet Foods announced a recall on the food on March 1, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“People who fed pets the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu in their pets, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness,” the FDA said.
The lawsuit is asking for $7,951.51 for veterinary bills and the cost of the food, in addition to attorney fees.
