A University of Maryland review of scientific literature suggests domestic cats can contract the rapidly evolving bird flu H5N1, potentially putting owners, veterinarians and others at risk if the virus continues to circulate unabated. The study, available in preliminary form on MedRxiv while awaiting peer review , examined the global distribution and spread of bird flu infections in feline species between 2004 and 2024, finding a drastic rise in reports starting in 2023, with a spike in infections reported among domestic cats, as opposed to wild or zoo-kept animals. This increase coincides with the rapid spread of the current strain of H5N1 among mammals, says the study's first author, Assistant Professor Kristen Coleman, an airborne infectious disease researcher in the School of Public Health and an affiliate professor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine.
Bird flu hasn't been reported to be contagious between humans, and it is not certain to evolve in that direction, but the disease is clearly changing. The current strain of H5N1 has been spreading to animals that have never been affected before, and pets that can pass it to people could play a role in how it evolves. Beginning in Texas this April, dairy cattle in 12 states have contracted bird flu, as have three people who worked with infected cows in Texas and Michigan.
Along with the infected workers in Texas, two farm cats fed unpasteurized milk also caught the illness. The U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prev.
