Dateline – Silver Spring, MD, September 18, 2025 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in coordination with state, local, and federal partners, has confirmed H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) contamination in specific lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats. The finding follows the illness and euthanasia of a cat that consumed the implicated product, marking an important public health alert for pet owners and the pet food industry.
Science Significance
The FDA’s testing and whole genome sequencing (WGS) identified the H5N1 B3.13 genotype, a strain previously found in other raw poultry-based pet foods linked to feline illness. WGS results from the cat, Lot CCS 25 093, and Lot CCS 25 077 showed that all three samples were within the same genetic cluster, providing strong evidence of a common source of contamination. This scientific linkage demonstrates the value of genomic surveillance in tracing zoonotic pathogens and highlights the persistent risk of influenza virus spillover from animal-based food products to domestic pets.
Regulatory Significance
This case underscores the FDA’s evolving oversight of raw pet food safety. H5N1 is now a hazard that pet food manufacturers must consider in their food safety plans under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). By publicly disclosing the positive test results and sequencing data, the FDA reinforces the role of WGS as a regulatory tool for tracking emerging threats and ensuring compliance with preventive controls. The findings may also influence future policy updates on raw pet food production, testing requirements, and interstate distribution standards.
Business Significance
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For the raw pet food industry, the discovery represents both a warning and a potential market disruptor. RAWR’s implicated products—Lot CCS 25 077 (Sell By 09/18/26) and Lot CCS 25 093 (Sell By 10/03/26)—were sold nationwide and online, putting retail partners and e-commerce distributors at risk of recalls, consumer complaints, and heightened regulatory scrutiny. The economic implications extend to suppliers and competitors, as regulators may tighten oversight of sourcing, processing, and cold-chain management for all raw poultry-based pet foods.
Patients’ Significance
Cats are particularly vulnerable to H5N1, exhibiting severe respiratory and neurological symptoms that can lead to death, as seen in the confirmed case in San Francisco. Dogs may also contract the virus but typically show milder illness. While no human infections linked to contaminated pet food have been reported, people handling raw pet food remain at risk of exposure if active virus contacts the eyes, nose, or mouth. Pet owners are urged to wash hands thoroughly, sanitize surfaces, and monitor pets for signs of fever, lethargy, difficulty breathing, or neurological distress. Early veterinary intervention is critical for animals showing symptoms.
Policy Significance
The FDA’s proactive disclosure and the coordinated testing by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories set a precedent for interagency action against zoonotic threats in the food supply chain. The case reinforces the need for One Health policies integrating human, animal, and environmental health surveillance. It also supports the FDA’s call for pet food manufacturers to integrate H5N1 risk assessments into hazard analyses and preventive controls, ensuring that raw animal-derived foods are produced with safeguards against viral contamination.
Transaction Highlights
Testing conducted by the FDA, in collaboration with the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), confirmed that two specific lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats—Lot CCS 25 093 (Sell By 10/03/26) and Lot CCS 25 077 (Sell By 09/18/26)—tested positive for H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The investigation was triggered when a cat that consumed product from Lot CCS 25 093 became ill and was euthanized. Subsequent PCR testing and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of samples from the cat and the pet food revealed that the virus in both sources belonged to the same genetic cluster, strongly suggesting a common source of contamination. Additional FDA testing of retail samples from Lot CCS 25 077 confirmed Influenza A virus, with one sample sequencing positive for H5N1 and matching the B3.13 genotype previously linked to raw poultry-based pet foods associated with feline illness. The affected products—frozen 2.5-pound resealable bags of 40 one-ounce sliders—were distributed nationwide and online, raising significant regulatory, public health, and market concerns.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration Press Release
