Cat Bird Flu Information Center

Steps to Keep My Cat Safe From Bird Flu
by Polson Enterprises

  This page is part of the Pet Bird Flu Information Center.

First, you can't positively keep your cat safe from Bird Flu, but you can take steps to reduce their exposure to the H5N1 virus. With Avian Flu rapidly spreading around the world, steps to help keep your cat safe depends on where you live. those in countries and regions where Bird Flu has been detected in wild birds and/or poultry face more difficult situations and need to take the most drastic steps. Areas not yet infected are still in the preparation stages and can take more modest steps to reduce their exposure should Bird Flu arrive in their region and to be more prepared for the more serious steps to take if it does arrive in their region.

Next, exactly where you live and where your cat ranges greatly influences the risk of infection. Bird Flu is most frequently passed to cats from chewing on carcasses of dead wild birds or catching live wild birds. It can also be transmitted from cat to cat, so if infectations increase, that path may become more prevalent. Currently, most cats are thought to become infected from eating wild bird carcasses. Those living near domestic poultry face risks of poultry becoming infected and passing it on to your cats. Suggestions below will not positively protect your cat, but reading them will make your a more knowledgeable cat owner and better prepared to make the best decisions for your cat's safety. See our Disclaimer.

If you have not yet read our What is Bird Flu page, it would be a good introduction before reading this page.

We have two groups of suggestions below depending on where you live.

Bird Flu HAS BEEN detected in Wild Birds, Poultry or Humans in My Region

These regions are the ones of greatest risk to cats. The real task is to avoid contact between your cat and wild birds or poultry, their feces (poop) or other body secretions.

Several of these regions experiencing bird flu are issuing policies at this time concerning cats and dogs. We strongly suggest you follow any policies issued for your area and any advice from your veterinarian.

We have two additional groups of suggestions for those living in infected areas below. The first is from the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, the second is from us and our readers.

We also suggest you read the suggestions in the Bird Flu HAS NOT yet been detected in Wild Birds, Poultry or Humans in my Region and apply them as well.

  • Report to the local veterinary authority any evidence of significant bird mortality both wild and domestic

  • Be especially vigilant for any dead or sick cats and report such findings to the local vet

  • Make sure contact between cats and wild birds or poultry (or their faeces) is avoided and/or keep cats inside

  • If cats bring a sick or dead bird inside the house, put on plastic gloves and dispense of the bird in plastic bags for collection by local veterinary animal handlers

  • Keep stray cats outside the house and avoid contact with them

  • If cats show breathing problems or nasal discharge, a veterinarian should be consulted

  • Do not touch or handle any sick-looking or dead cat (or other animal) and report to the authorities

  • Wash hands with water and soap regularly and especially after handling animals and cleaning their litter boxes or coming in contact with faeces or saliva

  • Dogs can only be taken outside the premises if kept restraint

  • Do not feed any water birds

  • Disinfect (e.g. with bleach 2-3 %) cages or other hardware with which sick animals have been transported or been in contact with.

  • Wash animal blankets with soap or any other commercial detergent

Additional Suggestions from the Cat Bird Flu Information Center & Our Readers

  • Reduce the range of your cat.
  • If poultry share space (yards, fields, barns) with your cat, immediately separate your cat from them. Cats can contract bird flu directly from infected poultry or from their feces (poop) or other body secretions. Feces and eating infected poultry are thought to be a source of infection for cats.

  • If your cat ranges through the neighborhood, try to create a safe environment for them closer to your home. Yes, it is almost impossible to make a yard cat proof, but you can keep them in the house more and go outside with them when they are outside.

  • Try to find new toys and things for your cat to do close to your house.

  • Walk your yard after storms to make sure no young birds have blown out of nests before letting your cat out.

  • Do not encourage you cat to eat birds, even if you know they are safe (it makes them more likely to chew on an infected one.)

  • Dont feed uncooked chicken / poultry to your cat (most commercial cat foods are cooked above temperatures required to kill H5N1 virus).
  • Keep the grass mowed down in your yard so you could spot dead birds if they are there.

  • Trim the trees back in your yard if they have grown wildly and often attract large flocks of birds.

  • Run off flocks of birds near your house.

  • Be aggressive about running off stray cats to prevent their interaction with your cat.

  • Consider having male cats neutered and female cats spayed if you have not yet done so. This will reduce their interaction with other cats.

  • When female cats are in heat, do not let them outside.

  • Consider purchasing a "cat crate" or "cat carrier".

  • Consider constructing an indoor cat enclosure. See details on our Bringing Pets Indoors page.

  • Keep you cat on a leash outdoors if you are in a very high risk area (many wild birds or poultry infected, difficult to make sure the area is clear of wild birds or bird carcass, and difficult to control range of your cat).

  • Check our H5N1 Pet Store for any products you may need to keep your cat safe and for products to ease your cat's transition to indoor life.

  • Do not let your cat sleep in your bed. The close proximity exposes you to breathing each others exhausted air for many hours, as well as to direct and indirect contact for extended periods.

  • To reduce potential for transmission of the disease either way (pet to human or human to pet) stop kissing your cat or letting it lick you.

  • These suggestions were found in an "H5N1 & Pets" thread on CurEvents.com.

    • Stock up on odor eating enzymes to reduce biological odors, especially on carpets

    • Stock up on flea and tick medications (to help your pet safe and keep them out of your house)

    • Spread out disinfectant (mild bleach and vinegar) for them to walk through before they come back inside

    • Stock up on kitty litter

    • Store water for pets in case water supply goes off

    • Create a "cat room" with toys, kitty beds, litter box. Can banish them to it when need sanity in rest of the house

    • Nerf balls are good inside toys

    • Bring them to an area with an ultraviolet light before bringing them back inside

    • Scare off birds with scarecrows, tin pie pans

  • If you have more than one cat or other pets, if any do become sick, especially with respiratory problems, immediately separate the sick one from the other cat(s).

  • Cleanliness is very important. Try to keep the areas your cat(s) frequent clean or debris, trash, junk and other materials that might hide smaller carriers of the disease or provide surfaces that could be contaminated by infected birds or animals.

  • Bird Flu is an digestive tract and respiratory disease. Litter boxes represent potential transmission points. Keep litter boxes clean and do not let animals that are not yours, use them.

  • The Following Suggestions Come from Cats Protection, a U.K. Charity
    • Keep cats away from wild birds and poultry
    • Safely dispose of any wild birds or poultry you cat may drag in by putting on rubber gloves and putting the carcasses in a sealed trash bag in your household rubbish.
    • Do not feed raw meat or poultry to cats due to avian flu and salmonella risks
    • Keep cats in at dawn and dusk to limit predatory activity
    • Observe normal hygiene practices when handling cat or bird feces
    • Report unusual deaths of waterfowl to the proper authorities

  • Cats often eat grass for digestive problems or hairballs. Consider planting a window planter of grass (kitty greens) for them to eat so they do not have to go outside.

  • Make sure you cat still gets plenty of sunlight. Sunlight is good for animals. Do not confine your cat an area that only has artificial lighting for several days at a time.

If you have any suggestions you think might be helpful to add to this list, please email them to us.

Some things may be in your favor as you try to protect your cat. First, waterfowl are the most frequent carriers of the disease and cats rarely interact with them. Second, poultry are becoming infected around the world, but many cat owners do not own poultry. Third, the disease is receiving tremendous attention due to its possible human consequences. Some of those efforts may identify additional ways to keep your cat safe. When and if they do, we will post them here.

Good Luck.

Bird Flu HAS NOT yet been Detected in Wild Birds, Poultry or Humans in My Region

At the moment things are much easier for you because you are in the preparation stage. You can begin to accumulate any items you may need, make some changes in the environment around your yard, plus begin to gradually modify the behavior of your cat to make them reduce their exposure to Bird Flu if it comes to your area.

  • Items You Might Wish to Accumulate if You do Not Already Have Them
    • Collar
    • Leash
    • Cat Crate / Cat Carrier if you were considering purchasing one before the news of bird flu
    • A Toy - many cats like toys. This is a good time to let your cat know you still love them, especially when changes are about to be made in their daily behavior. Spend some extra time with them and help them through the changes.
    • Most of the products listed above can be found in our H5N1 Pet Store.
  • Changes You Might Wish to Make to the Environment Around Your Yard and Home
    • Become more aware of birds in your neighborhood. Especially any waterfowl or poultry. Also keep a lookout for dead birds along the road that may have been hit by cars. Learn the patterns, times and types of birds in your area.

    • Identify any "bird magnets" in your neighborhood like drive in restaurants, statues, and overhead power lines. Begin to formulate a plan to keep your pet away from them.

    • If trees have grown ragged in your yard, trim them back to help prevent large groups of birds from resting or roosting in your trees.

    • If birds frequently rest or roost in certain areas of your property, try to make those areas less comfortable to them. Transparent Needle Strips from Bird-X can make roof ledges, signs and window sills much less friendly to birds.

    • Board Up and Seal Up any holes in garages or barns that you cat frequents to keep out wild birds, especially at night.

    • Do Not feed or water birds.

    • Its time to think about "Cat Proofing" the house or garage if you anticipate bringing them indoors to avoid risk to Bird Flu if the disease strikes your area.

  • Behaviors of Your Cat You Might Wish to Begin to Modify
    (as if anybody could modify a cat's behavior)

    • Begin to get them used to wearing a collar

    • Begin to get them used to being on a leash ("Walk This Way" Cat Fancy April 2006 Page 44 details how to leash train kittens.)

    • If they are not housebroken, its a good time to take care of that before they may have to be indoors a while

    • Begin to get them used to being in a crate or carrier from time to time

    • Begin to reign in their territory so you can reduce their exposure to wild birds

    • Dont feed uncooked chicken / poultry to your cat (most commercial cat foods are cooked above temperatures required to kill H5N1 virus).

    • Consider Spaying or Neutering Them if it has not already been done - this will reduce their interaction with other cats

    • Its a good time to make sure your cat's health concerns are in order (vaccinations, worming, etc).

    • Is your cat in shape? Just like humans, if they do get sick, they are more likely to recover if they are healthy. If you cat is a bit heavy you might want to put them on a diet and give them some more exercise.

    • If your cat is an "outdoors" cat, get them gradually used to being indoors.

    Don't go to extremes to run off all birds at this time. Robins, Barn Swallows, Purple Martins, Humming Birds, Scissortails and many other birds serve useful purposes and beautify the area. Much remains to be learned exactly which ones are good birds and bad birds in terms of bird flu. For the moment, concentrate on water fowl, poultry, pigeons, sparrows, starlings, crows and other birds that are already undesirable in most neighborhoods.

    Once you begin to make these changes, you might want to also read the Tips for Areas Where Bird Flu HAS BEEN Detected and begin thinking about how you might implement them if you need to.

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