Washington Dairy Bird Flu: Why Raw Milk Is a Risk for Cats
Published October 25, 2026.
Washington state records list eight dairy herds with H5N1 bird flu confirmed in Yakima County through October 16, 2026. That dated count follows the state's first cattle detections on October 8. It does not establish how many herds were affected on October 25.
The state agriculture department's table records two herds on October 8, one on October 15 and five on October 16. The Yakima Health District repeats that total on a page updated October 22, while retaining October 16 as the cutoff.
USDA said the initial two herds were tested after cattle showed signs of illness, following earlier negative routine surveillance. Its first announcement reported detection of H5 avian influenza while sequencing was pending. A later state update identifies B3.13, a lineage circulating in dairy cattle since 2024. The date displayed on that update is malformed, so it cannot supply an exact announcement day.
What the local health report establishes
The health district also reports a confirmed human infection in a county resident exposed to infected dairy cattle. Its account says the resident had not experienced severe illness or been hospitalized. It does not establish transmission between people.
The district describes risk to the general public as low, while identifying close or prolonged contact with infected animals or contaminated environments as a greater exposure risk. A herd count is neither a count of infected people nor a measure of the risk to a particular household.
Beyond the Headlines
Why a cattle outbreak matters to people with cats
The connection is more specific than the name bird flu suggests. Cornell veterinary researchers describe evidence from dairy-farm investigations linking infected cats and cattle, with raw milk considered a likely route of exposure in the affected cats. That evidence comes from earlier outbreaks, not from a finding that pets in the newly affected Yakima herds became infected.
Other investigations have linked infections in cats to contaminated raw pet food. FDA guidance updated in January 2025 identifies uncooked meat and unpasteurized milk as exposure concerns and advises keeping animals from hunting or eating wild birds. An indoor cat can therefore have a relevant exposure through its food; outdoor access is not the only question.
Reduce exposure and seek veterinary advice for illness
Do not feed pets raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products or raw meat, including raw pet foods. That advice appears in the Yakima health guidance and is consistent with FDA and Cornell recommendations. Keep pets away from sick or dead birds and prevent access to potentially infected animals.
If a cat becomes ill after a possible exposure, contact a veterinarian and explain the food, milk or animal contact involved. FDA guidance lists poor appetite, unusual lethargy, eye or nose discharge, breathing difficulty and neurological signs among reasons to seek care. These signs are not specific enough to diagnose bird flu at home.
For people who work with affected cattle, the health district recommends appropriate protective equipment and medical advice if symptoms develop after exposure. Its reassurance about pasteurized milk does not extend to raw milk. Neither the older feline investigations nor the local human case provides a basis for treating every pet or every resident as infected.
Updates should be compared using their confirmation dates, location and unit counted. The records reviewed here support eight Yakima dairy herds through October 16; they do not justify an unverified current total.
Sources & further reading
- USDA APHIS — October 8, 2026 announcement: first Washington dairy-herd detections and testing context.
- Washington State Department of Agriculture — HPAI in cattle producer resources: dated herd table and sequencing updates.
- Yakima Health District — Avian Influenza: October 22 update, dated herd count, human case and exposure guidance.
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine — January 9, 2025 H5N1 update: earlier cattle-and-cat investigations and exposure advice.
- FDA — Reducing H5N1 risk in cats: food and wildlife exposure guidance; not evidence of an individual animal’s infection route.