FDA Notifies Pet Owners That Tests Show H5N1 Contamination in Certain Lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats

Following up on a case of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a cat, testing performed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, state and local public health and agriculture partners, and federal partners suggests a link between the strain of H5N1 virus detected in the cat and in certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats, a product the cat consumed before falling ill. FDA is sharing information about the testing for public awareness. The agency continues to investigate and will update this notice should new information become available.

Summary

• FDA has found that certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats sliders tested positive for H5N1. The affected lots are Lot CCS 25 077 (Sell By 09/18/26) and Lot CCS 25 093 (Sell By 10/03/26).
• The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) was notified a cat that ate product from Lot CCS 25 093 became ill with H5N1 and was euthanized. After initial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of the open product sample from Lot CCS 25 093 collected from the pet owner by SFDPH detected H5N1, confirmatory PCR testing and subsequent whole genome sequencing (WGS) of a diagnostic sample from the cat and the open product sample from Lot CCS 25 093 were performed by USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).
• FDA collected and tested two retail samples of the same RAWR Chicken Eats product with a different lot number (CCS 25 077) and Sell By date (09/18/26). Both samples were positive for Influenza A Virus, and WGS was performed on one sample, which was also positive for H5N1.
• FDA is concerned about the lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats described above because whole genome sequencing suggests the H5N1 detected in the now-deceased cat and in Lots CCS 25 093 and CCS 25 077 of the Chicken Eats product originated from a common source of contamination.
• WGS results also indicated that H5N1 from all three samples were within the same WGS cluster, indicating relatedness. The cluster involves a virus lineage that was detected from about November to December 2024 and is no longer circulating, supporting that the cat became ill from eating Lot CCS 25 093 of the Chicken Eats product.
• NVSL testing of the cat, Lot CCS 25 093, and Lot CCS 25 077 identified the H5N1 as genotype B3.13. The B3.13 genotype virus has previously been found in other brands of raw poultry-based pet foods that were associated with the illness or death of cats.
• FDA is not aware of any human cases of HPAI contracted through exposure to contaminated pet food.