Both wild and domesticated cats can contract avian flu (bird flu) by eating infected birds. Signs and symptoms of avian flu in cats are similar to flu symptoms in humans.
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Causes
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Cats can become infected with avian flu by coming into contact with or eating infected birds. Avian flu can also spread between cats by contact with the urine and feces of infected cats.
Symptoms
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Symptoms of avian flu in cats include trouble breathing, fever, nasal congestion and discharge, watery eyes, and fatigue.
Prevention
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Limit your cat's risk of exposure to avian flu by keeping it indoors, away from birds, and away from unfamiliar cats who may be infected.
Diagnosis
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Veterinarians can only diagnose avian flu in cats by testing blood or tissue samples for the virus.
Transmission
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Bird flu in cats cannot spread to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but transmission through cats and other mammals may allow the virus to mutate into a strain that can infect humans.
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