First confirmed case of kittens dying from bird flu in the Netherlands
A litter of eight young kittens on a goat farm has died of bird flu, caretaker Minister Femke Wiersma of Agriculture said in a letter to parliament. This is the first confirmed case of cats dying of bird flu in the Netherlands, though not the first time the virus has jumped from birds to cats.
Wageningen Bioveterinary Research confirmed that the eight young kittens died of bird flu. The researchers tested the other animals on the farm and found no bird flu in them.
The risk of people in the Netherlands becoming infected with avian influenza remains small, but the death of these kittens demonstrates that caution is and remains necessary, Wiersma said.
“It is important that cat owners remain vigilant. If a cat shows symptoms consistent with bird flu, after possibly having come into contact with an infected bird, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian immediately and take appropriate hygiene measures,” the caretaker Minister said.
In 2023, research by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University found that stray cats in the Netherlands were infected with bird flu. Blood tests found antibodies against the virus. But this is the first confirmed case of cats dying from the virus.
“This is to be expected,” Thijs Kuiken, a veterinarian and virologist, told NOS. “For several weeks now, the percentage of infected birds in the Netherlands and other European countries has been very high, and therefore the risk of the virus spreading to other animal species is also greater.”
Most bird flu strains don’t make people very sick, but they can be very dangerous for cats. “They can get pneumonia, but the virus can also spread throughout their body, including to the brain.”
Kuiken suspects these kittens became infected because their mother brought an infected wild bird carcass to the litter. Waterfowl like ducks and geese are particularly vulnerable to bird flu infections, so stray cats and cats in rural areas with abundant water are more likely to become infected than domestic cats in urban areas that primarily hunt in gardens.
“Cats usually come into contact with small garden birds and songbirds. But because the virus is now so widespread, it’s possible that small birds like sparrows and finches can also become infected, and then cats can also become infected when they catch such a bird,” Kuiken told the broadcaster.
According to Kuiken, the chance of the virus jumping from cat to person remains small. “It has to go from bird to cat first, and then from cat to human. The chance of that happening decreases with every step, but it’s good to keep in mind that it’s possible,” he said. “I think it’s important that sick cats are isolated and not come into contact with people or other cats.” He also urged dog owners to be vigilant.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), which is responsible for combating bird flu outbreaks, also urged dog owners to be aware. The agency advises keeping dogs on a leash in areas where they may encounter dead birds.
