California has also reported bird flu infections in cats fed raw milk or pet food. In one Los Angeles household, five cats got sick — and two died — after eating two kinds of raw pet food. Samples from one of the two brands, Monarch Raw Pet Food, tested positive for the virus, officials said.

Are you a cat owner? Mass. officials say you should be aware of the current bird flu outbreak, and here's why.

Even though it is called the bird flu, other animals can catch it, and here is how you can keep your pets safe.

The number of bird flu cases in Central Massachusetts is relatively low, compared to a swath of the state that runs from Greater Boston to Southeastern Massachusetts. That message was delivered Wednesday during a virtual update from state health officials on the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus.

Officials said risk to humans remains low, but the state's public health veterinarian said pet cats are "very susceptible" to the bird flu and can become "seriously ill."

Officials said 500 to 1,000 wild bird deaths had been reported around the state, as well as a 30-bird flock of domestic poultry in Plymouth County.

HPAI, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes sickness and sometimes death in birds and mammals. Since December 2024, wild bird mortality cases have increased across the state, particularly among Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and scavenging birds.

State officials are warning the public to avoid handling birds and other wildlife as suspected avian flu cases are now “widespread” in Massachusetts.

State officials are working with partners to test suspected cases and collaborating with municipalities to safely dispose of dead birds." The post Bird flu now considered ‘widespread’ in Mass., officials say appeared first on Boston.

Scientists say the temporary freeze on communications from federal officials creates a troubling blind spot for those tracking the virus.