New Zealand officials are warning pet owners that the H5N1 bird flu virus can infect domestic cats through hunting or consuming contaminated poultry.
This alert follows the detection of the highly infectious strain in wild birds within New Zealand and Australia. Because the virus can jump from birds to mammals, pet cats are at particular risk of infection if they have access to wild prey.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard have issued guidance to reduce this exposure. Officials said owners should keep their cats indoors or restrict them to patios. This strategy aims to prevent cats from hunting infected wild birds or coming into contact with contaminated environments.
The risk is particularly highlighted in the Wairarapa region, though the threat extends across the country. The H5N1 strain is known to be dangerous to various mammal species, and cats are susceptible when they consume raw, infected poultry or wild birds.
Regional concerns have intensified as the virus spreads through migratory paths. The Australian government reported seven cases [1] of a serious type of bird flu in wild birds, increasing the regional biosecurity alert level.
Biosecurity officials said the primary goal is to minimize the interface between domestic animals and wild bird populations. This approach is part of a broader effort to manage the spread of the virus and protect both animal welfare and public health infrastructure.
“New Zealand officials are warning pet owners that the H5N1 bird flu virus can infect domestic cats.”
The shift toward recommending 'patio cats' reflects a growing biosecurity urgency to prevent H5N1 from establishing a reservoir in domestic mammal populations. By limiting the ability of cats to act as intermediaries between wild birds and human households, New Zealand aims to reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission and protect its domestic animal population from a highly infectious viral strain.
