A man from California is grieving the loss of his two cats after they consumed raw milk that was later recalled due to bird flu contamination. He believed he was doing the best for his pets by giving them what he thought was a healthier alternative to regular milk, but his well-intentioned choice resulted in tragic losses.
Joseph Journell, a resident of San Bernardino, expressed his remorse over the incident, stating, “It’s horrible when you realize that you’re the one that actually gave them the milk that killed them.” The 56-year-old faced heartache when his 14-year-old tabby, Alexander, and a 4-year-old tuxedo cat named Tuxsie, fell gravely ill and ultimately died in late November. A third cat, Big Boy, was hospitalized for a week and later tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus.
The cats ingested unpasteurized milk that had been included in a recall by Raw Farm, a dairy producer based in Fresno. This recall was initiated after health authorities detected the virus in the milk sold within California grocery stores. Both state and county health officials confirmed the cause of death in the cats. Journell noted that the felines were exclusively kept indoors and had no contact with any potentially contaminated birds, while their diet consisted of standard pet food rather than raw offerings.
Journell had been consuming Raw Farm’s unpasteurized milk for several months, drawn by claims that it possessed enhanced health benefits compared to pasteurized milk. He attributed his decision to a desire to improve Alexander’s health, as the tabby cat had been losing weight. “I was trying to make him healthier and make him live longer,” Journell shared tragically. However, Alexander passed away on Thanksgiving Day, with Tuxsie following suit just two days later.
Although Big Boy received medical attention and antiviral treatments, he returned home with severe impairments: the cat is now blind and unable to use his back legs. Fortunately, he is on a recovery path, while a fourth cat named Cleo, who did not consume the raw milk, remains healthy.
Journell has since sought compensation from Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee for the substantial costs incurred in treating the sick cats, which exceeded $12,000. A legal representative specializing in food safety is supporting him in this pursuit. In a rebuttal, McAfee argued that the virus would not have been viable for causing illness days after the milk was bottled, referencing early research findings.
However, Richard Webby, an influenza specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, noted that the survival rate of the virus could significantly differ among various batches of milk. His perspective aligns with earlier findings published in a scientific journal, which confirmed that cats consuming raw milk from infected cows faced severe neurological symptoms and death. Webby conveyed, “I think the poor cats are the best indicator!” in an email.
Since the start of December, a number of cats in California have suffered fatalities after ingesting raw milk or pet food contaminated with the bird flu virus. This has followed a widespread outbreak affecting over 900 dairy herds across 16 states in the U.S., predominantly in California. Health officials at both the state and federal levels have issued warnings against consuming raw milk due to risks associated with bird flu as well as various other pathogens. They have further advised pet owners to refrain from feeding their pets unpasteurized milk and raw meat diets.
“Cats should not be fed any products from affected farms if those products have not been thoroughly cooked or pasteurized to kill the virus,” a notice from the FDA stated last month. Following his cats’ illnesses, Journell himself experienced sickness and was treated at a Kaiser Permanente facility in Fontana, California. Despite the circumstances surrounding his potential exposure to the virus, he claims he was not tested for bird flu due to unavailability of the necessary tests.
A representative from Kaiser declined to comment on Journell’s specific case but mentioned that the hospital complies with CDC guidelines for bird flu screenings. Although Journell has physically recovered from his illness, he continues to struggle with the emotional distress brought on by the loss of his beloved pets. While he remains hopeful about the health benefits associated with raw milk, he is adamant he will not consume it again anytime soon. “Not right now,” he affirmed, “And not in the foreseeable future.”