Northwest Naturals pet food recall: Reason, risk, and more details explored

Northwest Naturals, through a press release on December 24, 2024, has recalled one of its products and advised customers against using it. The pet food company announced the recall of one batch of its Feline Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen pet food after the product tested positive for the HFN1 bird flu, which resulted in the death of a house cat in Oregon.

A section of the news release read:

"Northwest Naturals is voluntarily recalling one batch of Northwest Naturals brand 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus,"

It continued:

"Consumption of raw or uncooked pet food contaminated with HPAI can cause illness in animals. To date, one case of illness in a domestic cat has been reported in connection with this issue."

The Feline Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen food was sold through distributors in the United States, British Columbia, and Canada. Consumers who have already purchased the product have been advised to immediately discard it and get a full refund at the place of purchase.

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More details on the product recalled by Northwest Naturals

The recalled Turkey Recipe Raw Frozen food (Image via Northwest Naturals)

A news release from the Oregon Department of Agriculture on December 24, 2024, states that testing by the US Department of Agriculture, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, and Oregon State University confirmed that a house cat in Washington County, Oregon, died after consuming Northwest Natural's Feline Turkey Recipe Frozen food.

The tests confirmed a genetic match between the virus in the raw and frozen pet food and the affected animal. ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Scholz expressed that the department was confident that the cat contracted H5N1 of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza virus by eating the company's pet food.

Scholz further added that the affected cat was strictly an indoor pet and was not exposed to the virus in its environment. Household members who had contact with the affected cat are being monitored by The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and public health officials for flu symptoms.

The news release from the Oregon Department of Agriculture further confirmed that no human cases of HPAI in connection with the incident have been reported, and the risk of HPAI transmission to humans remains low in Oregon.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture also stressed the dangers of eating raw and uncooked meat:

“This case reminds us that feeding raw meat products to pets or consuming them yourself can lead to severe illness. Raw meat may contain harmful pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and H5N1."

The statement continued:

“These pathogens are destroyed when meat is thoroughly cooked. Raw milk, which has not been pasteurized, can also carry harmful germs. Pasteurization of milk eliminates disease-causing pathogens, including HPAI.”

The Northwest Naturals turkey recipe comes in blue packaging and features 98% turkey, organs, and bone. The product is raw, frozen, grain, and gluten-free.

According to the brand description, the recalled product is a complete and balanced raw diet for cats and a protein boost topper for dogs. The recalled product comes in a 2-pound plastic package with "Best if used by" dates of 5/21/26 B10 and 6/23/2026 B1.

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For additional information and questions on the recall, customers have been advised to contact Northwest Naturals of Portland at [email protected] or 866-637-1872.