The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Department of Agriculture are warning pet owners about the risks of raw pet food after tests confirm highly pathogenic avian influenza in two additional cats living in different households in Multnomah County, Oregon.

The owners of the cats, in consultation with their veterinarians, elected to euthanize their pets due to the severity of the illness, according to an ODA news release.

ODA confirmed both cats ate the same brand of raw pet food before becoming ill.

The food came from West Coast Raw of Olympia, Wash.

In both cases, veterinarians followed the correct protocol in reporting the illness to ODA. Agency staff collected samples from the affected cats and opened containers of the raw pet food, providing additional unopened containers to the Washington State Department of Agriculture for additional testing.

Tests conducted by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University and the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of HPAI in both cats and the food samples.

WSDA has issued a public health alert warning consumers about the risk of HPAI in certain lots of raw pet food produced by Wild Coast Raw.

Consumers are urged to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast Raw products at home. If they match the affected lots, pet owners should stop feeding the product to their animals immediately.

For more information and specific lot numbers, visit the Washington State Department of Agriculture recalls and health alerts webpage.

Cats, including both domestic and wild cats, are particularly sensitive to H5N1 avian influenza. Dogs can also contract H5N1, though they appear less susceptible to the virus than cats.

According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, no human infections have been identified among those handling raw pet food products.

However, people can become infected if the virus enters their eyes, nose or mouth — such as by handling contaminated pet food or touching contaminated surfaces, especially without thoroughly washing their hands afterward.