A Brooklyn kitten has been identified as the second confirmed feline victim of avian flu in New York City, having contracted the virus from another infected cat. Valentino, a 1-year-old domestic shorthair, tragically became the first cat in the city to die from the H5N1 virus after undergoing emergency euthanasia on February 1. Dr. Natara Loose, Valentino’s veterinarian and owner at The Neighborhood Vet in Bushwick, shared this information with The Post, confirming his case only this week following the unfortunate death of another kitten.
Valentino’s case was particularly alarming as he exhibited a staggering 106-degree fever just 24 hours before his passing. The once vibrant black kitten had been his usual lively self until Dr. Loose noticed he was hiding in the vet office. Given his existing health issues, including diabetes, she became concerned and initiated treatment with antibiotics and fluids while checking for multiple infections. Sadly, Valentino did not respond to any treatments. He was rushed to an animal hospital on January 31 for further procedures, but it was too late.
“I euthanized him and he was here. I’m kissing him,” Dr. Loose said in a heartfelt social media video, indicating the deep bond she shared with her furry patient when he was put to sleep.
Following Valentino's death, Dr. Loose submitted him for a necropsy, which confirmed that every organ in his body was infected by bird flu, traced back to tainted food. However, government officials were puzzled because Valentino had not consumed any raw meat, which has caused the death of at least 85 cats across the United States since 2022. A second feline death in New York City last month raised concerns about a potential link to the raw food brand, Savage Cat, which prompted investigators to question whether any of Dr. Loose’s patients had a connection to this brand.
Further investigation revealed that Valentino contracted the virus from a third cat, referred to as “Cat C,” who had been brought into The Neighborhood Vet just days before Valentino's death. “That cat had a mild fever. No respiratory signs, just a little uncomfortable in his belly and went home the next day completely normal,” Dr. Loose explained. “I read through the history of the cat, and it had eaten the same food.”
On Friday, Audrey Brady, owner of Savage Cat, reassured The Post that the company’s ingredients are USDA inspected and monitored for H5/H7 viruses. She noted that the brand’s raw foods had been recalled in February due to a potential link to another infection, which was later proven negative. Despite Valentino living at the vet office, Dr. Loose mentioned he did not have direct contact with Cat C, leading her to believe that the avian flu was transmitted through the air.
Fortunately, neither Dr. Loose nor her employees contracted the avian flu despite their close contact with Valentino during his final moments. “I think cats-to-human transmission is going to be pretty rare or very, very, very low risk because we were all in very direct contact with him,” she stated. The New York City health department confirmed that there have been no cases of bird flu in humans in the city.
Currently, there has been no official recall for Savage Cat Foods. However, the health department is advising New Yorkers to refrain from feeding their pets any products from the brand, or any raw meat or milk products, to ensure their health and safety.
