A California-based pet food company, Savage Pet, has issued a recall of its raw chicken products after they were linked to bird flu infections in two cats and suspected in a third case in New York City.

The company, headquartered in El Cajon, recalled one lot of its large and small chicken boxes due to potential contamination with the Type A H5N1 influenza virus, commonly known as bird flu. The affected products contain individually packaged portions marked with lot code and best-by date 11152026.

According to reports from The Associated Press, these products were distributed across five states: California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

New York City health officials have urged pet owners to immediately stop feeding their pets Savage Pet products following the cat illnesses. One cat that consumed the recalled food became sick and died this month. Preliminary testing confirmed traces of bird flu, though final results are still pending.

A second cat, which did not consume the food but had close contact with the first infected cat, also died after testing positive for bird flu. A third cat that ate the same food became ill but survived; it was not tested.

The incident has fueled growing concern among experts over bird flu transmission to domestic animals. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cats can contract the virus by consuming contaminated food or milk or through exposure to infected wildlife.

This recall follows other recent cases, including the recall of Wild Coast Raw’s frozen boneless raw chicken cat food, linked to feline deaths in Oregon and Washington, and Northwest Naturals’ raw turkey pet food, which was recalled in December after bird flu was detected.

Dr. Jarra Jagne, a veterinary expert from Cornell University, strongly cautions against feeding pets raw or unpasteurized food due to the risk of bird flu and other dangerous pathogens such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

“I wouldn’t give my animals raw anything,” Dr. Jagne said. “It’s all about cooking.”

Pet owners are advised to check product labels carefully, dispose of any recalled products, and monitor their pets for symptoms such as respiratory distress or sudden illness.