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Research shows that in 254 cats and 395 dogs a restricted portion has been exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). With stray cats and hunting dogs it’s found that there is a significant increase of antibodies against bird flu. This was found through research of  the faculty Veterinary Sciences of Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature commissioned the research of cats. The motive was a previous research of stray cats, sampled between 2020 and 2023. Especially with stray cats in nature reserves, the antibodies against H5 bird flu virus were found. This raised the question to what extent domestic cats that went outside (afterwards outdoor cats) and have possibly encountered wild birds have also been exposed to the H5 bird flu virus. Specifically these cats have close contact with people.

To answer this question, veterinary practices sent remaining materials of blood samples of outdoor cats, that were sampled for a other research, to the faculty Veterinary Sciences. In total, 254 blood samples were submitted in the period of January through August 2024. In seven of these 254 blood samples of outdoor cats (2.8%), antibodies against the H5 bird flu were proven, where it stood out that the amount of antibodies in the blood samples was significantly lower than was found previously with stray cats. The examined cats showed no specific symptoms befitting bird flu.

Dogs

The situation with dogs has also been scrutinized. The presence of the H5 bird flu virus, and/or antibodies against the virus, has been researched in three groups: 143 hunting dogs, 45 domestic dogs that had contact with birds (perceived by their owners) in the previous six months and 350 domestic dogs of which remaining materials of blood samples was available.

Antibodies against the H5 bird flu virus were found more often in hunting dogs (19/143; 13.3%) than with blood samples of domestic dogs of which information about contact with birds wasn’t available (13/350; 3.7%) or in domestic dogs that had recent contact with birds (1/45; 2.2%). None of the examined (hunting) dogs showed specific symptoms befitting bird flu.

Limiting contact with birds

Researcher Els Broens: “You can see that domestic cats and dogs are less at risk of expose at the H5 bird flu virus than stray cats or hunting dogs. A possible explanation for this is lower frequencies and/or different types of contacts with infected birds. it’s prudent for owners to limit the contact of their pets with (dead) birds, especially in the case where the H5 bird flu virus exists in the surroundings. In that case, it would be wise to keep your dogs leashed and if possible, to keep cats indoors.

If cats or dogs that have been in contact with a (possibly infected) bird within a week show symptoms of; nasal discharge, eye discharge, coughing, shortness of breath, changes in behaviour or changes in movements, it is important to seek council with a veterinarian. Since June 2023 there is a  (in Dutch) in the Netherlands.