Part of a report on bird flu briefly appeared on a CDC web page before being taken down. From the information that appeared it is not clear whether cats got bird flu from people or vice versa. We need more information on the study and its results to draw any conclusions. We do know that cats are especially susceptible to bird flu, and cat owners can protect their cats by keeping them indoors and avoiding raw pet food products.

Cats are very susceptible to bird flu, and the virus is often deadly for cats. Dogs can also get the virus, but they appear to be more resilient to it.

Most cats get bird flu from contaminated raw pet food or unpasteurized milk. It is also possible for outdoor cats to get sick from contact with wild birds. Cat owners should keep their cats indoors, and avoid raw pet food products.

High heat is necessary to kill the virus. Freeze dried or frozen raw cat food is not safe for cats because it is not heated and could still have the live virus. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises against feeding cats raw food.

In 2016, a veterinarian in New York City got sick with bird flu from a cat. This was the last reported case of a person getting bird flu after being exposed to several sick cats.

More information on how to protect your pets from bird flu can be found on the American Veterinary Association's website.

We are still waiting for the release of the full report to help determine how likely it is for people to get bird flu from cats or vice versa.