@justinbieberthecat_: 1/6: I’m seeing a lot of misinformation about the bird flu so I wanted to make a video addressing it. I think folks are having a hard time gauging the level of risk, which I’ve seen exacerbated by people sharing information without sources. I encourage you to seek information from virologists, who have the most expertise on a rapidly developing situation, and to ask your own vet. Gather your information from multiple, official sources, like the USDA and CDC. The biggest thing you can do to protect your cats is to halt feeding raw & freeze dried raw. Please remember that this is about more than just our pets, it’s about preventing opportunities for this dangerous virus to spread to humans. I am not anti-raw & I am sad to have to transition my cats back to canned food, but now is just not the time. Currently, poultry and waterfowl are the biggest vectors for H5N1. Songbirds only account for 2-3% of infections. Given that viral load matters in cross species transmission, and given that the vast majority of cases in cats are linked to contaminated food, I feel quite safe taking my cats outdoors in my area - but I would recommend you exercise caution if you own chickens, are neighboring a dairy or poultry farm, or have a lake in your backyard. I’m also seeing a common misconception that the current strain of H5N1 is airborne. This was observed in a single study in ferrets which used a genetically modified mutation of the virus. That modification was found to be inefficiently airborne. I unfortunately believe a lot of confusion is coming from Google’s inaccurate AI summaries. It’s important to note that the situation is evolving quickly & we’re learning more each week. I am working with the information I have available today, and am ready to pivot based on any new evidence we receive. I hope this can ease some worries. I am not a scientist - I am just a nerd with cats. Links to the sources I’ve referenced here can be found in my profile. They include the USDA, CDC, National Library of Medicine and American Veterinary Medical Association. I’ve made sure to include studies that include cats, specifically. #birdflu #h5n1 #avianinfluenza #catio #catsafety #indoorcats

Justin | Talking Cat 🐯

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Monday 06 January 2025 18:03:39 GMT