On Dec. 12, 2024, University of Pittsburgh researchers announced they had identified evidence of H5N1 adaptation in domestic cats. Work centered on a rural outbreak in South Dakota, where multiple cats died after showing neurological and respiratory symptoms.

In the study, “Marked Neurotropism and Potential Adaptation of H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4.b Virus in Naturally Infected Domestic Cats,” published in Emerging Microbes & Infections, researchers suggest cats may serve as hosts for reassortment of avian and mammalian influenza viruses, posing severe public health concerns. Ten outdoor cats in rural South Dakota were found dead in April 2024, exhibiting respiratory and neurological symptoms.

The South Dakota findings mirror reports from Texas earlier this year where cattle farms found H5N1 linked to dead cats and birds. Enhanced surveillance of H5N1 in domestic and wildlife species is crucial to assess and mitigate animal to human transmission.