Bird Flu Kills 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary

The Wild Felid Advocacy Center is under quarantine after a devastating outbreak of avian influenza claimed over half its feline population.

Twenty big cats, including cougars, bobcats, servals, and a Bengal tiger, died between late November and mid-December after contracting H5N1 bird flu.
The virus, which spreads through respiratory secretions or ingestion of infected birds, rapidly caused pneumonia-like symptoms and death within 24 hours for many of the cats.
The sanctuary has removed 8,000 pounds of potentially contaminated food and is undergoing a months-long disinfection process to protect its remaining 17 cats.
Bird flu infections have expanded across the U.S., impacting wild birds, dairy cattle, and even causing 61 human cases, though public health officials maintain the risk to the general public remains low.
The sanctuary, which relies on donations, has called for community support to manage mounting medical costs and aims to reopen in the new year.