Savage Pet (makers of Savage Cat Food) issued a statement to its customers about avian flu dated 2/17/25.  A customer’s cat contracted HPAI, was ill, and recovered.  Savage Pet contacted the Colorado State Veterinarian for verification on 1/30/25 but did not receive a response till 2/13/25.  The response was preliminary, and not actually conclusive.  Two sealed packets tested negative for the virus, and one came back ‘not negative’.

The ‘not negative’ lot affects Savage Cat Large and Small Chicken Boxes with lot code/best buy date of 11152026. Customers with products with the above best buy date should return the food to their retailer for a full refund.  Fish & Bone doesn’t carry the affected items.

According to Savage Pet:

“Thus far, the Colorado State University Laboratory has tested sealed packets of Savage Cat Food using PCR testing for HPAI. The PCR test results are “not negative” for lot number 11152026 (chicken packets). Two other lot codes were tested and the results were negative. The product with “not negative” PCR results has been sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for virus isolation testing. Virus isolation testing is currently the only laboratory test that determines if the DNA in the product is infective. We are awaiting these test results.”

“Not negative” is a technical laboratory term for results that are preliminary in nature. To determine infectiousness, further virus isolation testing is required.  I would add it’s ‘not helpful’ to consumers.  Susan Thixton also recently posted about these ‘not-negative‘ lab results on Truth About Pet Food.