Raw cat food contains toxic bacteria that can make humans sick 

Many cat owners believe raw food is a natural and healthy choice for their pets. Advertisements often highlight freshness, purity, and high-quality meat. Yet beneath this appeal lies a hidden concern. What looks wholesome in glossy packaging can, in reality, carry unseen dangers.

Families may choose a diet for their cat that aims to provide something closer to its wild ancestry. However, the promise of natural feeding can mask the fact that raw products may contain harmful microbes. The gap between perception and reality leaves owners unaware that their effort to nurture might instead invite risk.

A new study from Cornell University has revealed that some cat foods contain dangerous microbes, including bacteria resistant to antibiotics. These microbes are not only harmful to cats but can also pose serious risks to people living in the same household.

Raw cat foods without warning labels

The researchers examined raw and partially cooked meat-based cat foods sold in stores and online. Scientists discovered Salmonella, Cronobacter, and E. coli in these products.

Such pathogens can move from pets to humans, threatening vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.

“Most of these products have no warning labels on them showing that the meat ingredients are not fully cooked, indicating that they could harbor live bacteria and potentially viruses and parasites that would make a family very sick,” said Laura Goodman, assistant professor in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health.

“Particularly for the freeze-dried products sold on shelves, consumers likely have no idea they are taking on that risk.”

Gaps in regulation

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests only a small selection of bacteria in raw cat foods. The agency’s compliance policies center mainly on human pathogens, leaving other harmful microbes outside its scope.

As a result, products that appear safe may still carry hidden risks. Families bringing these foods into their homes often have no way of knowing what might be present in the bag or package.

The Cornell study paints a clearer picture. The researchers found pathogens that fall outside the FDA’s usual testing protocols, showing that contamination can be far more diverse than previously assumed.

Some of these microbes pose a direct threat to cats, while others can pass silently to people and cause severe illness. The presence of antibiotic-resistant strains makes the problem even more urgent, as infections linked to such bacteria are notoriously difficult to treat.

This evidence suggests that safety oversight must evolve. Expanded testing could catch a broader range of microbes, while mandatory labeling would warn consumers of the risks. Stronger manufacturing guidelines, including stricter handling and sanitation practices, may also help reduce contamination.

Together, these measures could better protect pets and their human companions, ensuring that the choice to feed raw diets is made with full awareness of the potential consequences.

Identifying microbes in cat food

The researchers compared raw cat foods with conventionally cooked products. They applied the same testing methods used by the FDA and analyzed the microbial communities, known as microbiomes, within each sample. This approach allowed them to identify both common and overlooked pathogens.

In raw food samples, the team found five distinct strains of Salmonella. These strains were added to a federal database used to track cases of human salmonellosis.

“There were indeed some human cases that were genetically very similar to our isolates,” Goodman explained. This suggests that people may have been infected through the very products tested in the study.

Dangerous bacteria detected

The study went further by using nonstandard culturing methods. This revealed antibiotic-resistant pseudomonas, a microbe capable of causing severe infections in the lungs, blood, and urinary tract.

Another bacterium, Klebsiella, appeared in raw samples. It is linked to fever, fatigue, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections, although it is not typically classified as a foodborne pathogen.

Researchers also identified Clostridium perfringens, a microbe known for triggering gastroenteritis and food poisoning. This bacterium showed a strong presence in freeze-dried cat treats and coated kibble.

Cat food health risks

These findings show that feeding raw foods to cats is about more than giving them a special diet. It can quietly introduce health risks that touch not just pets but the people who love them.

Families might think they’re making a wholesome choice, but instead they could be bringing harmful bacteria into their kitchens and living rooms. The impact isn’t always mild tummy trouble – it can mean serious infections that send someone to the hospital.

When little kids, grandparents, or anyone with fragile health share the home, those hidden dangers feel even more personal. What seems like care for a cat can quickly turn into worry for the whole family.

The study is published in the journal Communications Biology.

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