Can Dogs and Cats Get Bird Flu in Australia? | Pawssum

Short answer: yes, but it is very uncommon for dogs and cats to catch H5 bird flu. There have been no cases of pets in Australia contracting the virus so far.

However, cats are more susceptible to the virus than dogs. All of the overseas cases of cat and dog infection with bird flu have arisen from either eating an infected bird or eating raw poultry or unpasteurised milk.

Therefore, as long as your cat stays inside the home and your dog stays on lead when going out into the countryside or near wildlife, your pets will not encounter the virus.

What has actually happened in Australia

The H5N1 strain of bird flu (the 2.3.4.4b strain that has been moving around the world since 2021) reached mainland Australia in June 2026. The first case was of a brown skua spotted in Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance in Western Australia.

The virus has since been confirmed in wild birds across most states of Australia. Updates on the latest virus sightings are published by Wildlife Health Australia in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. These can be found on their website rather than reading any article dedicated to the subject matter.

As at late August 2026, the H5N1 virus has not been found in commercial poultry, livestock, dogs or cats in Australia.

Why cats are the ones we worry about

Cats hunt birds. That's the whole reason why cats are higher on the risk list than dogs.

Of the infected cats that we have seen overseas, they almost always got the illness by eating a sick bird, eating raw poultry, or drinking milk from infected dairy cattle. The illness can be severe in cats, and typically presents itself in neurological ways rather than respiratory symptoms.

Dogs have a lower susceptibility to the illness. A few dogs have tested positive overseas, mostly from eating dead birds. Most cases in dogs have been mild, though there have been deaths.

The risk of a pet transmitting the virus to a person is considered to be very low; there is no evidence of the spread of the virus from cat to cat. Human infections with the H5N1 virus are rare, but contact with birds and poultry with the virus is one of the recognised means of transmitting the virus to humans.

If you are not sure what your cat's normal looks like, our guide on how to tell if a cat is unwell is a good place to start, along with how to tell if your cat is in pain and why you should not ignore your cat's health.

What to do, in order of how much it matters

Keep cats indoors, or in a run. This will protect your cat, but also the native bird populations of your area. If your cat is typically outdoor-oriented, finding an alternative location for your cat to go outside (such as a catio or on a lead) is a way to find a middle ground.

Keep dogs on lead in areas with water, wetlands, and beaches. Dogs are not to be off lead in these areas. These are the areas where the native bird species are at the most risk of exposure to the virus; you do not want your dog nosing at a dead bird on the beach.

Do not let your pets come into contact with or eat dead or sick birds. If your dog picks one up, remove it from your pet without coming in contact with the bird yourself.

Skip raw poultry and unpasteurised milk. Raw poultry has been the source of numerous cat deaths overseas. Cooking the raw poultry products will eliminate this entirely. The RSPCA Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association both recommend against raw and unpasteurised products, especially with the circulation of the H5 avian influenza virus.

If you are reviewing what goes in the bowl, we have also written about common pet toxins in Australia, the three most poisonous foods for dogs, which fruits dogs can safely eat and managing your pet's weight.

Move your pet's food and water bowls under cover. Wild birds will drink from and pick at these bowls, leaving droppings behind which contains the virus that spreads the illness.

If you keep chickens, make sure they are kept separated from your dog and cat, and in accordance with your state's housing requirements. Victoria, for instance, has a control order that requires flocks of 50 or more birds to be housed in certain listed coastal and southern council areas.

Signs to watch for

If your cat or dog has had contact with birds or raw poultry, and you notice any of the following symptoms, get in touch with a veterinarian for your pet:

Fever, lethargy, or going off food
Laboured or noisy breathing, coughing
Red, runny or inflamed eyes
Tremors, seizures, circling, stumbling, or a head tilt
Sudden severe illness with no obvious cause

The neurological signs are the ones that most often bring an infected cat to a vet.

But tell the clinic before you arrive if your cat may have had contact with wild birds. This will allow them to prepare and take the appropriate samples in the event of testing for bird flu.

None of these neurological signs are specific to bird flu. Each of these signs are caused by something far more common than bird flu. However, if a cat displays these signs and has a history of hunting or eating dead birds, a phone call to a veterinarian is definitely worth making.

Several of these signs have their own guides worth reading, because the common explanation is usually the right one: why a dog becomes lethargic, a dog that will not eat, a cat that will not eat, cloudy or runny eyes in dogs, vomiting in dogs and kennel cough. If you are trying to work out whether something is urgent, see when is it a pet emergency and what to do when your dog needs an emergency vet.

One other Australian outdoor risk worth knowing alongside this one, especially if your dog is off lead near bushland: paralysis ticks in dogs and cats.

Reporting sick or dead birds

Avoid, record, report. Do not touch the bird but note where it is (and take a photo if you can). Call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 for 24-hour assistance.

Report five or more sick or dead wild birds of any species, or even a single seabird, shorebird, waterbird, bird of prey or marine mammal. Some states have online reporting forms.

For injured birds rather than sick ones, contact a wildlife rescue group. WIRES takes calls on 1300 094 737 in NSW. Other states have their own wildlife rescue services.

Where to check for updates

The official government pages are updated more often than the blog posts:

Bird flu (avian influenza), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
H5 bird flu updates, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Bird flu (avian influenza), Australian Centre for Disease Control
H5 bird flu, Wildlife Health Australia
H5N1 avian influenza and pets, RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase
High pathogenicity avian influenza, Australian Veterinary Association

The agriculture departments of each state and territory:

Frequently asked questions

Can my cat get bird flu from a bird in the garden?

Well, yes, if the bird in the garden is infected with the flu and my cat catches or eats the bird. This is the main way that cats overseas have contracted the flu. This is also the main reason to keep cats indoors when H5 flu is in circulation in wild birds.

Can my dog get bird flu?

Dogs can contract bird flu, but less often than cats. The majority of overseas cases of bird flu in dogs have occurred in scavenging dead birds or eating raw poultry products. Keeping your dog on lead when visiting the beach or wetlands will eliminate most risks for your dog of acquiring bird flu.

Is raw pet food safe?

Considering the risk of raw poultry products and H5 detected in countries where raw pet food has killed cats, cooking the raw pet food will eliminate this risk. The RSPCA Australia discourages the use of raw and unpasteurised products for pets at the moment.

Can I catch bird flu from my dog or cat?

The risk of acquiring avian flu from pets is extremely low. Should you come into contact with a sick pet or bird products, be sure to wash your hands. If you develop any illnesses, it is wise to visit your doctor.

Has any Australian pet caught bird flu?

There have been no reported cases of dogs or cats in Australia being infected with avian flu as of late August 2026. For the latest on this topic, visit the Department of Agriculture and the Australian CDC website.

Should I get my pet tested?

Only if there's a reason for it. If your pet has signs of illness or has potentially been exposed to something like a dead bird, call your vet to discuss whether testing is appropriate. Our vets can run blood tests at home where that is the right next step, and we have written about what a home blood test involves.

Do I need to stop walking my dog?

No. Continue walking your dog, but ensure they are wearing their lead when walking to areas with water, wetlands or beaches and to avoid dead or sick birds.

Worried about your pet?

Pawssum mobile vets come to your home between 6am and 11pm, seven days a week. Call us on 1300 343 580 to book an appointment with one of our vets.

Should your pet have been exposed to wild birds or had one of them for food, be sure to mention this on the phone so that the vet is prepared when they turn up at your door.

If it cannot wait, see our emergency vet service, which also operates on Sundays and public holidays. If you would rather speak to a vet before deciding whether a visit is needed, we offer a video consult.

We cover Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Newcastle and the NSW Central Coast. You can check your suburb on our locations page, see what a mobile vet costs, or get in touch.

Information current as at late August 2026. H5 bird flu is an evolving situation, so check the government sources above for the latest position.

By Pawssum
Last updated on 24th August 2026

About the author

Pawssum provides affordable and convenient pet care in the comfort of your home by local, trusted vets.