Sint-Gillis-Waas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A bird flu outbreak at a Sint-Gillis-Waas poultry farm (Feb 18, 2025) led to all chickens being culled. 2 farm cats got infected and were euthanised. FAV warns pet owners to stay cautious.
In Sint-Gillis-Waas, a municipality in the province of East Flanders, bird flu outbreak and 2 cats have gotten sick, which makes people worried that other mammals, like pets and wild animals, could get sick too. But officials mentioned that it’s very rare for humans to get bird flu, and there haven’t been any cases in Belgium lately.
According to animal doctors and health officials, it’s important to keep things clean and safe to stop the virus from spreading. They said to keep pets away from places that might have bird flu, like where sick or dead birds are.
They mentioned that people who have pets, especially those living where bird flu has been found, should keep their animals inside and away from sick birds. The government is watching the situation carefully to make sure people are safe.
Did bird flu in Sint-Gillis-Waas spread to cats for the first time?
The government agency that keeps food safe, called FAV, is warning pet owners about bird flu. They say to be careful around dead birds or chickens that you find in your yard or public places because they could have the virus. FAV says to keep cats away from these dead birds and to keep dogs on leashes when you walk them.
They also say to cook chicken meat well before feeding it to pets, because raw meat can have germs. They mentioned that even though bird flu doesn’t always make pets very sick, people should watch for signs like a high fever, red and swollen eyes, a runny nose, or problems with their brains in cats or dogs. If people see any of these signs they should call the veterinarian right away.
The Federal Food Agency FAV said:
Be careful with the carcasses of dead birds or poultry in your garden, make sure that cats do not come into contact with them. For this reason, keep dogs on a leash when walking.
Bird flu outbreak happened at a chicken farm in Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium, on February 18th, 2025. To stop the sickness from spreading, the government killed all the chickens and set up a special area around the farm. But then, 2 cats that belonged to the farmer got sick.
According to the veterinarian the cats got bird flu from eating contaminated eggs or water. The cats were too sick and had to be put down. Other cats on the farm were watched closely but didn’t get sick. This is the first time bird flu has been found in cats in Belgium.
The Sint-Gillis-Waas farm is being cleaned and disinfected, which will take a few weeks. The government is watching closely to see if the virus is completely gone before they let new chickens live there.
The government doesn’t think they need to do anything special in the area around the farm. But they still want people to be careful and keep their chickens safe, especially in places where bird flu has been found.
