Updated 14 August 2026
We’ve had some questions about H5N1 bird flu and the safety of raw and freeze dried chicken, so I wanted to put everything we currently know in one place.
This is something we are taking seriously, particularly because H5N1 can cause severe illness in cats and can be fatal.
What is happening in Australia?
H5 bird flu has now been detected in wild seabirds in Australia and the situation is being closely monitored by Australian authorities.
The important distinction at the moment is that there have been no detections in Australian poultry or the wider agriculture industry.
According to the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, this remains the situation as at 14 August 2026.
Is Raw Meow freeze dried chicken cooked?
No.
Our freeze dried chicken products are made from raw chicken. The chicken is not cooked before it is freeze dried.
H5N1 can be inactivated by sufficient heat. Freeze drying does not cook the meat or provide that heat treatment.
Why are we still selling raw chicken products?
Because at this stage there have been no detections of H5 bird flu in Australian poultry or the wider agriculture industry.
There is currently no evidence that the Australian commercial chicken supply has been affected.
That doesn’t mean we are ignoring what is happening in wild birds or assuming the situation can’t change.
We are monitoring updates from Australian authorities closely and are also discussing heat treatment options with our freeze drying manufacturer.
Why aren’t we heat treating our chicken now?
At this stage, there have been no detections of H5 bird flu in Australian poultry or evidence that the commercial chicken supply has been affected.
Adding a heat treatment step is a significant change to our current production process and comes with additional manufacturing costs.
For now, while Australian poultry remains unaffected, we don’t believe that change is warranted.
If the situation changes, we would be prepared to introduce an additional heat treatment step.
What happens if H5 bird flu reaches Australian poultry?
We will reassess immediately.
If H5 bird flu is detected within Australian poultry production, or there is evidence that the commercial chicken supply may be affected, we will likely add a validated heat treatment step after freeze drying. We are already discussing this option with our manufacturer.
The safety of the cats eating our products will always come first.
What if I use Raw Meow Mix with fresh chicken?
If you use fresh chicken with Raw Meow Mix and are concerned about H5 bird flu, you can cook the chicken before adding the mix.
Weigh the chicken before cooking so you can calculate the correct amount of Raw Meow Mix, then cook the chicken thoroughly and allow it to cool.
Use the cooking liquid to mix your Raw Meow Mix, then add it back to the cooled chicken.
Do not cook or heat the Raw Meow Mix itself, as heat can damage some of the vitamins in the mix.
This gives anyone who is uncomfortable feeding raw chicken at the moment the option of continuing to use Raw Meow Mix with cooked chicken instead.
Should I continue feeding raw or freeze dried chicken?
That is ultimately a decision each cat owner needs to make based on their own comfort with raw feeding.
We also completely understand if some people prefer to temporarily avoid raw chicken while H5 bird flu is being detected in Australian wild birds.
I’d much rather be transparent about what we know, what we don’t know and what we are doing than give anyone reassurance that I can’t substantiate.
For complete transparency, we are still feeding raw chicken to our own cats, Oliver and Ava. Based on the current situation in Australia, we are comfortable continuing to do so. If that changes, their diets will change too.
We will keep this page updated as the Australian situation changes.
Laura
Raw Meow