Long Island dealt with a bird flu outbreak early last year. Since then, the CDC says it started using its flu surveillance system to monitor for bird flu infections in people. Last March, in New York City, as many as three cases of bird flu were found in pet cats, two of which died. According to the NYC Health Department, felines can contract bird flu by eating infected birds, drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk, and eating raw pet food. Louisiana reported the first human bird flu death in the United States in January 2025.