(Reuters) - Two house cats in Oregon were euthanized after testing positive for bird flu linked to their consumption of pet food made from raw chicken, state agriculture officials said on Friday.

Two cats living in separate households in Multnomah County, Oregon, fell ill after consuming the raw pet food. After consultation with their veterinarians, owners of the animals agreed to euthanize the pets because of the severity of their illnesses, officials said.

Raw pet food for cats has been identified as a source of bird flu infection in Oregon house cats. The cats became ill starting in early February after consuming raw pet food manufactured by Wild Coast LLC, according to warnings from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).

This means four cats in Oregon have now been infected by avian influenza in the past two months, including two others in Washington County. The disease is more common among chickens and other poultry, but can spread to other animals through direct contact with infected birds or by consuming raw meat or milk.

Two more Oregon cats died this month after eating raw cat food that was contaminated with the deadly bird flu virus, prompting Washington state officials to issue a recall.

Two Multnomah County cats were diagnosed with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza after eating raw pet food from Wild Coast Raw, prompting an advisory for customers to stop feeding the product.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) issued a public health alert on Friday about raw cat food.

If you snuggle with your pet cat after it spends time roaming around outside, you may want to consider some preventative measures, as several house cats have contracted H5N1 bird flu in recent weeks.