San Bernardino, CA – A California man says he two cats died after drinking raw milk that was contaminated with bird flu. As reported by the Associated Press, Joseph Journell wanted his cats to get the health benefits from raw milk, but instead they got sick and died.

Journell tells the news agency, “It’s horrible when you realize that you’re the one that actually gave them the milk that killed them.”

The cats got sick and died in November; testing confirmed they had the H5N1 bird flu virus. A third cat got sick but survived after being treated with antiviral medication.

The milk the cats consumed came from Raw Farm, which was recalled in December. Journell wants Mark McAfee, the company owner, to reimburse him for the thousands he spent on veterinary care, but McAfee does not believe the cats could get sick after drinking milk that was bottled for days.

The cats who perished were inside cats only, with no access to birds who may have contracted the illness.

Thanks for reading! We appreciate you.