The provincial government is alerting southeast residents to a confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in a domestic cat in the region.

The cat showed no symptoms on the morning of April 20 but suddenly became seriously ill with neurological and respiratory symptoms and died later that day.

Testing by Prairie Diagnostic Services and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the cat had HPAI.

Officials say the cat spent time outdoors, increasing the risk of contact with infected wild birds or contaminated environments. HPAI is commonly found in wild birds and domestic poultry but can also infect mammals, including cats and dogs. The risk of exposure increases during spring migration.

Pet owners are encouraged to keep cats indoors and dogs leashed, prevent pets from hunting or scavenging wild birds, avoid contact with sick or dead birds, and avoid feeding pets raw meat from unknown sources.

Residents should contact a veterinarian if a cat or dog becomes suddenly or severely ill, especially after spending time outdoors or around wild birds. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, coughing, weakness, extreme lethargy, loss of coordination, tremors, seizures, other neurological signs, or sudden unexplained death.

Owners are also asked to contact their veterinary clinic before bringing in a potentially infected animal so appropriate precautions can be taken.

Officials say the risk to the public remains low as long as people avoid contact with sick or dead birds and use caution around sick animals.

Anyone who finds a sick or dead wild bird in Saskatchewan is asked to report it to the Ministry of Environment Inquiry Centre at 1-800-567-4224.