Avian Flu Jumps to Mammals (Update: continued evolution to human illness)

So, we had this cat that someone apparently dropped off not too long ago, which happens too often where I live. Very sweet cat, but we couldn't keep it in the house because my German Shepherd did NOT like it. So we kept it in my shop and left a crack in one of the the shop's bay doors so it could roam in and out freely. However, not opened enough to where my Shepherd could get in.

Friday evening, I walked into the shop and didn't see the cat and saw that she hadn't eaten her food. Very unusual. I was in a hurry so I made a mental note to check on her in the morning. Saturday (Yesterday) I went to take a good look around the garage. I could smell that something wasn't right. I went to open the bay doors, and when I opened the second (far one), I looked back and saw it lying on the concrete floor, it had expired. Not knowing what else to do with it, I grabbed a shovel and dug a hole, used the shovel to scoop up the cat and promptly buried it.

I then walked back in the shop with the intention of cleaning up whatever it was that the cat had vomited, which I had noted was next to the cat's mouth when I scooped it up, and upon closer inspection, I saw a wing from a very small bird in that mess, Then I was like, "Uh-oh!"

That was a healthy young cat and it was perfectly fine two days prior, and before I saw that bird wing I was trying to figure out what would take out the cat so quickly as there was no sign of it either being in a fight, in ill-health, or anything. I then went into the house, put on a mask, and returned with a can of Lysol and sprayed the spot and surrounding area as well, as best I could.

So yeah, I am a bit concerned. While I didn't physically handle the deceased cat, I was close to it while unmasked for a while when having to scoop it up, carry it about 50 yards and bury it. My granddaughter, who fed the cat and gave it the most attention, spent the weekend at a friend's house, which might be a good thing.