Thailand finds deadly bird flu in cat family

"This is the first time in the world that we have found bird flu in cats and tigers," said Therapol Sirinaruemitr from Bangkok's Kasetsart University which tested the animals. "We found the H5N1 virus in the samples."

"One clouded leopard has already died and one white tiger is still alive and has recovered," he told a press conference, referring to animals kept at a private zoo east of Bangkok.

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The H5N1 strain has hit eight Asian nations, with weaker varieties detected in Taiwan, Pakistan and the United States. On Thursday Canada also reported a less virulent strain in the western province of British Columbia.