Pet cats exposed to high levels of harmful chemicals at home, says a study

Team Udayavani, Apr 4, 2017, 11:21 AM IST

Cat owners, take note! Dust in your homes may adversely affect the health of your feline friend by exposing it to chemicals found in electronics and furniture, a new study has warned.

The study from Stockholm University in Sweden has now established what was previously suspected – that the high levels of brominated flame retardants measured in cats are from the dust in our homes.

The study shows that cats are exposed to chemicals found in electronics and furniture, chemicals that become dust and can adversely affect health. It is the first time that this connection has been verified.

In a previous study, researchers showed that brominated flame retardants were found in higher concentrations in the blood of cats that had developed feline hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism in cats) compared to healthy cats.

New measurements of healthy cats establish their dust exposure. Paired samples were taken from the same household, that is they took both dust samples and blood samples at the same time.

“By taking paired samples, we have greater insight into the environment that the cats live in,” said Jana Weiss, from Stockholm University.

“Moreover, the cats in the study spent the majority of their time indoors and therefore air and dust in the home is expected to contribute more than the outdoor environment,” said Weiss.

The results are very interesting because small children, notorious for putting everything in their mouths, have exposures to these chemicals similar to cats.

“The brominated flame retardants that have been measured in cats are known endocrine disruptors,” said Weiss. “It’s particularly serious when small children ingest these substances because exposure during the development can have consequences later in life, such as thyroid disease,” she added.

Brominated flame retardants are added to textiles, furniture and electronic equipment to prevent the material from igniting. Many of the brominated flame retardants have been found to be health hazards, and some are suspected endocrine disruptors.

A number of them have been prohibited for these reasons in products like electronic goods. However, they are extremely persistent and can leach from the products for many years after they have been produced, ultimately becoming part of dust.