Do you smoke? We know that smoking causes cancer, and that secondhand smoke is harmful, particularly to children. Did you know that smoking harms cats, too? Cats that live in houses where someone smokes are more prone to certain health problems, including obesity and certain types of cancers. Increasing numbers of smokers are conscious of the health risks to their families, but may not think that smoking harms cats in their houses, too.
Researchers are studying how smoking harms cats
An ongoing study at the University of Glasgow is documenting the health risks that smoking poses to cats. Dogs apparently can handle quite a bit of smoke before experiencing serious health issues, but cats are just the opposite. Even a little bit of smoking harms cats in profound ways. Clare Knottenbelt, one of the researchers involved in this study, said:
“This may be due to the extensive self-grooming that cats do, as this would increase the amount of smoke (chemicals) taken in to the body.”
Tobacco smoke does tend to linger on surfaces, along with all the chemicals in the smoke, and so cats are doing more than inhaling it. They’re ingesting it when they groom. Dogs don’t groom the way that cats do, so they wouldn’t take in the smoke the same way. In fact, this problem gets worse when smokers don’t wash their hands before handling their cats, because they transfer even more of the chemicals to their cats’ coats.
Another way that smoking harms cats is by causing lung damage. It can also contribute to, or exacerbate, asthma in both cats and dogs. There’s anecdotal evidence suggesting that these problems improve when pet parents quit smoking altogether.
What can you do if you’re a smoker?
Because smoking harms cats so much, doctors and vets recommend that smokers take the same precautions they would with their children. Don’t smoke indoors, and wash your hands after you smoke, and before you handle your cat. Quitting is, obviously, the best solution, but takes time. Be very careful with your cat if you smoke, so you can help keep her as healthy as possible, and consider quitting, for your sake, your family’s, and your pet’s sake.
