Just this week, there has much attention to a movement called Catmageddon. If you love cats, love cat videos, or just love all animals, the message is the same. If you smoke, you are putting your animals at a much higher rate to develop cancer and other illnesses. Recent studies showed that cats in a smoker’s home are twice as likely to get cancer as the smoker in that home, and twice as likely to get cancer than their feline friends in non-smoking homes. So you say you smoke outside, or only in one room? Your cat is still not safe, as the toxins from cigarettes stay on you and your clothes, and are transferred to your furniture, carpets, and bedding. Cats come into contact with these toxic items, and as cats do, lick their bodies clean, ingesting carcinogens from you or your house. (This goes for all of the febreeze products too–very toxic to pets!)
Dr. Bernie Siegel, famous cancer surgeon, author (Love Medicine & Miracles), and my friend, tells a story of a letter in CAT FANCY magazine ten years ago begging people to smoke outside to keep their indoor cats safe, after one of the letter writer’s cats got cancer from their smoking. Bernie was outraged and sent in a reply, pointing out that if you really love your cats, YOU WILL STOP SMOKING so that you will be around to care for them. The magazine refused to run his reply letter. Thankfully, ten years later, CATMAGEDDON ads are all over facebook and on tv with the same message. We also have to be aware of all of our cleaning chemicals, laundry soaps, candles and sprays, many of which are toxic to pets. We have to keep all of our animals safe including dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and other animals we share our homes with. If you love animals, keep your home, which is theirs too, free of toxins.