Print

Breathe Easier Knowing Your Home is Toxin Free

You may be surprised to learn that of all the toxic environments your cat will be exposed to in its lifetime, your home is the most dangerous.

The typical modern home has more chemicals, gases, and natural toxins than anything your cat is likely to come across while roaming the neighborhood, yet most pet owners are blithely unaware of the dangers being posed by such seemingly innocuous products like air fresheners and furniture polishes.

Just as humans can fall ill as the result of sensitivity to chemicals, animals suffer from physical reactions to chemicals that are used to manufacture furniture and textiles in the home, and cleaning products that leave residual films. Air fresheners, meanwhile, may give the appearance of leaving a clean, fresh scent, but are actually irritating to the breathing passages and mucus membranes. Even damp carpeting can pose a health risk to cats, especially since they are so close to the source.

To make matters worse, plants, which are often used to keep indoor air clean, can be toxic for your pet as well, should Kitty decide to take a bite out of one of them.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your pet from "chemical overload."

Ban the VOCs

Some of the biggest offenders of indoor pollution come from a class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These carbon-based chemicals evaporate at room temperature, but can remain in the air for long periods, depending on the ventilation and temperature of the indoor air. Often found in disinfecting solutions (e.g., pine-, lemon-, or citrus-scented cleaners, bleach, etc.) or furniture made of composite wood products, prolonged and chronic to VOCs can lead to cancer, liver and/or kidney damage, and damage to the central nervous system. Short term exposure, meanwhile, can bring on bouts of dizziness, vomiting, breathing problems, and irritation of mucus membranes in the eyes, mouth and nose.

Because of their proximity to these products (e.g., laying under furniture or on freshly cleaned surfaces), house pets are at a heightened risk for having a toxic reaction.