Pets are an important part of many families and we spend lots of time and money making sure that they feel comfortable, healthy, and loved. Recent research focusing on chemical exposures of indoor cats raises concerns for our furry friends, connecting elevated blood levels of brominated flame retardants in cats to contaminated household dust. Previous research demonstrated higher concentrations of these chemicals in cats who had developed feline hyperthyroidism but there was no direct correlation to a specific source of exposure. This new research suggests house dust is to blame.

Cats and small children have similar chemical exposure patterns – they crawl and put their hands and a range of objects in their mouths. This behavior makes them at higher risk for ingestion of contaminants.

Brominated flame retardants have endocrine disrupting properties and can have health consequences later in life, such as thyroid disease or developmental delays. Found in common household products such as electronics and furnishings, these chemicals are extremely persistent as demonstrated by the fact that researchers found evidence of chemicals that have been banned for decades.

Results of the study, part of an ongoing project called MiSSE (Mixture Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds), were published in the February 2017 issue of Environmental Science and Technology.

[Source: Eureka Alert]