According to top government scientists, flame-retardants
commonly found in couches and other furniture could be killing housecats.
Cats spend hours per day on household furniture and the floor. Couches,
appliance cords, foam padding, carpet pads, electronics, children’s clothes and
more can all include flame retardants. And scientists say they have found a
significant association between certain types and hyperthyroidism in cats.
Hyperthyroidism causes cats’ thyroid glands to go into
overhaul, speeding up their metabolism and essentially making cats feel
ravenous. But because their bodies are working so hard, they continue to lose
weight and essentially waste away.
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| Cats and kittens spend many hours per day sleeping on the couch, beds, or carpet. Image: Shutterstock |
Flame retardants first became common practice in the 1970s
and 1980s, which aligns with the exact same time cats began dying from thyroid
issues in larger numbers. But some early flame-retardants (like PCBs) were
banned as early as the late seventies when they were found to be toxic. Their
health effects on adults and children are still not completely understood, and
it remains a controversial topic.
And if there are health concerns for humans, the negative
effects on cats would be even worse. “It’s time for the toxic treadmill to
stop,” said Senator Sharon Nelson of Washington State.
“If you get ‘XYZ chemical,’ it proves toxic. Then you can’t
just replace it with another one, you know, ‘Flame Retardant 1000,’ which is
just as bad or almost as bad for our kids,” said Nelson.
Hyperthyroidism has also been steadily rising for humans, a
problem that some believe can be at least partially attributed to the use of
toxic flame-retardants in the home. The problem isn’t incurable—regular
medication or radiation injections can get things back to normal—but without
removing the cause, it will continue to plague both humans and cats.
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