Smoke gets in your eyes…possible health risks for cats in a smokers home.

Almost a year ago, my father in law passed away. He shared his home with a beautiful grey cat. He also smoked heavily. This girl has struggled for some time with a skin condition that flares up, requiring steroids and antibiotics to get it back under control.
A recent flare up prompted a panel of blood tests to see if the cause could be identified, so that could be addressed as opposed to treating a symptom. Unfortunately there was nothing specific in the blood results that explained what the problem is. There was, however, discussion with the vet about environmental impact.
While there’s no guarantee living in a smoky atmosphere is the cause of this skin issue, it’s most definitely not likely to have been beneficial to managing this girl’s condition.

With that in mind, I decided to research possible health issues cats can develop as a result of living with a smoker. The FDA did a study on the subject, and it’s stated that “cats living in a smoking household have a two-to-four times increased risk of an aggressive type of mouth cancer called oral squamous cell carcinoma. The cancer is often found under the base of the tongue, where the thirdhand smoke particles tend to collect after grooming.”

Obviously, nicotine isn’t the only thing that’s smoked within some households. There are many articles giving information on the negative impact of smoking cannabis around cats. Here is just one of them:

https://www.petmd.com/cat/general-health/marijuana-bad-cats

Smoking is something so many people consider regarding the impact on their own health; sadly much less so the potential health repercussions for their cat.

Unfortunately it’s looking likely this sweet girl will have flare ups of the skin condition for the rest of her life now. When they happen, it causes her a lot of discomfort, and she grooms herself raw. Hopefully we’ll find a treatment that gets the condition under control quickly to minimise that.

You can read more about the possible health issues regarding smoking in a feline household here:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/the-effects-of-second-hand-smoke-on-pets