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October 13, 2008 2:13:36 PM CDT

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Household Chemicals Sickening Cats

Posted Aug 16, 07 12:21 PM CDT in Science & Health,  US 

(Newser) – Cats are falling ill with thyroid disease caused by toxic flame retardants found in household dust and some pet food, says the EPA. Chemicals known as PBDEs—polybrominated diphenyl ethers—found in consumer products and furniture are mimicking hormones which send a cat's thyroid into overdrive. Since humans are the only other mammal with a high rate of hyperthyroidism, the common chemicals could be affecting them, too.

"It is clear that house cats may be able to serve as sentinels for indoor exposure to PBDEs for humans who share their houses," said a leading expert on hormone-altering chemicals. Symptoms of the cat-killing ailment include weight loss, rapid heartbeat and irritability; its frequency has spiked since the 1980s, when the retardants were introduced, the Los Angeles Times reports,

Source Los Angeles Times

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"We know there is an association between indoor living for cats and hyperthyroidism," said Linda Birnbaum, a senior author of the study and the EPA's director of experimental toxicology. "Our paper does...   (Shutterstock.com)
Hyperthyroidism in cats may be traceable to flame-retardant chemicals that find their way into household dust.   ((c) betsyjean79)
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs are common in flame-retardant household products like curtains, and may even be present in certain brands of canned food.   (Shutterstock.com)
Two prominent PBDE's have already been banned since 2004, but many remain in homes across America.   ((c) tyrian123)
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