Study Links Cat Disease To Flame Retardants In Furniture

Furniture World Magazine

ScienceDaily (http://www.sciencedaily.com) reported that, "A mysterious epidemic of thyroid disease among pet cats in the United States may be linked to exposure to dust shed from flame retardants in household carpeting, furniture, fabrics and pet food, scientists are reporting in a new study." The study says that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) which are also found in some mattresses and several cat food brands, have been linked to hyperthyroidism in cats, but not in humans. The small scale study did not separate out the effects of PBCE dust and dietary sources, but did postulate that grooming behavior in cats increases risks due to exposure to PBDE as much as 100- fold.