Secondhand smoke is dangerous for people and pets, too.
According to a study conducted at Tufts College of Veterinary
Medicine, kitties face a higher chance of getting certain types
of cancer including malignant lymphoma, a cancer that is fatal
to three out of four cats within 12 months of developing it.
However, simply because of felines natural grooming habits, they
also face a great risk of getting mouth cancer. When your pet
licks her paw, she is licking up the cancer-causing carcinogens
that accumulate on her fur. The study found that more kitties
get squamous-cell carcinoma if they live in smoking environments
versus those residing in a smoke-free home. The cats are not the
only pets in danger, exposure to secondhand smoke can also
result in nasal and lung cancer in dogs – pups noses have a
greater surface area to be exposed to carcinogens and a shorter
nasal passage that allows more carcinogens to reach their lungs.
If you're still trying to quit smoking, make sure you don't
light up around your pets!