A group of scientists at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health have come to the startling conclusion that air which is considered safe by European Union legal limits is damaging our children neurologically. Is it not reasonable therefore to conclude that safe air can make our cat companions ill? We breath the same air and our anatomy is similar.
Experiments on Animals
Although I hate animal experiments they show that fine particles in the air are able to pass through the placenta and affect the brain of the fetus. The lead scientist of the group, Mònica Guxens, said that there was probably no such thing as a safe concentration of air pollution.
Neuro-developmental Issues
When children grow up surrounded by air pollution, notwithstanding that it is considered to be at safe levels by current EU regulations, they are more likely to have a broad range of “neuro-developmental” difficulties. In layman’s terms this means autism and various kinds of cognitive impairment.
Inside the Home
It appears that a lot of children are growing up quite seriously disadvantaged by virtue of the air that they breathe. Our cats are likely to be equal victims. Keeping cats indoors should protect them shouldn’t it? But perhaps there is as much pollution inside the home as outside. There is more air pollution inside a car than outside when driving because the air becomes trapped. Therefore there may be more pollution inside some homes than outside.
Trump
It really is time that governments address environmental issues as a priority. President Trump is doing a terrible job in this regard but other governments are too slow to act. Trump has taken America out of the Paris climate accord in the interests of building up business in America but to the detriment of the air quality in the country and on the planet. He has also reintroduced elephant trophy hunting importations into the US in an irrational act. While in the UK it is said that up to 40,000 people die prematurely each year because of air pollution.
Pollution affects our cats as well. Most UK cats wander freely outside even in urban areas. It is time to honestly address this issue to protect our families. Many people consider domestic cats as part of the family. There also needs to be a greater awareness of household items toxic to cats.
