Did the state kill my cat?

Fire-retardant chemicals required by California in furniture may be poisoning us.
By Arlene Blum PhD

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-blum17-2008oct17,0,819903.story

From the Los Angeles Times Opinion  October 17, 2008

My beloved cat, Midnight, died a few days ago — possibly because of toxic chemicals in my furniture. In two years with hyperthyroid disease, Midnight went from a plump 14 pounds to a skeletal five. A year ago, a veterinary epidemiologist found that Midnight’s blood contained among the highest levels of  toxic PBDEs documented in animal research. That’s when I learned that the chemicals in my cat came from my couch. And that my furniture is uniquely toxic because I live in California.

Since the 1980s, fire-retardant chemicals such as PBDEs have been added to furniture to meet a California-only requirement that the foam inside resist a 12-second exposure to an open flame. The chemicals evaporate from the foam, settle in dust and coat walls with a thin film. Cats that groom themselves and toddlers who crawl in dust show especially high levels of PBDEs, but everyone with this chemically treated furniture gets some exposure.

In dozens of animal studies, these fire retardants also have been shown to harm reproduction and scramble brain development. Studies are underway to determine if PBDEs are contributing to increases in autism, hyperactivity, birth defects, infertility, diabetes and obesity in people.

On average, dust in California homes contains 10 times the PBDEs found in dust from other states and 200 times the amount in houses in Europe, according to a new study from the Silent Spring Institute. Worse, Californians have twice the level of this fire retardant in their blood as do people in other states. A recent research report by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group showed that American toddlers have, on average, a level of fire retardant in their bodies that is three times higher than that found in their mothers.

Every evening for the last year, I put a needle into Midnight’s scruff to give her fluids to keep her alive. As I watched the slow drip of the liquid, I wondered whether the PBDEs in my cat caused her disease. The fire retardant is known to cause thyroid problems in rats, mice, kestrels and frogs. The EPA suspected a link after its 2007 study of cats found substantially higher levels of PBDEs in the ones with hyperthyroidism. In 1980, when PBDEs were first added to furniture, hyperthyroid disease in cats hardly existed, according to my veterinarian. Now it is an epidemic in California.

Were Midnight and my family safer from fires because of the toxic chemicals in our couch? Probably not. Furniture fabric in California is not required to be fire resistant. In a fire, fabric burns long enough to ignite even treated foam.

Happily, the death rate from house fires has gone down considerably in California since 1980. But it’s dropped a similar amount or more in states that don’t require retardants in their furniture. A decrease in smoking, more smoke detectors and better enforcement of fire safety standards are credited with this large decrease in fire deaths.

San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno’s AB 706, a bill that sought to remove toxic fire retardants from California furniture and maintain fire safety, was just voted down by the state Senate. Manufacturers of fire retardants — Chemtura Corp., Albemarle Corp. and Israel Chemicals Ltd. — spent millions on lobbying to stop it.

Instead, more Californians may soon be sleeping in a cocoon of chemicals. Technical Bulletin 604, a proposed state regulation requiring comforters, mattress pads and pillows to resist an open flame, is expected to be enacted soon by the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation. Yet the state has not asked for any information on the health or environmental effects of the chemicals likely to be used.

As I stroked Midnight before she died, I thought about the canary in the coal mine warning of lethal gases. Perhaps the story of Midnight’s death can help protect us all from unneeded toxic fire retardants in our homes.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has the authority and responsibility to protect our health. He should instruct the bureau to stop California from being the only state requiring flame-retardant bed coverings, pillows and furniture. It’s too late for Midnight, but hopefully our governor will withstand chemical industry pressure and act to protect our cats and our children from unneeded toxic chemicals in our homes.

Arlene Blum PhD is executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley’s Department of Chemistry

Arlene Blum, PhD
arlene@arleneblum.com
Telephone: 510 644-3164  Mobile: 510 919-6363
Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute
Web: www.greensciencepolicy.org, www.arleneblum.com
Arlene Blum
Phone:  510 644-3164
Fax: 510 644-2164
Cell: 510 919-6363
E-Mail:  arlene@arleneblum.com
Web site: www.arleneblum.com

Certainly there are days, or cycles, where its darned hard to rise above our own sorrows, worries, grief, anger, and fears.  But if we work at it every day, little by little, we can all master the art of letting the feelings of happiness flow through our bodies, hearts, and minds.  We’ve got to.  For ourselves.  Our loved ones.  For the survival of our species and planet.

And right now with the financial pickle we’re in its imperative to remain calm, sane, and rational.  Its absolutely mind blowing how every time we are out in the world in The Cat Faerie Mobile (a blue 2006 Prius) driving the speed limit that some miserable being in a ridiculously huge truck or SUV hits the accelerator to whip around us in a blaze of screeching tires and false machismo.  We chuckle “well, there went $4 in gas.”

Be seriously, slow down.  Conserve resources both outer (gas, electricity, your worldly goods, and so on).  Conserve inner resources.  Its the inner resources of steady nerves, a sharp thinking mind, the benefits of 8 hours sleep, the benefits of drinking several quarts of alkalized water every day, eating only healthful and vital food that serve us.  Especially in these seriously difficult times.

Because we want to be a part of solution soon we will be sending out a newsletter with our latest promo.  We are still working on the details but it was involve another of our famous “gift with purchase.”  The gift will be A Ball of Twine . . . calming music for your cat.  Guess what?  Yes, it’s going to calm your cat, and it will calm YOU too!

Staying calm allows you to think clearly and to make logical, prudent, and compassionate decisions for every aspect of your life.
Thank you Cheryl W. for giving us the inspiration for this blog posting.   Yes, staying calm and happy is definately a choice.  Just like it’s a choice to barrel through life with rage, anger, hatred, fear, and with a soggy mind that’s making very foolish decisions.   Happiness is your birthright - cultivate it and feel it, and spread it around.

The cats who live at Cat Faeries are known as “the little old ladies” and we’d say that what Dr Benfatto is telling us is very true.  Sadly, Betty (age 17.5) and Tasha (age 17 or 18) have both completely lost their hearing in the past year.

Their deafness has been very upsetting to us.  They never get to hear us tell them how beautiful they are, how much we love them, all those little sweet sayings which we lavish upon them, are no longer heard.  Spookie at age 20 still hears most pitches and tones, but she’s hearing less and less as time goes on.  Torti at 14 still hears it all, in particular, the dinner bell!

The sense that never seems to go away, and in fact can get stronger and more sensitive, is the sense of smell.  Because the Feliway pheromone works with a cat’s sense of smell to send the message “I don’t pee here” we know that the calming message that it sends is more important than ever to an aging cat.

Feliway is known to have a calming effect on most cats which is partly why it’s so successful for getting cats to stop peeing on naughty surfaces.  So, even if your cats are purrfect litter box users you will want the scent of Feliway in your home simply for it’s calming benefits for cats of all ages, in particular older cats with hearing loss or who are deaf.

Place a Comfort Zone with Feliway diffuser in the rooms where geriatric cats spend their time snoozing.  The smell of Feliway will be very assuring to a cat who can’t hear well.   Or use the spray form and apply it to cat beds and perches.  The smell of Feliway will provide pleasure to your cats.

Its been scientifically proven that calm beings live longer and healthier lives.  And for our aging kitties, that means fewer vet bills and stress put on the human family members.

More wonderful reasons why Cat Faeries loves Feliway!  Spread the joy with Feliway!

But who will help you with your daily obligations, like feeding the cats and scooping litter boxes when you can barely get out of bed?  Who will help you get the medication for yourself from the drug store, or supplements from the health food store?  Who will cook for you?  Who will do those little things or errands while you are sick or recovering?

If there are no family members close by or you can’t ask or trust neighbors you need a “personal assistant” or a “personal concierge”

In the past few years people who are burnt out on soul sucking corporate America have gotten creative about making an income, and they have become personal assistants who you can call upon when you need help.

Generally they charge by the hour.  These resourceful folks will do the stuff you are not able to do.

Even if your not sick, but you are super swamped and crazy busy,  they can pitch in and run errands, tend to your animals, keep food in the fridge, and so much more.

Before you get sick, or before you need to leave for a trip, start looking for professional cat sitters or/and professional personal assistants.  Find out their rates.  Find out what they are willing to do, as well as what they are not willing to do.  You’ll find a person who’s just right for you and your needs.

Do the research now so that the next time you are sick in bed and cannot tend to your cats or yourself, help is just a phone call away.

Number one reason to trim nails - so that they don’t grow uncontrolled and curve under and into the cat’s foot.  OUCH!

Feliway spray can “somewhat” deter a cat from scratching at your furniture.  But its not perfect and you need to apply it daily.

But if you trim your cat’s nails every 10 or 12 days they will be short, and if your cat does scratch at a sofa not much damage, if any, will occur.

You can find nice clippers in shops or you can use a good quality human toe nail clipper.

We suggest you sit someplace comfortable for you with good lighting - that could be the bathroom, on the toilet seat which you put down.  Clip as many nails in one sitting as the cat will allow.

Some cats are comfortable if you softly drape a towel over their head. Other cats are comfortable if you wrap them like a “burrito”  And yet other cats are comfortable being held free on your lap, sort of like a baby, on their back.

A cat is never too old to learn to get used to twice a month nail trims.  Gentle handling, showering the cat with praise will really help.  And of course treat yourself to something special in honor of a job well done after!

We are in favor of anything that can enlighten with humor, creativity, and which does not smack people over the head in a way which puts them off. Enjoy this You Tube video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMzW3LIkNLA

yeah yeah yeah yeah!

They came upon the body of a young man. The students looked the man over, looking for marks, blood, any of the usual indicators to explain why a person might die.

They found nothing. Puzzled they asked their teacher:

“Why did this young man die?”

The wise Lama said: “Because he was born.”

May this simple thought and perspective ease your pain.

Since this is the time of year when we are roasting turkeys, the grocery stores have lots of aluminum roasting pans for sale. If you look you’ll probably find one the length of your current litter box, but the sides will be lower. Try one! See if your cat likes it. See if its just as easy for you to clean and manage.

We have seen a few litter pans in the stores with lower sides, but they are not long enough for most cats to use comfortably. Try the roasting pan idea - they come in several sizes, you’ll find one that’s right! Its a pretty cheap experiment which could save you oodles of money in the long run, and your sanity. And the cat will be so much happier and in less pain.

But all that paper gift wrap. What a waste of paper. This year Cat Faeries behaviorist dusted off her sewing machine and put her very limited sewing skills to good use by making up lots of re-usable gift bags which are super easy to cut out and sew. She’s using a mix of old sheets, a few old dresses, hubby’s old shirts, and some new fabric (particularly yummy Japanese cotton in bold prints, or organic untreated cotton).

The gift bags are in lots of sizes to accommodate a wide range of gifts. In fact an assortment of bags make a great gift themselves. Here are some bag size ideas for you:

* very small - ideal size for an engagement ring or pretty earrings, or one cat toy,

* rectangular - for a bottle of wine or olive oil,

* square - to hold a book or two,

* medium - to hold an a bunch of cat toys, a few jars of homemade jam, a big jar of homemade bath salts,

* really big - for a hemp bathrobe. This size is probably big enough to use later for grocery shopping,

* super big - for really big gifts like a new computer. This size would be wonderful for future shopping trips when big items are bought or for packing clothes for a weekday getaway.

One of the reasons we like re-usable cloth gift bags is that many of our feline friends are tempted to chew on ribbons and bows. If swallowed they usually get barfed up, but that makes a huge mess for you to clean, and can scare the cat. But if chewed ribbon or bits of a bow do not get thrown up by the cat and starts to be digested serious or life threatening health problems can arise. There’s nothing festive about THAT!
So now we have two reasons to stop using all that paper, tape, and ribbon. You’ll cut down on waste and you’ll keep your cats healthy so that we all can enjoy another holiday season with fewer worries. Be happy knowing we have made one more step to green up our world and not be slaves to creeping consumerism. Ho Ho Ho - indeed!