Does Secondhand Smoke Harm Cats and Dogs?
Is it bad for my cat if my husband smokes in the house?
Heidi
Vacaville, CA
Although I may contribute to marital discord in your household, I will answer honestly. Secondhand smoke is bad for cats. It’s bad for dogs, too.
Cats and dogs have exquisitely sensitive respiratory systems. Their lungs, bronchi (tubes that carry air into the lungs), windpipes, and sinuses all may suffer adverse effects from secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke can contribute to, cause, or exacerbate bronchitis, sinus infections, tracheobronchitis (also known as kennel cough), pneumonia, heart failure and lung cancer in pets. Secondhand smoke is especially notorious for exacerbating feline asthma.
I recommend that smokers with pets go outside to enjoy their cigarettes.
You have questions. 
I will never forget one client who brought an asthmatic cat to my office. The cat was on high doses of steroids but the asthma was not well controlled. The cat reeked of cigarette smoke.
I suggested (politely, I think) that the client should go outside to smoke. Her response was that she did not smoke. At the end of the appointment I noticed a cigarette butt in the cat carrier!
The client continued to deny that she was a smoker. I really felt sorry for the cat.
Cat condition should be rerported to animal cruelty agency and somehow taken from its unhealthy environment.
I knew a dog breader who smoked around puppies.
It is very bad for cats and could possibly cause death. If I were you I would try to start to get your husband to either quit smoking or smoke outside for the sake of your cat, you and anyone else who lives in your household. I am glad if I could help you with this issue
I allways figured smoke would be bad for pets, but now it’s confirmed, there will not be no smoking in my house. Thank-you
I would like to know if minimum exposure to second hand smoke can have a long term effect on a dog. I purchased a puppy from a breeder who I believe smoked around the puppy (which I came to know after a purchased the puppy). The puppy (a maltese) I believe lived with the breeders in their apartment for about 2 months (not sure though). They started keeping her at home after she had a tracheitis and had to give her antibiotics. Should I be worried to this exposure? The puppy continues to sometimes have what seem to me choking bouts (ex the same a cat has when he has to spit up a hair ball). My vet had an x.ray done (seems like everything is ok – he says these “choking like” bouts are usual in small breed puppies like the maltese), but to be sure, he gave me an antibiotic for 8 days (but I haven’t yet asked him about the second hand smoke situation). So, should I be worried about this (could these couple of months have permanently affected my puppy?) Thank you very much.
[...] seem like common sense, but do smoking pet owners consider the harmful effectsof second hand smoke on their [...]
What if I am smoking while outside with my dogs? Do they run any risk of secondhand smoke even though I am in the open air?
I recently lost my four year old half Persian cat with lung cancer. My parents and myself do not smoke but my brother is a heavy smoker and has been back living with us four about six to eight months. I cannot help but wonder if this has contributed to Blackie developing lung cancer.