If your cats are anything like Charlie and Annie, they love to explore the deep, dark recesses of the garage and basement looking for spiders and other creepy-crawly things to harass. Unfortunately, there are other much more dangerous things in those places that they might encounter. Today I am going to write about one that may be easily overlooked because it is invisible.
Stumped?
I am talking about paint thinner fumes.
Paint thinner contains petroleum distillates, which give off toxic fumes. In high concentrations and/or with extended exposure, these fumes can cause many health problems, including brain damage in humans and animals.
You ask, "How can my cat come into contact with paint thinner fumes? I keep my paint thinner tightly sealed in its original metal can."
Keep in mind that your basement and garage (the areas where most people store products like paint thinner) are places where the environmental conditions are not as tightly controlled as the interior of your house, condo or apartment. They are usually subject to much higher levels of humidity and moisture penetration. The higher moisture levels in the air can lead to corrosion of the metal paint thinner containers over time. The corrosion can progress to the point where the paint thinner starts to leak out.
That situation can present a real danger to your cats as they may be exposed to dangerous levels of the fumes before you even become aware of the problem. This is especially true if the leak occurs when no one is home. There is also the obvious problem of the fumes potentially reaching an ignition source in the home.
The key to avoiding this dire situation is to periodically check the metal paint thinner containers in your home for signs of corrosion. If a container is rusty, it is a good idea to replace it. You can put the paint thinner into glass jars (like mason jars) with lids tightly sealed; just make sure the jars are in a safe, stable location where they won't get broken.
Taking a little time to do checks like this around the home can help you and your furry friends enjoy many happy years together!
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