The association of cats with their owners puts them at risk for tobacco exposure. These investigators examined the level of hair nicotine concentration in cats living with owners who reported tobacco use.

They found not surprisingly that hair concentrations of nicotine were higher in cats reportedly exposed to tobacco smoke than those that were unexposed. The authors state, ”Feline hair nicotine concentration appears strongly associated with owner-reported environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Feline hair nicotine concentration could therefore be used as a biomarker for tobacco smoke exposure, allowing future studies to assess whether exposed cats have an increased risk of specific diseases.”