Is it true that people who keep cats for a long time will accumulate cat hair in their lungs?

Oct 28,2023
3Min

Anyone who owns a cat knows that cats shed more when the seasons change. There is cat hair in almost every corner of the house. Many people worry about whether cat hair will have a health impact on people over time. Inhaling cat hair into the lungs? There are even rumors on the Internet that cat hair has been found in the lungs of babies! Cat owners who inhale cat hair into the lungs will develop lung cancer in one or two years!

Is this true or false?

​First, let’s understand the respiratory system.

Nose hair is not the only thing that prevents foreign matter from entering the respiratory tract. The respiratory airflow of the nose and the trachea of ​​the respiratory tract both have this function.

Only foreign bodies with a diameter of 10 μm can enter the respiratory tract, while those with a diameter of 0.5 μm to 2 μm can enter the bronchi, and those with a diameter less than 0.5 μm can enter the lungs.

The diameter of a cat hair is about 20 μm to 60 μm. This number is far larger than the size that can enter the human respiratory tract, let alone the bronchus or even the lungs.

Even if a person accidentally inhales cat hair, the foreign matter will be expelled through the body's reflexes such as sneezing, coughing, etc.

It will not accumulate in the human body, so you can rest assured.

As a side note, instead of worrying about the impact of cat hair on the lungs, people might as well go out less during hazy days.

Cat hair can be inhaled into the lungs, which is nonsense! Rumor!

On the contrary, Academician Zhong Nanshan once pointed out: Keeping pets can help children adapt to allergens early and greatly reduce the chance of children suffering from asthma. It is recommended that the sooner you keep a pet, the better!

In addition, there is no cat that does not shed. (Except hairless cats)

Some cat owners shave cats as soon as summer comes. In fact, this behavior is more harmful to cats: 1. Shaving does not help the cat’s heat dissipation; 2. Shaving can easily cause depression in cats.

The correct approach is: 1. Brushing the cat's hair diligently; 2. Cleaning diligently. Article source: Love Cat WeChat public account

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