Symptoms Of Essential Oil Poisoning In Cats
If you think your cat has come into contact with or eaten essential oils, contact your vet immediately, even if they arent showing symptoms. It will be helpful for your vet if you can tell them which essential oil your cat may have been exposed to and the concentration of the oil. You can check the product packaging for this information.
If you notice any of the following symptoms in your cat, they could have essential oil poisoning and you should contact your vet straight away:
- excessive dribbling
- difficulty breathing or breathing with their mouth open
- vomiting
- collapse or seizures
Contact with essential oils can also cause your cats skin to become red or sore, or even result in chemical burns. However even if there is no damage to their skin, they could still be unwell.
What About Other Animals
Most people say that other animals, especially birds, should not be exposed to essential oils. However, there are documented cases of even birds excelling with the use of them.
Because of their varied and delicate nature, it is wise to steer clear of essential oils with other pets like birds, reptiles, and small rodents without the guidance of a trained professional.
Although you shouldnt apply oils or give them internally without consulting someone, there are other ways you can use oils for animals.
For instance, a drop or two of Lavender can be added to two quarts of water and used to wipe down cages after cleaning. Make sure to let it dry before reintroducing the animal.
Can Citrus Oil Be Used As A Cat Repellent
Angry street cat on green grass
So, you may have heard rumors about citrus oil being used as a cat repellent, but is this true or just rumors?
Yes, citrus oil can be used as a cat repellent. In particular, essential citrus oils. It is typically mixed with water. Usually, one part citrus oil and then three parts water then placed into a spray bottle. Then sprayed on the areas that you deem off-limits.
Another way that you can apply this is to soak into a cotton pad then place it in these off-limit areas. Apart from citrus, are there any other natural cat repellents that can be considered?
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Essential Oils For Dog Odor
If you browse around the internet, you may find many different spray recipes to deal with doggy odor. But if you look closely, many of those include oils like clove, oregano, thyme, or citrus, which you should avoid. Instead, ensure good hygiene and wash your Doodle regularly.
In summary, most of us enjoy the refreshing or calming aroma of essential oils. There are essential oils safe for dogs. However, its important that you keep in mind that some essential oils can be extremely toxic for your furry little friend.
The information on this page is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for qualified professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified animal health provider with any questions you may have.
Which Essential Oils Are Toxic To Cats Which Ones Are Safe
June 30, 2021 by Emma Carter
Your cats sense of smell is indeed exceptional. Cats have stronger senses than humans and their nose is way more sensitive than ours, so its definitely possible that scents you might find calming and wonderful, can be extremely strong and overwhelming for your cat.
If you have a domestic pet cat and you want to use essential oils, there are several things to keep in mind to ensure the safety of your pet.
This article is a complete guide for cat owners to understand how to ensure the safety of their pets because essential oils are becoming an invaluable commodity in our homes. A variety of ways you maybe already are incorporating essential oils into your daily life, include herbal remedies, aromatherapy, liquid potpourri, body care products, and natural home cleaning products.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure policy here.
Knowing the basics about the potential effects of essential oils to your cat is vital. When it boils down to the questions of the toxicity of these oils to your cats, the bottom line assures that it all depends on the quality and specific chemical elements of the oil being used.
Contents
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Is Lemon Essential Oil Safe For Dogs
Brandi Marcene · March 19, 2019
We love our pets, especially dogs 89.7 million pet dogs in the U.S. live with their owners at home. However, just because theyre mans best friend it doesnt mean that they benefit from the same things as us.
In fact, a number of things that are completely safe for us can be toxic for our canine companions, such as essential oils.
When it comes to essential oils, a common assumption is that theyre probably safe because theyre natural, after all. Nonetheless, veterinary experts say that these seemingly-therapeutic oils can be extremely toxic for dogs, especially when ingested or applied to fur.
Which Essential Oils Are Poisonous To Cats
Most essential oils are toxic to cats, including:
- cinnamon oil
- wintergreen oil
- ylang ylang oil
Essential oils are particularly dangerous to cats if they are neat and undiluted. The essential oils in toiletries, cosmetics, reed diffusers and plugin diffusers are usually diluted, however the carrier oil used to dilute the essential oil in many products can also make your cat ill if they eat it, due to the high levels of fat it contains.
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Essential Oils Toxic To Cats
Much like common houseplants that are toxic for cats, essential oils pose a threat, even in small amounts and especially when concentrated. According to the Canadian Veterinary Medicine Association , the following are just some of the essential oils toxic to cats:
- Bergamot
- Wintergreen, peppermint, spearmint and mint
- Ylang-ylang
In addition to the essential oils that you buy individually, they often appear in other household products such as paint thinner and insect repellent, which has a high risk of fatal reactions for cats, noted the CVMA.
Diy Homemade Cat Scratch Repellent Spray
Its thanks to the lemon and rosemary scents to which cats have a natural aversion. They apparently HATE both the smell of citrus and rosemary.
However, PLEASE NOTE my homemade spray uses essential oils which can be toxic to cats who dont have the liver enzymes necessary to break down the essential oils. So, if you make and use my Homemade Cat Repellant Furniture Spray, NEVER EVER spray it directly on your cat and dont even spray it if your cat is in the same room. If you know your cat licks that spot, do NOT use the spray.
Also, please make sure the essentials oils bottles are properly stored you know how curious cats can be!
The nice thing about this spray is that it smells SO good! A little woodsy because of the rosemary, but also light, fresh, and clean because of the citrus. Whenever I spray it, my husband remarks on how nice it smells in the room. He loves it!
The full printable recipe for this DIY Homemade Cat Scratch Repellent Spray is below, but youll need a few ingredients and supplies. I simply grabbed all the ingredients including the lemon essential oil, rosemary essential oil, spray bottle, and vegetable glycerin on Amazon and then picked up some distilled water from the grocery store.
Here are the links:
Saturday 18th of April 2020
The one that I used was a 16 oz bottle.
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Why Do Cats Dislike Citrus
So, you may be wondering why cats react so badly to citrus. What is it exactly that makes them not like it?
It is believed that the smell is too potent in citrus fruits for cats. Humans can smell citrus but cats have significantly stronger smelling sense than humans. This makes the smell of citrus fruits unbearable for them. This is why they hate it.
So, now you know why cats dislike citrus. But, can citrus be used as a cat repellent?
Is Breathe Essential Oil Safe For Cats
Diffused oils are very dangerous, as the oils are inhaled, Bailey said. Not only are these oil droplets dangerous themselves, but the inhalation of these oils can cause a foreign body pneumonia in cats. Symptoms of respiratory irritation include a watery nose and eyes, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
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Can Lemon Hurt Cats
So, you may have heard rumors about lemon and wondered if it can be used as a spray to repel cats. But, will it hurt them?
Yes, lemon can hurt cats. It is known to be toxic. This is because of two things the psoralens ingredient in it and high levels of citric acid it has. Therefore it is advisable to avoid using it around your cat to keep her safe.
So, now you know lemons can hurt cats. But, what happens if a cat eats a lemon?
What Is Lemon Poisoning
Generally, a small amount of lemon is sufficient to give your cat gastrointestinal symptoms The lemon tree, as well as the fruit, contains these poisons, so your cat shouldnt be given free access to it.
Think about how your cat responds to the smell of anything citrus. It may pull back and run to another area of your home as cats find any citrusy scent offensive. All citrus fruits are mildly toxic to cats. Consider every part of the fruit, from the seeds to the fruit and skin, to be toxic for your feline.
The substances found in lemons is toxic to your cat, even though you and your family can safely ingest lemons. Toxic compounds in the lemon include linalool and limonene, along with psoralens. The last compound is phototoxic, meaning it can cause your cat to suffer skin burns after exposure to sunlight.
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Using Lemon Essential Oils
Lemon essential oils can be useful to improve your dogs health, but only at very low concentrations. Use a diluted version rather than a concentrated one. In addition, be careful to only use wholly natural essential oils made from organic ingredients. This is because pesticides are often used on citrus fruits.
Essential Oils Dangerous For Cats
As mentioned above, citrus is a problem for kitties. Malissa says, Do not use citrus oils with felines ever they lack an enzyme to break down citrus. The cat might start panting heavily, which means theyre trying to process, but its too much. They might drool or vomit. You might notice them looking woozy or lethargic. It depends on how much exposure theyve had.
Other oils toxic to cats via the Pet Poison Helpline include:
- Oregano
- Tea tree oil
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Symptoms Of Essential Oil Poisoning
Cats absorb oils that are directly in contact with their skin. Oils diffused in the air are inhaled which can cause respiratory issues. They can also collect on the fur, which results in your cat ingesting them during licking and cleaning. Toxicity can occur very quickly or over a longer period of exposure.
Which Essential Oils Are Dangerous To Cats
Certain essential oils are more dangerous to cats than others. Pennyroyal and melaleuca oils have been implicated in some severe cases of seizures and liver damage. Some oils, like tea tree oil, are more toxic than others in smaller amounts.
Other essential oils that are considered particularly dangerous to cats when either ingested or exposed on the skin include cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, wintergreen, and ylang ylang.
If you suspect your cat has ingested these or any other essential oils, or has gotten essential oils on her skin, call your veterinarian and bring any packaging from the product with you to the veterinary hospital. And like any new ingredient you introduce to your cats environment, its better to be safe than sorry: give your vet a call if you have questions about what kinds of essential oils are safe to use around your cat.
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Why Do Essential Oils Affect Our Pets
The short answer, like almost anything, the use of essential oils can have both pros and cons, especially when ingested in high dosages. Some essential oils in particular may pose potentially harmful side effects to your pets as they metabolise and react to them differently than humans. In animals, essential oils are rapidly absorbed both orally and across the skin and are then metabolised in the liver.
What Are Some Essential Oil Uses For Dogs
There are many ailments that can be helped with the use of oils:
For dogs pain
Pain relief oils like Black Pepper can be used at very low dilutions as long as homeopathic remedies are also not utilized. This should be used for dogs joints, pain in dogs with arthritis, or sore muscles, and not pain from a wound.
Dogs with Cancer
It is sometimes said that dogs with cancer can benefit from oils like Frankincense, which is often recommended for tumors. However, this can have the opposite effect and may protect the cancer cells.
For dogs teeth
Freshening blends can be made with four tablespoons of baking soda mixed with a teaspoon of Sweet Almond carrier oil and a drop of oil like Spearmint or Cardamom.
Oils like Myrrh can be beneficial in blends for puppy teething pain.
For dogs paws
If your poochs paws become cracked and inflamed, a low dilution of soothing oils like Roman Chamomile can be mixed into a carrier oil like coconut.
Travelling with dogs
Travel anxiety can be reduced when using lavender oil for dogs.
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Is Strawberry A Citrus Fruit
So, now you understand the different fruits that can be classed as citrus. And, you just learned that grapes are a citrus fruit too. But, what about strawberries?
No, strawberries are not classified as citrus fruit. They are classified as a berry. Most citrus fruits contain a lot of citric acids, unlike strawberries. Hence the reason why they are not categorized as citrus.
So, now you know strawberries are not classified as citrus fruit. but they are still a tasty fruit.
Uses Of Essential Oils
We use essential oils in a wide variety of different ways, from making our homes smell delightful to helping improve our physical and emotional wellbeing. Many owners have also used essential oils with their pets to similar effect. Some of the most common uses of essential oils in animals include helping to manage their moods such as calming them down or enabling them to manage anxiety, as well as acting as a repellent for certain pests including fleas and ticks.
While essential oils have been used safely for centuries, it is important for pet owners to realize that there are in fact many different plants and flowers that are toxic to our animals. This toxicity doesnt diminish because your pet isnt coming contact with the plant itself far from it. Instead, the highly concentrated nature of the essential oil can make it even more potent in its poisonous nature. This is particularly true when you consider that cats and dogs have a sense of smell that is much more acute than our own. What might be a pleasant scent to us could be overwhelming and even painful for them to experience.
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What Exactly Are Essential Oils
Essential oils are extracts that have been taken from plants through pressing or steaming, but not every plant produces essential oil. The oils can be taken from flowers, leaves, bark, rinds, roots, and herbs and are concentrated oils that preserve the plants natural flavor and scent.
Essential oils are typically combined with a carrier oil and are commonly used in aromatherapy. They are never ingested but are usually applied to the skin or inhaled and are thought to provide benefits for physical as well as mental health.
Essential Oils That Are Not Safe For Cats
In case you don’t want to read any further, here is my quick advice regarding aromatherapy and cats:
1. DO NOT spray your cat’s favourite areas with essential oils or hydrosols. Many are tempted to get rid of cat poop and spray smells by spraying their favourite aromatherapy or other deodorizers. DON’T. Use odour absorbing baking soda, vinegar, clean with soap and water or change the litter more often.
2. DO NOT let your cat walk on tables, counters, beds etc where essential oils have recently been sprayed. Essential oils can be picked up on paws and absorbed through the skin and ingested through licking.
3. If your cat has signs of kidney or liver trouble, consider not using ANY essential oils of concern in your home. Avoid essential oils containing phenols and/or ketones.
4. Herbs are okay. Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts. Unless your cat has poor instincts, they will avoid herbs/plants that are harmful to them. if your cat is gnawing down on a plant, look up its safety for cats.
What Essential Oils Can Be Safe for Cats?
Diluted and with the advice of a knowledgeable aromatherapist or reliable resource.Chamomile, RomanRosemaryValerian
A friend of mine’s cat was facing amputation in one cancerous paw. My friend had been advised to use Polysporin on it to stave off infection. When I offered to make a salve, I started researching essential oils safety for cats and learned that essential oils may not be the safest choice for treating cats.
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