Why Are Essential Oils Bad For Cats?

Essential oils are versatile and soothing, perfect for all sorts of aromatherapy. Unfortunately, they are not suitable to be used around cats. Here is why you should avoid essential oils in the presence of cats!

Essential oils are toxic to cats

While essential oils are generally safe for humans if you use them properly (i.e. you do not ingest them!), and they are also popular in dog shampoos, conditioners, and deodorisers, they are pretty much all harmful to cats.

When exposed to essential oils, cats can suffer from the following:

• Liver damage/liver failure
• Respiratory failure
• Seizures
• Death
• Watery nose and eyes
• Vomiting
• Difficulty breathing

Because of the great risk of suffering and even potential death, you should NOT use any essential oils near cats. They can be seriously dangerous for cats to inhale or come into contact with.

How can you safely use essential oils around a cat?

When thinking about how to use essential oils, it is important to consider the safety of your pets. Cats in particular handle essential oils very poorly because their systems can not process and detoxify these natural chemicals the same way humans or even dogs can. Pet owners are strongly advised to use essential oils with caution. Do NOT use essential oils on your cat, diffused in an enclosed room or small space, or on any products a cat is likely to lick!

In a well ventilated room and out of reach of your feline friends, essential oils can be safely diffused. But we recommend you never leave a cat unsupervised in a space with a diffuse, and it is a good idea to have a conversation with your veterinarian if you’re bringing a new kind of product to your cat’s environment.

Other than the essential oils being toxic for cats, there is also the problem that symptoms can be hard to discern. If a cat has difficulty breathing or is experiencing distress, you may simply think it is trying to cough up a hairball.

Is diffusing essential oils safe for pets?

Some people may think that since diffusers are safe for people to use, they should be safe for pets too. However, this is not always the case!

Diffused essential oils are typically highly toxic to felines. Because diffusing essential oils essentially leads to droplets of essential oils being inhaled, it may cause respiratory problems in cats. Even if you have a special diffuser that aerosolises the oil, it is still dangerous to your cat.

Get high quality essential oils today

My Herb Clinic offers a wide array of high quality essential oils in gorgeous bottles. We value the safety of everyone trying out essential oils, including our furry friends. Reach out to us if you have any questions about the safe and effective use of essential oils.