Cats and Essential Oils
- Debbie
- Jan 14, 2018
- 2 min read
I am not a veterinarian, nor do I intend for anything in this post to take the place of advice from your veterinarian or encourage you to do something that makes you uncomfortable.
As an Essential Oil Educator, I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing your oils. The recent stories about cats dying from diffusing essential oils has prompted this post. My heart breaks for these folks who have lost beloved pets.
Essential oils are not something to be taken lightly - they are potent and powerful! It is mandatory to use only the highest quality oils out there. Merely seeing the word “pure” on the label is not enough. I shared an article recently on my FB page from Dr. Pappas about a particular brand of oil whose label stated “pure” when in fact 1 of the oils tested contained a potentially toxic ingredient. This is no joke!
Cats lack an enzyme in their liver that makes them susceptible to all sorts of toxic reactions. There are lists out there of specific oils to avoid around cats. There are also many oils you can safely use. Since I would rather err on the side of caution, I personally never use any oils topically on my cats. Topically on a cat may also mean internally due to their grooming.
I do diffuse frequently. In fact it was a running joke that 1 of my cats had her own diffuser. I diffuse a calming oil in my bedroom for her benefit when I have company because she is very anxious with people in the house. However, she is never shut in with the diffuser running.
There is a developing science called zoopharmacognosy that shows animals will choose/seek out that which they need and avoid things that are harmful to them. It is important to always allow your animals an escape route. Always monitor your animals reactions to any type of essential oil activity. Just like people, different animals can react differently to the same oil. If their behavior concerns you, stop what you are doing and consult your vet.
My diffusers are water based and not nebulizer style. In a water based diffuser a few drops of oil are added to the basin area containing water. A nebulizer style draws oils directly from the bottle and dispersing them into the air. Water based is highly preferable in a home with pets, or even small children.
Again, I use only the highest quality of therapeutic quality essential oils that have been third party tested. When diffusing where my cats may be I use only 2, maybe 3, drops of essential oil. There are expert resources out there for using essential oils with our animals. I have dogs, horses, and cats. As I said previously, my cats exposure is strictly through diffusing. I use oils aromatically and topically with my dogs and horses, but I follow information from a certified animal aromatherapist as well as a veterinarian who uses essential oils. Even though those folks are experts in their field, I would not do anything that made me uncomfortable.
Education is key - for us and our animals.
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