Month: January 2022

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Essential oils are a popular tool for home wellness and perfumery. Not only can they be bought bottled, but essential oils are now found in many personal care, cleaning, and scented products. We know that some substances which are safe for humans can be toxic to our pets, like certain foods, so should oil enthusiasts with cats be concerned?

Essential Oil Toxicity in Cats

The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus is credited with the saying, “The dose makes the poison.” If taken the wrong way or in too great a quantity, essential oils are toxic to humans. Consider how much smaller your cat is than you [7, 9, 10, 14]. Their biology isn’t quite the same, either. Nature didn’t intend cats to consume a lot of plant materials. They have lower levels of the liver enzymes necessary to metabolize chemicals called phenols and terpenes that are found in certain essential oils [1-5, 9, 12]. The following oils are known to be toxic to cats:

• Cinnamon
• Citrus (lemon, lime, orange, bergamot)
• Clove
• Eucalyptus
• Pennyroyal
• Peppermint
• Pine
• Sweet Birch
• Tea Tree/Melaleuca
• Wintergreen
• Ylang Ylang

Research on the effects of essential oils on cats is sparse, so there is no guarantee that oils which are not on this list are safe [5, 10]. Individual cats could be sensitive to oils that most cats are not, as well [7]. Therefore, use caution when trying out any essential oil around your cat for the first time.

The symptoms of essential oil toxicity in cats depend upon the oil, the dose, and the method of exposure, but there are things you can look out for. Common symptoms are watery nose or eyes, drooling, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors, wobbliness, low heart rate, and low body temperature [2-5, 8, 9, 12, 13]. In severe cases, essential oil poisonings can cause liver failure and death [2-5, 8, 12]. While there is no specific cure for essential oil toxicity, most cats recover well with supportive care such as bathing to remove the oil, intravenous fluids, medication, and heat [4, 5, 8, 12].

How To Keep Cats Safe Around Essential Oils

Cats may be exposed to oils by inhalation, absorption through the skin, or ingestion. Because of their fastidious grooming habits, cats are likely to ingest any oils that end up on their fur [2, 3, 5, 9-12]. You can use essential oils safely in a home with cats. You just need to be careful and keep all the possible routes of exposure in mind.

Cats may inhale essential oils that are aerosolized from lit scented candles, liquid potpourri, air fresheners, diffusers, or similar. Whenever you are using one of these products around your cat, make sure that your cat is able to leave the area if it gets to be too much for them [7, 9, 10]. Watch for signs of respiratory irritation like coughing, panting, or watery eyes and nose [3, 10]. If your cat shows symptoms, move them to fresh air immediately and bring them to a veterinarian if their condition does not improve within a few minutes [3, 9].

If your cat has asthma, allergies, or other respiratory conditions or is exposed to second-hand smoke, it is best not to diffuse essential oils or use essential oil-containing products that put particles into the air [3, 5, 9].

Always keep essential oils and products that contain them out of your cat’s reach, especially in the case of open diffusers or warmers. Cats are often repelled by the smell of substances that are toxic to them, but not always, and there have been cases of cats drinking essential oils [9]. Keeping oils, diffusers, etc. away from cats also prevents curious kitties from knocking over or breaking said containers and spilling the oil all over themself which can be very dangerous.

Of course, use extra caution with the essential oils that are known to be toxic to cats. And never apply concentrated essential oils to your cat’s skin or fur. Don’t use oils on your cat at all without consulting a veterinarian first.

Can Essential Oils Be Good for Cats?

That being said, there are times when essential oils can be used for your pet’s benefit. Unfortunately, as with oil toxicity, the research is scarce, so little can be said for certain. Proponents of using essential oils for pets say that they can be used to heal wounds and abscesses; get rid of fleas, ticks, and ear mites; treat upper respiratory infections; and treat Otitis externa, a.k.a. canker of the ear [1, 7, 10]. Sadly, irresponsible use of oils, particularly tea tree oil, for these purposes has caused suffering and occasionally death for the cats of well-meaning owners [4, 8, 13]. However, what little research there is has demonstrated that when used properly, certain essential oils show promise for the treatment of several conditions oil enthusiasts have claimed they do.

Ebani et al. found that the essential oils of oregano, clary sage, and rosemary showed promise in the treatment of Otitis externa, depending upon the strain of bacteria or fungus that caused it [6]. In testing plant oils against a fungus that causes ringworm, Mugnaini et al. determined that the oils of oregano and wild thyme showed strong antifungal activity [11]. Regarding ear mites, a study of ear mites in cats found garlic oil, marjoram oil, and ozonated olive oil to be effective at reducing the infestation [15]. While the oils were not as effective as the pharmaceutical medication, the authors concluded that they were “cheap, easily applicable, and safe alternatives to conventional treatments with no side effects” [15].

Works Cited

1. Baser, K. H. C. & Franz, C. (2010). Essential oils used in veterinary medicine. In K. H. C. Baser & G Buchbauer (Eds.), Handbook of essentials oils: Science, technology, and applications (pp. 881-894). Taylor and Francis Group: Boca Raton, FL.
2. Beck, A. (2019, August 30). Is it safe to use essential oils with cats? University Veterinary Hospital. https://uvhvets.com/is-it-safe-to-use-essential-oils-with-cats/
3. Benson, K. (n.d.). Essential oils and cats. Pet Poison Helpline. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/essential-oils-cats/
4. Bischoff, K. & Guale, F. (1998). Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil poisoning in three purebred cats. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 10, 208-210. DOI: 10.1177/104063879801000223
5. Cavanaugh, K. & Kornya, M. (2018, July 31). Cats and essential oils. Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/documents/cats-and-essential-oils
6. Ebani, V. V., Nardoni, S., Bertelloni, F., Najar, B., Pistelli, L., & Mancianti, F. (2017). Antibacterial and antifungal activity of essential oils against pathogens responsible for Otitis Externa in dogs and cats. Medicines, 4(2), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines4020021
7. Essential oils a pets: A quick how-to. (2019, October 25). Young Living. https://www.youngliving.com/blog/essential-oils-for-pets-a-quick-how-to/
8. Genovese, A. G., McLean, M., & Khan, S. A. (2012). Adverse reactions from essential oil-containing natural flea products exempted from Environmental Protection Agency regulations in dogs and cats. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 22(4), 470-475. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00780.x
9. Howard, B. (2020, August 24). How to keep cats safe around essential oils. Daily Paws. https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/health-care/cat-poisoning-toxins/essential-oils-safe-for-cats
10. How I use essential oils safely for my pets. And you can, too! (n.d.). Capital Illini Veterinary Services. https://www.capitolillinivet.com/blog/how-i-use-essential-oils-safely-for-my-pets-and-you-can-too/
11. Mugnaini, L., Nardoni, S., Pinto, L., Pistelli, L., Leonardi, M., Pisseri, F., et al. (2012). Activité antifongique de quelques huiles essentielles de plantes in vitro et in vivo sur Microsporum canis isolé chez le chat. Journal de Mycologie Médicale, 22(2), 179-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mycmed.2012.04.003
12. Schmid, R., Brutlag, A., & Flint, C. (n.d.). Essential oil and liquid potpourri poisoning in cats. VCA Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/essential-oil-and-liquid-potpourri-poisoning-in-cats
13. Villar, D., Knight, M. J., Hansen, S. R., & Buck, W. B. (1994). Toxicity of melaleuca oil and related essential oils applied topically on dogs and cats. Veterinary and Human Toxicology, 36(2), 139-142. https://europepmc.org/article/med/8197716
14. Worwood, V. A. (2016). The complete book of essential oils and aromatherapy (25th anniversary edition). New World Library: Novato, CA.
15. Yipel, F. A., Acar, A., & Yipel, M. (2016). Effect of some essential oils (Allium sativum L., Origanum majorana L.) and ozonated olive oil on the treatment of ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) in cats. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 40, 782-787. DOI: 10.3906/vet-1508-10

Published January 9, 2022