Over the past few years, the concept of aromatherapy and the use of essential oils has gained rapid popularity. Essential oils are affordable and boast numerous benefits due to which essential oils have become a significant part of our lives.
Scents made of essential oils are known for improving the moods of the people and even set a positive atmosphere in a room. By placing essential oil diffusers in your room, you can relax in the best possible manner and sleep well at night. In addition to this, essential oils play a noticeable role in inflammation relief, pain relief, boosting the immune system, and healing skin irritation problems. With so many benefits that essential oils offer, having them in the homes has become very common.
The question to ponder upon is, whether essential oils are a perfect choice for all kinds of households? Well, if you are a pet owner, using essential oils might not be the wisest option for you, especially if you are a cat owner.
Essential Oils and Cats: A Toxic Combination
There are several essential oils that cat owners use for their cats for treating the mite infestations, stress build-up, and upper respiratory problems. If you are one of them, it is okay for you to question the claim that essential oils are dangerous for cats.
It was in the year 2018 that the debate over whether the essential oils are safe to use for cats or not began. Sue Murray, a cat owner, posted that she had accidentally poisoned her cat by using an essential oil diffuser in her home. It stirred tension amongst the car owners, and people began to research whether the claim was true or not.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there are several essential oils that are extremely dangerous for the cats. The most harmful ones include orange, lemon, and eucalyptus. These essential oils are the leading causes of tremors among cats.
As compared to other animals such as dogs, cats are at a higher risk of being poisoned due to essential oils. The reason behind it is the fact that cats lack certain enzymes which are responsible for metabolizing the compounds in essential oils such as phenols. Essential oils are rich in phenolic compounds. Consumption of essential oils negatively affects the cat’s liver which paves the way for several fatal diseases and illnesses.
The essential oils that are extremely hazardous for the cats include wintergreen, peppermint, citrus, pine, cinnamon, pennyroyal, sweet birch, clove, and ylang-ylang oils. There are some essential oils such as basil, cinnamon, fennel, hibiscus, rose, sage, and jasmine that are non-toxic for cats. It is important to understand that applying excess of even the non-toxic essential oils can cause toxicity in the cats.
Essential Oil Poisoning in Cats
There are several ways your cat might be exposed to essential oils. If you have essential oils diffuser in your home, your cat might inhale some content while breathing. When you apply essential oils on their skin and fur, the essential oils will enter the body when the cat licks their body for cleaning.
Exposure to toxic essential oils may cause poisoning in your cat’s body. Pondering over the possibility of whether your cat has fallen victim to essential oil poisoning or not? If you observe excessive drooling, vomiting, tremors, wobbliness, or any kind of respiratory distress, there are chances that your cat has essential oil poisoning.
Possible Ways Your Cat Might be exposed to Essential Oils
Not using essential oils on your cats but still observing the symptoms of poisoning in your cat? Well, there are some other ways your cat might be exposed to the harmful essential oils.
Essential Oil Diffusers
Having essential oil diffusers is very common in households. The cats inhale the essential oils while breathing in a room where you have placed the diffuser. You might not even realize it until the symptoms get very severe. Therefore, it is best not to have essential oil diffusers in your home if you have a cat as a pet. If the diffuser is necessary for your health, you must keep the room closed where you have the diffuser placed.
Licking the Owner’s Skin
When you play with your cat or are caressing them, the cat might lick your hand out of love and playfulness. If you have applied essential oil on your skin and your cat licks your hands or feet, they are consuming essential oils. You become the source of essential oil for your cat. When you apply essential oil on your skin, try not to get close to your cat and do not let them lick your skin.
Aromatherapy Jewelry
Aromatherapy jewelry is also something people wear normally around the house. When you are around your cat, do not wear aromatherapy jewelry as it contains essential oil compounds that causing poisoning in them.
Before you purchase essential oil products for your cat, make sure that they are 100% pure. Products with 2-3% of essential oil content are suitable for the cats. Try to reduce your use of essential oils if you have a cat to look after because essential oils are dangerous for them.