Are essential oils safe for cats?
A vast amount of Essential Oils are toxic to animals. Most are incredibly toxic to cats in particular, who are missing an enzyme in their liver needed to process some of the compounds that make up the oils. As the compounds cannot leave the body, they build up and poison your cat, this has been known to lead to death. Essential oils should not be applied to them, and most should not be diffused into the air either, as they enter the body through the nose and lungs, and fall onto fur which is later licked. (Small animals such as birds and rodents are also at high risk of death from essential oils).
What about essential oils and dogs?
Although some are not proven harmful in the air around larger dogs, unlike cats where the reverse is true, The RSPCA, ASPCA, PDSA and Vets alike agree that the very large list, and the opinions on research within veterinary science is varied, dependant on breed and size, and complex.
Are the plants the same as the oils?
Whole herb (the plant itself) contains a very different biochemical make-up than the essential oil. This is because essential oil is one group of constituents (or natural chemicals) that has been extracted from the plant, leaving other constituents behind. This concentrates the essential oil compounds and changes the action of the oil. This is why some plants are safe for cats to nibble on, where as inhaling the essential oil from that plant is s toxic. Much mis-information about essential oils online line is caused by this very basic misunderstanding... the essential oil extracted from the plant acts differently to the plant itself when it it inside the body! The use of early generation AI tools has increased this recently, as it failed to identify if the information it is taking is referring to the whole the plant, the oil, or another extract. Be aware of this as the misinformation is regurgitated by newer AI tools the scour the internet for information.
The Most Toxic Oils for Cats:
- Bay
- Bergamot
- Birch
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Citronella
- Eucalyptus
- Fir
- Geranium
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Oregano
- Pennyroyal
- Pine
- Sage
- Spruce
- Tea Tree
- Thyme
- Wintergreen
Oils that may be considered for use in small amounts in the same room your cats use, (although still best avoided whilst in the same room):
- Frankincense
- Helichrysum
- Sweet Pea
- Roman Chamomile
- German Chamomile
- Rosemary
- Cedarwood
- Copaiba
Therefore, as Veterinary Aromatherapy is a different discipline from human aromatherapy, please do not use essential oils on, or in the same room as your pets and if you wish to pursue a natural treatment for your animals, consult your vet. The internet is full of mis-information. Why risk your beloved friend?
