Everybody is talking about the many benefits of using essential oils these days. Essential oils are good for us humans, but can be quite harmful to our pets, especially cats. We might not directly apply these oils to your cats, but many of us use essential oils with diffusers. Even the fragrance of these oils in the air can be toxic for cats. If you own a cat, here is what you must know before bringing essential oils into your home.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are oils extracted from certain plants. These oils are extracted via the distillation process, or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. These oils carry a powerful fragrance, or “essence” of the plant they are extracted from. Some of these oils are obtained through chemical processes today, which we cannot even consider them true essential oils. Essential oils are used for a variety of purposes, some use it for aromatherapies, and others use it for personal care products, flavorings, and herbal remedies.

Why are essential oils toxic for cats?

As mentioned earlier, essential oils carry the natural fragrance of the plant they are extracted from. This fragrance is strong, and we all know that the olfactory senses of cats are very sensitive. Moreover, the molecules present in these oils tend to react vigorously with the compounds in a cat’s body. Essential oils are toxic for cats because they have the potential to completely disturb the natural chemistry of a cat’s body, and give rise to a variety of health concerns.

Which essential oils are toxic for cats?

It is recommended that you speak to your vet first if you’re thinking about using any essential oil in your home. There are a few essential oils that are potentially harmless to cats, but they should only be used in small quantities at home. Like we said, never use essential oil before consulting your vet.

Some essential oils that are known to be harmful to cats include, but are not limited to, tea tree, peppermint, citrus oils, ylang-ylang, lavender, wintergreen, sweet birch, pine, eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, pennyroyal, thyme, and oregano.

How can you tell if your cat is reacting to essential oils?

There are several ways to know whether your cat is having a bad reaction. Some common signs and symptoms include:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Difficulty in walking or stumbling
• Shaking and trembling
• Pawing at the mouth or face
• Seizures
• Redness or burn on tongue, gums, skin or lips
• The fragrance of essential oils on their fur, skin, breath or vomit

Some cats who have had skin contact with essential oils may develop a sore or red skin or a chemical skin burn. If your cat has eaten any food containing essential oils, you must quickly contact your vet, even if it does not show any of the symptoms mentioned above. These symptoms may take a while to appear, so you must act before the situation becomes worse.