Animals and tea tree oil

[Lorrie Anderson]

I have had some conflicting info regarding the use of tea tree oil on various animals- cats specifically. Some say it's poisonous to cats. Is this true?

 

[Jerico]

I don't know but when my cat has been in fights I have put a couple of drops on a wet cotton wool pad to clean cuts & bites. Admittedly I have only done it if it's been on his head or neck where he can't lick afterwards.

 

[jerseyshorelover]

Cats' levers apparently can't break down essential oils very easily, so to be on the safe side they should be avoided http://www.cybercanine.com/cat.htm says even inhaling them is a problem.

I have been using essential oils for about 18years. I have a 16year old cat, that was growing up through my early aromatherapy obsession, oils in burner most of the time, and most of that was in a small flat, so he was exposed to essential oils quite a bit. I never applied any on his skin, but he certainly inhaled a lot of them. I'm in a house now, and have my treatment room in the house. I get exposed enough to the oils in my treatment room that I don't use them through the rest of the house, but he still tries to get in the treatment room if he can, so he doesn't avoid them (there are generally 2 closed doors between him and the treatment room, but he is a cat and the minute they can get in somewhere they shouldn't.....) The vet says he is in good condition for his age. So in my experience, a cat inhaling essential oils doesn't seem to be that much of a concern. BUT I do think the liver breaking down essential oil problem probably applies for oils applied directly on the cat, they do metabolise things quite differently to us.

 

[hgmabrni]

Thanks for the feedback . He sounds like one happy cat Cola!

 

[ARMY*WIFE[lovin life]]

I had a young kitty that died about a year and a half ago from liver failure. She was only 7, and when I got her as a kitten she was very ill, but the vets didn't know what was wrong with her. So, over the years she ate healthy and was a fairly happy cat, my faericat.. She got an abscess or some sort of open wound, and I treated it with diluted tea tree and lavender essential oils (pure) I did some research, so I thought it was ok.. but now reading up again, I'm thinking I might have poisoned my love She died before I could get any blood tests done.. It will always be the unknown.