In short, there aren't any safe essential oils for cats; they all have the potential to be toxic to your fur baby. As the ASPCA pointed out, "In their concentrated form (100%), essential oils can absolutely be a danger for pets," including when the oil is placed on their skin, fur or paws.
The best essential oils that are safe for cats are rosemary, copaiba, helichrysum, oregano, frankincense and cedarwood essential oil. Cats can also tolerate chamomile, lavender, thyme and valerian essential oils at very diluted concentrations.
You should avoid using any essential oils on your cat's skin or fur unless directed by a veterinarian because they can all cause adverse reactions. Inhalation and ingestion of essential oils can lead to respiratory issues and toxicity.
Keep essential oils off cats' fur and skin.
Use diffusers and warmers in rooms without cats for short periods of time, and you should be OK.
Most essential oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil prior to applying to your pet. Examples of carrier oils include fractionated coconut oil, grape seed oil, or V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil complex (Young Living).
Depending on the size of your cat or dog, pour a small amount of coconut oil into your hands and then massage this into your pet's fur. It acts as a natural conditioner, reduces odor and helps prevent fleas.
Essential oils have not been scientifically tested to determine if they are safe for use on cats. Therefore, their effectiveness with flea and tick infestations has not been determined. An undiluted essential oil can be extremely potent and should never be used on or around your pets.
While you might like the smell, eucalyptus isn't safe to keep around cats — whether it's dried or fresh. “Eucalyptus is poisonous to cats,” Dr. Bustamante told The Dodo. “Cats are not able to metabolize chemicals found in the plant; therefore, those chemicals can damage your cat's internal organs.”
Citronella, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and rosemary will all naturally repel fleas. If your dog doesn't mind a spray bottle, dilute a few drops of your chosen essential oil into a 300ml-400ml of water and spray directly onto your dog's coat.
1. Mix together 3/4 parts water with 15 drops of each essential oil. Cats dislike eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint – just choose the ones you don't mind the scent of yourself.
Even though tea tree oil is very toxic to cats and dogs it can still be found in a variety of pet products. Claims that it repels fleas and ticks, cures allergies and soothes skin are very common. As little as 7 drops of 100% tea tree oil have been known to cause severe toxicity, and 10-20ml can easily cause death.
While it is not deadly, lavender is toxic for cats. Lavender contains linalool and linalyl acetate, which cats cannot process in their livers.
Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to cats. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.
Camphor is commonly found in topical pain or arthritis body rubs. Examples of some common trade names containing camphor include Carmex, Tiger Balm, Vicks VapoRub, Campho-Phenique, etc. Camphor is readily absorbed across the skin, and should never be applied to dogs or cats due to risks for poisoning.
Eucalyptus and Cardamom are great for upper respiratory infections or congestion in cats.
Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.
Eucalyptus is one of the plants new cat owners should stay away from. Exposure to the plant in whichever form can cause symptoms ranging from nausea and vomiting, to "seizures and collapse," per an article by Tuxedo Cat.
Likewise, geranium and eucalyptus plants give off an odor that cats dislike. Keep in mind that lavender, geranium, and eucalyptus are all somewhat toxic to cats; if ingested, they can cause excess salivation, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, depression, or dermatitis.
If you suspect that your pet has fleas, massage a generous amount of coconut oil onto the skin and hair of the animal, making sure to coat the skin well. Leave the oil on for at least 8 hours, then wash your pet with a natural, gentle shampoo.
Tea tree oil falls into this category: it can be toxic to our pets and fleas, even though it is likely safe for most humans when used on the skin. The dose required to kill all of the fleas might be fatal to your cat.
Keep a bowl filled with soapy water next to you while you work, and dunk the fleas into the water with each pass of the comb through the cat's fur. The fleas will drown in the soapy water and your cat will gain sweet relief not only from the insects' bites, but also from the annoyance of loose, shedding fur.
Although coconut oil is not poisonous to cats, it may not be the ideal addition to every cat's diet. Any change in diet, supplements, or medications can affect your cat's health. Depending on your cat, increased fat in the diet may lead to weight gain or digestive issues.
Coconut oil can be used both topically and orally to keep your cat's coat shiny and healthy and prevent dry, irritated skin from developing. It kills parasites such as mange, fleas, and ticks which are suffocated by the fat content in the oil.
Bottom line. Olive oil can be a great topical natural remedy for a variety of common cat problems such as hair balls, matted fur, and ear mites; and when incorporated into your cat's diet, it may help promote moisturized skin, regular bowel movements, and hairball prevention.