Cats should never consume lavender because it's toxic and can cause nausea and vomiting. Lavender plants contain linalool and linalyl acetate, which are poisons to cats because they can't process these compounds. Lavender essential oils have higher concentrations of lavender with a higher level of toxicity.
Cats and Lavender: Is it Safe? According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), lavender plants are toxic to cats and can cause nausea and vomiting.
Your cat can recover from lavender poisoning as long it receives veterinary care as quickly as possible. It can recover from chemical burns it may have suffered after licking up an essential oil or potpourri.
Cats are more sensitive to lavender oil than humans, causing severe GI issues, nervous system depression, and liver damage when consumed. Cat toxicity can occur in several ways, including ingestion of the plant, inhalation of essential oils, or dermal absorption and ingestion of essential oils.
Lavender, geranium, and eucalyptus
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.
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
Lavender, which has natural sedative properties, may help soothe an anxious cat. Copaiba, helichrysum, and frankincense are also considered safe for cats. Before using essential oils, even in the form of diffused scents, around your cats, check with your holistic veterinarian for recommendations.
The small amounts of dried lavender we put in our catnip blends help promote relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety and help your cat sleep more soundly (and that might help you sleep more soundly at night as well). You may have heard that lavender oil is toxic to cats; it can cause your cat to have an upset stomach.
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.
Orange and lemon peels (cats dislike citrus smells), cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, & mustard oil.
Apply Directly on Animal
The best places to apply on a cat, dog or horse when anxious or nervous to help soothe them are behind the ears and tips of ears (NOT in the ear canal). Also, put a drop or two inside of collar or halter. This will absorb into skin and help the scent permeate in the air longer.
Many essential oils — including lavender oil — are toxic to cats and should never be given to cats orally or applied topically, in my opinion. These products can be rapidly absorbed through the digestive tract or through the skin, and then travel to the liver where they are metabolized.
In the home, cats are often scared of noisy household appliances, especially if they didn't become accustomed to them as young kittens. Vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, printers, washing machines and hairdryers are common culprits.
Some of the scents that cats hate are lemon, grapefruit, orange, citrus, lavender, white vinegar, rosemary, thyme, peppermint, and pine. Read on to learn more about what scents cats hate and how to use them to deter cats from negative behavior both inside and outside of your home.
Add baking soda to the litter: Surprisingly, baking soda is a great all-natural deodorizer that is both safe for cats and can help manage the litter box smell. By mixing a little bit of baking soda with the litter, you can help absorb any urine odors also.
The smell can last 3-5 days. Cats can smell over a mile depending on wind conditions. Then make the scent strip and “Cat Chum” (Described below) trails back in the most direct and safe way to your house and/or traps.
The mystery of why cats hate cucumbers is normally explained by the natural fear cats have towards snakes. To a feline's eyes a cucumber can look similar enough to the pesky reptile to elicit their fear response and make them jump a few feet in the air to avoid being bitten.
Odour repellent
Cats are incredibly sensitive to smell so strong scents such as lavender, peppermint or cinnamon are great for keeping them away. Choose one of these scents, mix it with water and spray it around the garden.
Dried or fresh, eucalyptus is dangerous for your cat. Your cat can experience salivation, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion and other concerning symptoms after consuming this potent houseplant. To keep your cats safe, use eucalyptus essential oil in a sealed container instead of fresh or dried plants.
Texture: Sticky paper, aluminum foil, heavy plastic or a plastic carpet runner (knubby side up) can be placed in areas you want to be off limits. Cats hate walking on these surfaces.
Animals – even our beloved pets – can spread germs that can make people sick, from parasites to bacteria. Even clean and healthy pets can spread germs. Odds are that you aren't washing your hands enough around your pets.
Using “baby talk” could effectively grab your cat's attention, a small study finds. But this bond appears unique to owners: When strangers addressed the cats, even high-pitched cooing wasn't enough to pique the animals' interest.
Incense, as well as essential oils and other VOCs are not good for cats. Their livers don't metabolize a lot of things like humans and dogs. So if you are going to burn incense, do it in a well ventilated room and give your cats breaks from incense burning.