Scents That Could Be Harmful To Your Cats and Kittens

There is nothing like the poise and elegance of a feline companion in your life. And, it is even nicer if some of the unpleasant smells from the essential litter box could me perfectly masked over as well. This is especially important in smaller rooms and living spaces.

But, cats are not like humans or even dogs and can be especially sensitive to certain substances from smoke to harsh chemicals. In the following reading we will provide an at-a-glance overview of some of the more common air freshening solutions and how each one could affect the health of your cats and kittens.

Air Freshening solutions

Essential Oils –

Essential oils are a very healthy and natural way to keep your areas clean and fresh. But, these oils represent a concentration of phytocompounds which can be highly toxic to some animals. If your cat were to lick essential oils from their fur or your fingers, they could become poisoned. Furthermore, essential oils can cause harm to the cat’s delicate skin and fur and lead to other health conditions.

Dry Potpourri –

Often used in the bathroom and made of a beautiful selection of decorative leaves, cones, and berries, potpourri is a fascinating thing to cats. They will often scatter the contents of your potpourri bowls and play with satchels of cedar wood for hours. But, like essential oils, these fragrances could be toxic. They may also splinter and fragment causing digestive issues if swallowed.

Scented candles –

Especially popular around the holidays, scented candles are generally safer to use around cats although they still contain toxins that can cause issues if they are ingested. Furthermore, cats must be saved from their own curiosity, there are cases of cats being burned and catching on fire when playing too close to candles. Be sure you pay close attention to your cats if they are in the vicinity of your burning candles.

Air Fresheners and Plug-Ins –

These aromatic products disperse a large number of particles in the air and these are dispersed far and wide. Some of these contain compounds that are especially harmful to cats and can cause coughing, tracheal collapse (kennel cough), and feline allergies bronchitis, also called cat asthma.

Incense –

This is by far the most time-honored ways to make you home, shrine, or palace smell heavenly. But, there is increasing evidence that warns about the potential health risks of this product in closed spaces. Cats are more affected by smoke than humans and dogs and you will want to avoid incense use around them. This might be a good time to leave “Missy” on the balcony.

Cat Safe Aromatic Products

Simmering

One of the safest ways to diffuse pleasant odors in your cat’s area is to simmer them with safe air freshener. You can drop a few cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans or mint leaves in water and soon the entire area will smell fragrant. But, you will still want to be careful with the small flame these simmering units use.

Febreeze

The ASPCA has completed their review and the good news is that Febreeze is a pet-safe product that you can use in your house to banish all types of pet smells.

Posted in: Life Tips