Are essential oils safe for my cat's skin or if she licks them?

I did research the name, and I could not find any information about it being toxic to cats. I suspect that if it was causing problems, it would have come up on my veterinary database. However, I am not a big fan of essential oils in cats. They do not tolerate them as well as dogs do. So, I would not use it again in my cats to be on the safe side. I think that they are going to be just fine. If they did start to show irritation - you will need to bathe in Dawn dish soap to get the oil off. I don't expect it at all, but just wanted to let you know what to use if they did get irritated. Good luck! Thanks for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Essential oils tend to be toxic to pets, especially cats. If you use it for yourself just be sure your skin is covered when Firecracker is around and she doesn't get it on her fur or lick it off your skin. If you are careful I am sure you and still use it and she'll be fine! I hope this helps!

My take is that all essential oils are potentially very dangerous for cats so i would never take the chance. in addition and from experience, these products do not work to protect dogs from ticks and fleas so i strongly doubt they would work on cats.

The biggest problem with essential oils is not the smell, but when the oil gets onto the cat and they lick it off. This can happen when the oil is aerosolized or if it is sprayed or poured and the cat walks through it since they will then lick their paws. So, if you have sprayed or poured the peppermint oil in an area that Luna may walk through, then make sure you wash the area well. The strong smell is mainly a concern if a cat has asthma and is not associated with the toxicity aspect of essential oils. I am attaching a link to more information about essential oils below for your information. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/essential-oils-cats/ I have used diluted peppermint oil in my house and my cats have not had any problem, but you need to be careful that they do not have any access to it. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Essential oils can cause problems in pets, especially if ingested or if they cannot get away from the smell. I do recommend not use the lotion around Ginger as it is best to play it safe. Do not keep the oils in an area where Ginger can access them. Do not apply the strong smelling lotion in small spaces or areas without good ventilation. Here is a link about essential oils: https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-essential-oils-and-cats/ I hope this answers your questions and best of luck.

I will link a website below that has lists of the many essential oils that are toxic to cats and ones that are safe around cats. Just as a note, lavender , fir needle, and spruce essential oils are all toxic to cats. Safe essential oils include cedar wood, lemongrass, peppermint, and rosemary. http://essentialoilworld.com/essentialoilreviews/essential-oil-safety-with-cats/

Hello. Cats are very curious, but very careful when tasting new things. It is very unlikely that she got more that a small lick begore deciding this was pretty nasty stuff. Essential oils can be toxic to cats, the problem occurs when people mistakenly apply them to a pet, & then a cat is almost forced to lick her coat. So investigating the soap pump will not be harmful to Squishy. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.