My cat inhaled peppermint oil. Is it toxic or harmful to her?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

  Veterinarian

  Published on October 20th, 2021

  I'm glad to hear that you're cleaning up the peppermint oil. The worst toxic effects from peppermint oil in cats come from them ingesting it or directly inhaling fairly large amounts. The fact that you can smell it in the air means that your cat is still able to inhale a small amount, but odds are slim that this would be problematic. The challenge with most essential oils is that we just don't know how much is too much with respect to toxicity. I think that wiping the oil that you'd applied and opening some windows to air out your home as much as possible should be perfectly fine in terms of keeping your cat safe.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

• Answered By Debi Matlack

  Veterinary Technician

  Published on March 4th, 2015

  If ingested, the peppermint plant and its oil could indeed potentially cause harm to your cat. Cats are especially sensitive to peppermint oil, and effects such as gastrointestinal upset, central nervous system depression and even liver damage could occur if ingested in significant quantities. Some peppermint oil formulations also contain aspirin derivatives, which could result in additional toxicity. Furthermore, if inhalation of the volatile oil were to occur, aspiration pneumonia may be possible. Based on this, we would not recommend using peppermint leaves or oil in areas where your cat is allowed access.

  

  17Pet Parents found this answer helpful