NO! IN FACT, IT IS REALLY BAD FOR CATS.
We know their pets are your babies and when Daily Post readers submit questions to us concerning natural pet care, we work to provide them with the best answer. Many want to know about their pet’s food, what they can eat, what they can’t, and about overall pet care in general. As the days grow warmer however, the focus shifts to how they can fight fleas and ticks on their pets this year without essentially ‘poisoning’ them. Many don’t want protect their pets with chemical laden flea collars, between-the-shoulder drops and tick sprays.
For many pet owners, using potentially toxic chemicals found in commercial pest control products is to be avoided if at all possible.
Cedar Oil and Cats
CEDAR OIL IS AN ESSENTIAL OIL derived from the wood of conifers trees (trees that produce cones) like the Cedar. Cedar oil is very effective at driving away any number of insect pests such as fleas and ticks, mosquitoes and even scorpions and is great for use on both dogs and people…BUT NOT CATS. It’s different with cats.
What Makes Cats so Sensitive?
There are several reasons why cats are more sensitive to essential oils than dogs and humans. In addition to their hypersensitivity to smells, their metabolism isn’t as efficient at breaking down essential oils as dogs or humans so over time, toxicity build up is a true concern and can even be fatal. Moreover, the smell is just overpowering to them that it can literally alter you cat’s behavior. Cedar oil or products containing it (like Pine-Sol) should not be used around cats, even putting it on your dog is not advised, such is the cat’s sensitivity.
CEDAR OIL IS NOT THE ONLY OIL you should be wary of though. Mint, lavender, pine, and dozens more can impact your cat negatively. Oddly, practically anything heavily scented can have a negative effect on them, including scented candles.
Chemicals dangerous to cats are phenols, ketones, and terpenes. Each of these is found in cedar oil.
Safe Cedar Oil Products
Not all cedar oils are created equally.
HYDROSOLS ARE A BY-PRODUCT OF ESSENTIAL OILS created through distillation, purportedly making them safe for use on cats. Check them out.
There are actually a few different species of cedar trees that are used to make cedar oil, and this difference in species can impact the oil components. The Texas Red Cedar and Eastern Red Cedar are used by several companies and processed in such a way to remove these dangerous chemicals to make them safe for the use on animals but do your homework before using any on your cat.
In Conclusion
IF YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH CEDAR OIL for flea and tick control, be selective when picking the best cedar oils
to use for your cat. As with any pet product, you’ll want to carefully follow the directions on the package to ensure that your pet is not being overexposed to anything that may cause them harm or discomfort.