Essential Oils and Pets: What Every Owner Should Know

We are a nation of animal lovers, and many of our customers share their homes with a cat, a dog or a chatty budgie. The good news is that you can usually enjoy essential oils in a pet-friendly home, as long as you follow a few sensible rules.

Why pets are more sensitive

• A far stronger sense of smell: a dog’s nose is many thousands of times more sensitive than ours, so a scent that seems gentle to us can feel overwhelming to them.
• Cats process things differently: cats lack some of the liver enzymes that help break down certain compounds found in essential oils, so they need the most care of all.
• Birds have delicate lungs: their respiratory systems are extremely sensitive to anything in the air, including scented products.
• Grooming: cats and dogs lick their fur, so anything that settles on their coat can be swallowed.

Our pet-friendly rules

1. Never apply essential oils to your pet, and never add them to their food, water or bedding.
2. Always leave an exit. Diffuse with a door open so your pet can walk away if they do not like the scent.
3. Keep sessions short, around 30 minutes, in a well-ventilated room.
4. No diffusing in rooms with birds, small caged animals or fish tanks.
5. Keep bottles out of reach. A chewed bottle is an emergency, not a mess.
6. Wash your hands after applying roll-ons or massage oils before stroking your pet.
7. Place reed diffusers and candles where tails and paws cannot knock them over.

Oils to take extra care with

Many vets advise particular caution around pets with tea tree, peppermint and other mints, eucalyptus, wintergreen and sweet birch, cinnamon and clove, pine, and citrus oils, especially around cats. If you share your home with a cat, the safest approach is to diffuse only occasionally, in a room your cat can leave.

Signs your pet is unhappy with a scent

Watch for drooling, pawing at the face, sneezing, watery eyes, unusual tiredness, wobbliness or breathing changes. If you notice any of these, switch off the diffuser, open the windows, move your pet to fresh air and call your vet.

Pet-friendlier ways to enjoy scent

• Use a home and linen spray lightly in rooms your pet does not sleep in.
• Enjoy a roll-on on your own wrists rather than scenting the whole room.
• Choose gentle, low-intensity diffusing over long, strong sessions.

Every animal is different. If your pet is elderly, pregnant, unwell or has breathing problems, ask your vet before using essential oils at home. You can find more advice in our essential oil safety guide.