Aromatherapy has become popular because its therapuetic effects have been proven effective in giving the human body the benefits of relaxation and rejuvenation. However, many make the mistake of thinking that their cats or dogs are enjoying the same benefits. On the contrary, this isn’t actually the case, especially if in use for therapeutic purposes. There’s a level of toxicity in essential oils, which could have some undesirable and even dangerous effects on animals.

Bear in mind that essential oils are concentrates of the active biological properties of plants, which through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact can enter the bloodstream. Some of these essential oils are actually harmful to animals, to which broad, frequent and direct exposure becomes toxic for pets and for the health of their organs.

Although lavender, cinnamon, citrus and other essential oils can have calming and soothing effects on the himan body, some of these contain compounds that certain types of animals cannot tolerate in their systems.

Animals Have Different Body Systems and Organ Compositions

Related scientific studies conducted by animal experts have established the fact that animals have different body systems when compared to humans. That is why certain essential oils used for therapeutic purposes can actually have adverse effects on animals once they enter the body, pass through the bloodstream and reach the vital organs.

Cats for one do not have the capability to produce liver enzyme to use for metabolism, which makes cats particularly sensitive to essentials oils,

Essential Oils that are Harmful to Cats and Dogs

While some essential oils may have no effect on dogs, take note that essential oils derived from citrus, clove, cinnamon, cassia, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, spruce, peppermint, thyme and tea tree, are known to cause harmful effects on cats.

Essential oils from clove, garlic, tea tree, thyme, juniper, rosemary and wintergreen, are particularly harmful to dogs.

Safety measures therefore must be observed in homes where essential oils are regularly used for aromatherapy or for  medicinal purposes. Since animals have keen senses of smell, make sure they are not in the same room, or can have a safe place in which to stay during the aromatherapy healing session.

1. Store the essential oils in places that animals cannot reach.

2. Essential oil spills should be thoroughly wiped clean to make certain that the house pet will not lick some residues off the floor.

3. If by chance, some essential oil gets into the skin or fur of your cat or dog, wash it off immediately and thoroughly using dishwashing liquid with powerful grease-cutting ability.

4. If you or any of the members of the household use perfumes that make use of essential oils as main components, be sure to remind every one not to diffuse or spray the fragrance while pets are around. The animals might lick droplets of the diffused substance without anyone noticing it. Neither should they let pets lick or inhale areas of the skin where the perfume was applied.

The popular Italian fragrance Xerjoff has a line of perfume called Naxos, named after the mythical Greek Island with the same name and famous for its traditional use of essential oils as healing and rejuvenating components. The xj 1861 naxos xerjoff variant in particular and as an example, includes citrus, lavender and cinnamon as main ingtrediaents in the scent formulation.