What are the symptoms of Essential oils poisoning in cats?

drooling, lethargy, wobbliness, difficulty breathing, pawing at the mouth

Essential oils

Q: Is Essential oils toxic to cats?

Toxic: Toxic — concentrated oils are a poor match for feline liver chemistry. Cats lack some of the glucuronidation pathways people use to clear plant terpenes. Diffusers, “natural” flea recipes, and undiluted bottles are the usual exposures. Tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, citrus, cinnamon, clove, and wintergreen show up most in poison-control reports. A scented candle in a ventilated room is not the same as a 15-minute steam diffuser in a studio apartment. Source: ASPCA.

Q: Is Tea tree oil also safe for cats?

Dangerous: Never — concentrated melaleuca oil can cause severe neurologic signs in cats.

Toxic

Verdict

Toxic — concentrated oils are a poor match for feline liver chemistry.

Toxic principle: concentrated plant terpenes (cats lack efficient glucuronidation)

Also called: essential oil, aromatherapy, diffuser oils

Source: ASPCA · Verified 2026-08-13

If your cat ate this

Cats hide symptoms — don't wait and see. Even small amounts of certain substances can be fatal to a cat. Act fast.

1. Call your veterinarian immediately
US — National hotline: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 aspca.org(24/7, Consultation fee may apply.)
US — National hotline: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 petpoisonhelpline.com(24/7, $89 per incident fee; also covers Canada.)
GB — National hotline: Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 animalpoisonline.co.uk(24/7, £35 per call (8am–8pm weekdays), £45 at other times.)
AU — National hotline: Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 animalpoisons.com.au(24/7)
NZ — National hotline: Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 poisons.co.nz(11am–7pm NZ time (currently being extended), Charges apply.)
CA — National hotline: Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 petpoisonhelpline.com(24/7, $89 per incident fee.)

Verified 2026-08-06

Verdict

Cats lack some of the glucuronidation pathways people use to clear plant terpenes. Diffusers, “natural” flea recipes, and undiluted bottles are the usual exposures. Tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, citrus, cinnamon, clove, and wintergreen show up most in poison-control reports. A scented candle in a ventilated room is not the same as a 15-minute steam diffuser in a studio apartment.