Febreze and air fresheners
CautionVerdict
Caution — usually an irritant, not a classic systemic poison. Still keep sprays off fur.
Verdict
Most fabric sprays and plug-in fresheners cause drooling, squinting, or a cough if a cat is hit with the mist or locked in a small room with a strong diffuser. That is irritation, not the same as tea-tree poisoning. Cats with asthma do worse. If the product is an essential-oil spray, treat it as an oil, not as Febreze.
Symptoms to watch for
- • drooling
- • sneezing
- • coughing
- • squinting
What to do
Fresh air and a wipe-down of the coat if it was sprayed. Call a vet if breathing is hard or the product lists essential oils.
Related foods
Essential oils
ToxicToxic — concentrated oils are a poor match for feline liver chemistry.
OilsMothballs
DangerousNever — naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene mothballs are toxic if eaten or chewed.
OtherPennies (zinc)
DangerousNever — post-1982 US pennies are mostly zinc and can destroy red blood cells.
OtherBatteries
DangerousNever — chewed batteries leak alkaline corrosive and can burn the esophagus.
Other