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I read this article today and really enjoyed it, so I decided to translate it and share it here. You can read the original article in English. HERE

If I only had a dollar for each time, they told me “Essential oils cannot be used with cats” …

I'll get to the point right away. This statement is totally false. You can't generalize like that. The statement in general is incorrect.

First reason for falsehood. The claim that cats cannot tolerate essential oils is based on metabolic information from well before the 1970s. In veterinary medicine, cats are known to be deficient in some of their enzymatic processes, mainly in their liver. However, this does not mean that they DO NOT have them. It just means they use them a little differently. In veterinary medicine, in years past we were taught that cats could not tolerate drugs like morphine or aspirin because of this fact. And in fact, more than 30 years later – there are people who are very skilled at using these drugs appropriately and with great effects. In fact, their half-life may be longer (requiring less drug, less frequently in administration), but it is not always true that they are not beneficial, or that they can NEVER be administered.

Even in 1984, a full article in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice – Volume 14, Number 6 – “Idiosyncracies of Drug Metabolism in Cats: Effects on Pharmacotherapeutics in Feline Practice” – covered this topic in depth. Essential oils are not specifically mentioned, but phenols, morphine, aspirin, and other drugs for which glucuronide synthesis is an important part of metabolism are mentioned. This article clearly states, “Even drugs known for toxicity in cats can be used safely if we understand and compensate for certain peculiarities.”

This is positively OLD information in terms of timeline. This is 33 years ago, folks! And much of the information on which we base the faulty metabolism of cats is even older!

That's the first part of the controversy. Yes, cats have certain limitations, but this doesn't mean things can't be done. We just have to know HOW to do them.

The second problem is the quality of the essential oils. And I'm not talking about what your "representative" tells you about the seed to the seal or about the certified therapeutic grade. Sometimes what is considered high quality by certified aromatherapists and medical aromatherapists working with humans is lacking in my opinion, especially when it comes to animals. What I noticed during my training in the “human aromatherapy” world is that they are much more limited in their use of a variety of essential oils known in the “corporate” market. When I say that I love a certain oil for its properties – they stare into space – and often without hearing what oil I am talking about.

But while the corporate essential oil industry is great at creating popularity for a “new” essential oil and inducing a viral spread of its virtues… they are not equally good at maintaining the quality of that oil, especially when demand for a particular oil increases. Essential oils are a product of limited supply and demand. Especially when it comes to those that are considered “therapeutic” in degree and nature. Essential oils for the “therapeutic” side of the industry are a very small fraction of the production on the market. Far less than 10% of the essential oils on the market are worthy of this description. However, with millions and millions of people being introduced to essential oils, the supply of the highest quality oils will simply not be available in large enough quantities.

There's no question: I wouldn't want you to burn scented candles, use air fresheners, or use perfumes with or around your parrot. This is well known in the avian world, and great care must be taken with this delicate species. The same goes for cats; when certain cats arrived at our veterinary hospital, reeking of perfume or cigarette smoke, there was no doubt that they were likely a health hazard. I even had patients with dogs, cats, and birds that emitted the clear scent of fabric softeners that had been used on their fur or feathers. These chemical fragrances (which, by the way, often include essential oils) are very toxic. And yet, we don't campaign against fabric softeners so that they are never used in homes where cats live. However, this is where essential oils have been categorized, stating that they cannot be used where there are cats.

While some essential oils, especially those not therapeutic grade or synthetic like those used in cleaners and air fresheners, could be harmful to an animal, they should not trigger the “no essential oils for cats” rule. The safety of essential oils depends on the quality level of the essential oil and the way it is used for that species. Truly, “it’s all about the dose.”

When you confront someone who tells you that essential oils are toxic or dangerous for cats. Please ask them the following questions. First, what are your qualifications, and what animal training have you had? Then, ask them to present you with studies and evidence that show cats are harmed by “normal” use of essential oils. Such studies simply do not exist today, and any toxicity reports I have evaluated are distinctly flawed. Most notably, there is often misuse or overdosing of the essential oils used. But in a close second to that, is that there is often a extremely low quality or there is no quality assessment available. A veterinarian who reported problems was able to ask the cat's caregiver what essential oil was used based on my instructions. And in fact, this essential oil was a Lavender available on Amazon for less than $ 15 for 4 ounces of essential oil. I can guarantee you that this is not true lavender oil in any sense of the word. Not only was Lavender applied in excessive amounts, but it was clearly not of any kind of therapeutic grade…ever.

In summary: There are scary reports out there. But when we explore them further, they are full of misinformation. We need to evaluate toxicity reports completely, truthfully, and accurately. And so we hope to create a database for animal information in the near future. I can assure you that We have treated thousands (probably tens of thousands) of cats with essential oils, as well as all animal species. I can definitely guarantee that there is veterinary safety evidence and blood tests to follow cases long-term. Publishing this data takes time, so please be patient. However, when someone asks me to provide proof of security, I can actually do so. We just need to demand that the detractors do the same on their side. There is no way a veterinarian (me) would risk my name and reputation (and indeed veterinary license) for a “sale” or risk the safety of animals for any reason on this Earth.

Melissa Shelton DVMThe Oily Vet

Want to learn more about how and where to buy the same oils I use? How to create your own home medicine cabinet? You can follow this guide. link

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