Can You Use Essential Oils on Cats for Fleas and Ticks?

People use essential oils for a wide variety of reasons, including aromatherapy, beauty care, and natural medicine alternatives.  

Some manufacturers recommend using essential oils as antibiotics, antiseptics, and even pesticides to help with flea and tick infestations in pets.  

But while essential oils may seem like a mostly natural alternative to traditional medicinal products, essential oils can be very harmful and potentially toxic to your cat. 

Can You Use Essential Oils for Fleas and Ticks?

Essential oils are potent concentrated plant extracts that are used for both their delightful smell and their therapeutic properties. Plant extracts are then mixed with different carrier oils to bring out their natural properties.  

The use of essential oils for fleas and ticks on cats is a controversial topic as they can be helpful, but they can also cause a serious toxicity if not used or manufactured properly.  

Essential oils in their 100% natural composition are toxic to pets. There are also some essential oil products that are labeled for cats that can still be poisonous even when used following the package instructions.  

Why are essential oils toxic to cats? Cats lack the mechanism to metabolize some essential oils which can lead to serious health issues. You must be cautious not only about the specific plants used to ensure they are not toxic, but the carrier oils used in the manufacturing process or other additive ingredients also involved.  

In general, essential oils used for flea and tick prevention on cats is risky and should never be used on cats unless recommended by your veterinarian.  

How Do Essential Oils for Fleas and Ticks Work on Cats?

Essential oils can be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed into a cat’s skin. Although essential oil products for flea and tick prevention might be labeled for use in cats it’s incredibly important to look at the ingredients and their concentrations to ensure your cat’s safety.   

People often wonder why essential oils were introduced for flea and tick prevention on cats and it’s because the intense aroma can deter them, making the environment too harsh for the little critters to stay put.  

This property allows them to act like a repellent which most traditional flea and tick preventions lack. However, essential oils may only act as repellents and are not effective at eliminating active flea infestations or providing ongoing prevention. 

If both you and your veterinarian decide the reward of using essential oils is better than the risk, you can consider their use for your cat’s monthly prevention. Otherwise, it’s best to stay away and use traditional flea and tick preventatives for your cat. 

Common Essential Oils for Fleas and Ticks on Cats

• Lemongrass oil: Considered a powerful insecticide 

• Peppermint oil: Used as a flea and tick repellent only, as it will not kill the insects 

• Citronella oil: A highly effective repellent for fleas, ticks, mosquitos, and other bugs 

• Cedarwood, cinnamon, and rose oil: Can be used as an insect repellent 

Wondercide sprays, for example, are a line of products that use high-quality, pure, all-natural essential oils as flea and tick preventives, mostly as repellents.  

These products use essential oils in acceptable concentrations for use around or directly on cats, but you will still need to take the proper precautions to ensure your cat does not develop a toxicity. 

What Essential Oils Are Toxic to Cats?

Many essential oils that are advertised as flea and tick preventives for cats are known to be toxic and cause poisoning. These oils commonly include but are not limited to ingredients such as: 

• Wintergreen 

• Sweet birch 

• Citrus 

• Pine 

• Ylang Ylang 

• Pennyroyal 

• Clove 

• Eucalyptus 

• Lavender 

• Tea tree 

• Oregano 

• Thyme oil 

How to Use Essential Oils for Fleas and Ticks on Cats

When applying a product that has essential oils for flea and tick prevention to your cat, it’s important to ensure that the specific ingredient is deemed safe for use in cats.  

It’s much safer to use a commercial product than mixing and diluting your own oils and it’s equally important to follow the directions on the package to ensure your cat has the least chance of developing a toxicity from the essentials oils it contains. Keep in mind that even with the safest application, toxicity can occur. 

If you are going to use an essential oil for flea and tick prevention, it is always recommended that the oil be used along with traditional medicinal flea and tick preventives. Please consult your veterinarian before using any oils or preventives on your cat, especially in combination. 

Signs of Essential Oil Toxicity in Cats

Signs of essential oil toxicity in cats depends on how they were exposed, either through a diffuser, topically, or accidentally ingested. Here are the signs of a potential essential oil toxicity in cats: 

• Neurological 

  • Unsteadiness or stumbling (ataxia) 

  • Depression, lethargy 

  • Tremors 

  • Seizures 

  • Twitching of the skin 

• Gastrointestinal 

  • Vomiting 

  • Diarrhea 

  • Drooling 

  • Change in appetite, anorexia 

• Respiratory 

  • Coughing 

  • Wheezing 

  • Trouble breathing 

• Redness or burns on the skin or inside the mouth 

Treating Fleas and Ticks on Cats

Treating fleas and ticks on cats involves ensuring all pets in the house and both indoor and outdoor environments are free of pests to avoid reinfestation.  

Consistent and effective prevention is the best way to prevent fleas and ticks in cats. It always best to chat with your veterinarian if you have any questions when it comes to fleas and ticks, and to help choose the best prevention or combination of preventions for your cats.