What you dilute the oil in also matters. Carrier oils best
used for mixing include coconut, jojoba, and olive oils. A
general rule is to dilute at least 75 percent essential oil to the
carrier oil prior to application.
Giving it a Try
Response can vary from one animal to another, so start off
slowly when introducing any essential oils. Begin by wear-
ing the oil on your own skin. That way you can determine if
your pet has an adverse reaction when it is close to you.
Once they become accustomed to the scent, you can move
on to topical application. The best place to apply the oil is to
the paws. Alternatively, you can rub the oil between your
palms and then pet your dog or cat. Use caution. Never add
the oils to their food or water, avoid high-phenol oils, such
as oregano and thyme, especially with cats, and don’t use for
more than two weeks at a time.
Diffusing oils is another way to reap the benefits of essential
oils and is the preferred method by some experts. Diffusers
emit fine particles of oils into the air. The scents produced
can have healing and therapeutic properties. The type and
location of your diffuser is quite important. With better
quality diffusers, you are able to control how much oil is
emitted into the air. In this case, less is best. When oils are
diffused, droplets can land on your pet’s fur and, depending
on whether or not they can reach the moistened area with
their tongue, can be ingested.
Diffusers should always be kept on high shelves where they
cannot be knocked over by your cat or dog. In many cases
of accidental poisoning, oils were either spilled from dif-
fusers or pets got into the bottles and ingested the oils.
Essential oils must be stored out of your pet’s reach.
A Word of Caution
Some oils can be toxic to your pets, and unknowingly dif-
fusing oils in your home may cause them harm. According
to veterinarian Dr. Bob Hale, essential oils can be dangerous
to cats due to their genetic makeup. Ashley Younger,
Executive Director of CARE for Animals, agrees, explaining
that cats cannot metabolize the oils, causing liver toxicity.
Owners need to exercise extreme caution while using essen-
tial oils in their homes, always avoiding citrus oils around
cats, but also taking care to remove them from the room
being diffused when using: