Anyone Use Frankincense For Calming?

FeralHearts

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Hi all!

Has anyone tried Frankincense to help ease a cats stress?

Feliway seems to make my resident kitty go the opposite of calm. It was suggested that a very very small amount of frankincense, essential oil only, might help.

As I know nothing about essential oils - I'm looking at brands and for others experience if they've tried it.

I looked at this one (I'm in Canada):

 

Kflowers

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I don't know if it will work, but there are Frankincense incense sticks. The thing about them is you don't actually have to light them to smell them. That means kitty can smell them unlighted for certain.

If it helps Feliway seemed to remove the veneer of civilization we'd spent a couple of years helping Sweet Gum develop.
 
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FeralHearts

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I haven't but I'll be really interested to hear what folks think :)
Me too. People here have some pretty neat ideas!

I don't know if it will work, but there are Frankincense incense sticks. The thing about them is you don't actually have to light them to smell them. That means kitty can smell them unlighted for certain.
Certainly worth a try! :-)

If it helps Feliway seemed to remove the veneer of civilization we'd spent a couple of years helping Sweet Gum develop.
:flail:
Well at least Charlie is not the only one that takes serious offence to Feliway!

Sweet gum also the master / mistress of all she/he surveys?
 

Kflowers

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mistress and not happy about the new dog, four months and still staring at each other for 2 minutes a day. Sweet Gum at the top of the stairs, doggie at the bottom with child gate.
 
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FeralHearts

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So I was speaking with the vet tonight and I have info and instructions for anyone interested.

You can take Frankincense essential oil, must be good quality and not synthetic, and put a drop or two on your palm. Rub it and warm it a bit and dab the cat with it. They say the smell helps to sooth / calm the kitty.

Like you thought K Kflowers it is the scent of it. So quite possibly the unburden incense could do something similar probably not as much as having it very mildly on the fur, but, you never know.

It's non-toxic to cats so even if they clean their fur a bit, the small amount won't harm them.

I'm going to order some and see how Charlie responds. I'm going to put the on the new girls too and see if it helps with them becoming a bit more friendly with each other.

I'll report back in a few weeks as I won't start until Charlies infection clears up and he's okay again.

In the meantime if others have experiences, please feel free to share.

mistress and not happy about the new dog, four months and still staring at each other for 2 minutes a day. Sweet Gum at the top of the stairs, doggie at the bottom with child gate.
Sounds like my house - but it's all cats. I think Charlie would lose his marbles if I brought home a doggie too! Maybe we should both try this for the kitties? Not sure about putting it on a dog though.. but the mistress of the house?
 
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Kflowers

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I've got the incense sticks so I'm working with those. Picture me following Sweet Gum through the house waving incense sticks. Doggo just looks puzzled.
 
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FeralHearts

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I've got the incense sticks so I'm working with those. Picture me following Sweet Gum through the house waving incense sticks. Doggo just looks puzzled.
:flail:

The things we do for these little creatures!

The love is real. :heartshape:
 

MargoLane

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Just a question - aren't essential oils toxic to cats, especially when applied topically? I'm curious because I like diffusing them for smell, but I read a bunch of poisoning stories about cats who couldn't breathe, got lethargic, etc. from essential oils. I thought that cats can't process them because they don't have the same liver enzymes that we do; essentially the oil damages the liver because it can't clean/remove it. I stopped diffusing when I read about that - especially since my cat and I live in a one-bedroom apartment. Any thoughts?
 
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FeralHearts

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Just a question - aren't essential oils toxic to cats, especially when applied topically? I'm curious because I like diffusing them for the smell, but I read a bunch of poisoning stories about cats who couldn't breathe, got lethargic, etc. from essential oils. I stopped diffusing when I read about that - especially since my cat and I live in a one-bedroom apartment. Any thoughts?
You bring up great points - and things for people to be very aware of.

Yes - some are very, very much toxic to cats. Some will kill them very quickly too if ingested, or cause issues with their skin if applied.

I'm careful with burning things - not just because of toxicity - but Asthma or other breathing quality issues. Same with using air fresheners. I love a clean fresh smelling house but I also know they are dangerous for us and them. Ever sprayed an air fresher and had it come back into your face while taking a breath in, or walked into a room where someone has sprayed it down? Your lungs feel it - and kitties are much more sensitive to that kind of thing then we are. Imagine what that much be like for them. :-(

Charlie has Asthma, so burning anything is off the table in my house for the most part. I will occasionally light a small candle but I'm very aware to keep an eye on Charlie. I often will crack the window open a smidge if I do that.

There are a few that are safe for cats, but, like with us, moderation is important. Frankincense is one of the ones listed, and confirmed by my vet, as not being toxic.

Even with it being non-toxic - I would certainly not dump a bunch on him - or use anything in excess. That whole saying of "too much of a good thing..." really does apply. More is not always better.

Some info:

ASPCA info about diffusers etc: Is the Latest Home Trend Harmful to Your Pets? What You Need to Know!

A small list of Toxic oils and symptoms of poisoning: Are Essential Oils Dangerous to Cats?

A good Article from the Canadian Vet Association: CVMA | Documents | Cats and Essential Oils

Edit to add: I still know very little to nothing about essential oils with animals. Only common sense things and I ask a lot of questions!
 
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Kflowers

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I don't know anything about essential oil, but I'm with on not burning things, which is why we use the incense unlighted.

Air fresheners - no way. One reason I was happy to move was the lady next door used so much in the way of air fresheners that the smell came into my house. Stopped opening the windows on that side of the house.
 
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FeralHearts

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Just a question - aren't essential oils toxic to cats, especially when applied topically?
BTW thank you for posting this. I requested one of the mods to kindly add the word Frankincense to one of my posts to try to keep it clear that in this case, we are ONLY referring to that essential oil and not some of the others that can be VERY TOXIC to kitties. (They were very kind to do that so thank you mod!)

I don't know anything about essential oil, but I'm with on not burning things, which is why we use the incense unlighted.

Air fresheners - no way. One reason I was happy to move was the lady next door used so much in the way of air fresheners that the smell came into my house. Stopped opening the windows on that side of the house.
Smart idea that is!

Epps that's a lot of air fresheners. Not good. Glad you moved for both your sake and kitties.
 
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