Dad used drops of eucalyptus oil in the kitchen to repel ants, I cleaned it as soon as I heard, but is our cat still in danger?

[baztien]

Hi everyone!

This morning I woke up to the smell of eucalyptus and asked my dad what he did. He said he put drops on a table in the kitchen to address some ants crawling around. As soon as I heard, I wiped up the oil with a kitchen cleaner but the smell is still around. I've also opened our back door and front door for ventilation. Our cat isn't going in the kitchen area right now anyways because we've had ant baits on the ground and I didn't want her walking around them, but the layout is such that the kitchen does have open window like spaces into the living room so the air there is the same.

I'm not sure what time this morning he put the oils in but I'm guessing they've been on the table for 2-ish hours? My cat did throw up this morning but it was a hairball mixed with some food which isn't uncommon for her every few weeks.

Does this warrant a vet visit? She has very mild asthma so I'm concerned about the respiratory effects but also also liver damage. Should I let her outside while the air disperses? That might be tricky as well because he sprayed Raid in the front yard so I'd have to try and keep her in the back but she's quick. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Okay, no outside as Raid is very bad. Due to the fact that you can smell it, that means your cat is affected by it. I would call your vet, explain the situation and ask to leave your cat at the vet for the next day or so.

 

[Caspers Human]

Yes, eucalyptus is bad for cats but don't worry, too much. The cat actually has to consume eucalyptus to get sick from it.

Eucalyptus oil smells icky to cats so they are unlikely to try to eat it. The possibility of getting it on their paws and fur does exist, however. Then, when they clean themselves, they'll lick it off their fur.

If that happens, the cat might get sick but, the amount they ingest will probably be small. The cat might throw up or show signs of general malaise. It will take more than a couple of licks of the stuff to make a cat sick enough to go to the hospital.

I think you've done well. Just clean up the area with whatever household cleaner you usually use. There will be some residual odor but smells usually won't hurt the cat unless the air is saturated with eucalyptus. If there was that much of the stuff in the air, you'd probably get sick, too. If you're worried about the smell of eucalyptus making your cat sick just keep the cat out of the area until the smell goes away.

As to the Raid insect spray, read the label on the can. Look for ingredients like "Pyrethrin" or other words like "Pyretroid," "Permethrin" or other similar words. It is the pyrethrinoids in insect sprays that is the most harmful to cats.

As to what to do about it... The same as for eucalyptus. Clean it up with whatever household cleaner you usually use then keep the cat away from the area until the smell is completely gone.

I'm glad to see that you're looking after your cat so well!
But, don't worry. You did the right thing.

Just keep the cat away until the area has been cleaned up. If the cat gets sick for more than a short time, call your vet. The vet will ask you some questions about what you think might be making the cat sick and how long the cat has been sick... stuff like that. If the vet thinks it warrants a visit to the clinic, they will say so.

If the cat gets really sick or if the sickness last more than a short time, go directly to the vet. Do not pass go.

Honestly, I think your cat will be okay. Just keep an eye on her until the smell is gone. If you think there's a problem, call your vet and do what they say.

 

[silent meowlook]

Essential Oils and Cats

.This is an asthmatic cat so these things have more potential to cause an asthma attack.

 

[Caspers Human]

This is an asthmatic cat

I agree! If the cat has asthma you have to be more careful!

Definitely keep the cat away until you can't smell the stuff, anymore.

If you notice anything more than mild symptoms that last for more than a short time, definitely call your vet.

 

[FeebysOwner]

All the above being true, don't you have another area of the home you can confine her to and shut the door? If you have fans, run them to help clear the smell faster in the main part of the home.

Because she does have asthma, I would call the vet and ask their opinion about how to handle it. Otherwise, I'd hate to think that you would have to have her hospitalized or put in a kennel while you wait for the aroma to dissipate.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

Essentials oils are very concentrated and in almost all applications should be diluted. My vet advised against using any essential oils around our cat with asthma, no problem I was already aware of that. Any strong cleaning products like bleach, Mr Clean, Pine Sol even that Green Clean is WAY WAY to strong to use around a cat ( or human ) with asthma.I always keep our cat with asthma far from an area being cleaned not only until dry but until I don't smell then more time until I don't think it will affect her.

 

[baztien]

Hey everyone, thank you all so much for your prompt responses. And yes, in hindsight maybe I should've put her in another part of the house but I wonder if it's worth doing now. I don't smell the oil anymore and I've been running our air purifier on high for about 3-4 hours now, which might be a little pointless since I have the doors open. And I just turned on a fan.

Aside from throwing up one time (which did produce a hairball so my thinking is that it was unrelated to the oil), her behavior is normal. I don't see any difference in breathing.

And yes, I'm extremely cautious with scents or flowers or cleaning products but my parents don't have the same level of concern. If I had been awake when he brought the bottle out I would've stopped it

I ended up calling the ASPCA poison hotline because I wanted to speak to an expert. They said to monitor for lethargy, depression, more vomiting, tremors, wobbling when walking, and potentially an asthma attack since that's in her history. If there was more vomiting then there would be a risk of aspiration/pneumonia. And since it was more likely inhaled rather than ingested, it's a lower concern. I was also slightly concerned that my dad might have spilled oil because he has shaky hands, and then if he stepped in it and tracked it around the house, she might be able to ingest it through walking around/grooming. They said that's a possibility and just to monitor for the same signs.

I don't have any regrets for calling and the lady I spoke too was really nice, but honestly I'm still on edge. I was supposed to fly out back to my apartment today but I cancelled my flight so that I can keep an eye on her. And maybe fly back this weekend.