As cat owners, we love our cats, but don't always love the smells that go along with them. Many times, we turn to air fresheners to swap out stinky litter box smells for a more pleasing aroma, but unfortunately, besides scent, those sprays can be full of chemicals that can cause health risks for our cats (and even ourselves!) So, today I wanted to look more into cats and air fresheners. Are air fresheners toxic to cats? Are there safe air fresheners for cats?
First off, catster.com cautions against plug in air fresheners. They say that in order for those plug in air fresheners to release scent into your home, they use a chemical called phthalates. These phthalates have been linked to hormone disruption, cancer and reproductive problems. Since plug in air fresheners are continuously giving off scent, they are also continuously giving off phthalates as well! Your cat can breathe them in, which can lead to asthma and allergies. The chemicals can also leave a coating on your floors that your cat can get on their paws or fur and then ingest while grooming themselves. Spray air fresheners may be somewhat better because they are not on all the time, but they also use phthalates, so you run into the same problems of cats breathing in or ingesting them when using spray air fresheners as well.
Cats.com also says that air fresheners contain chemicals called VOCs or volatile organic compounds. These chemicals quickly turn to gas from solid or liquid form. The United States Environmental Protection Agency says that the health risks from VOCs include headaches, and damage to liver, kidneys and the nervous system, and can even cause cancer in animals and possibly humans too! The cats.com article also says that air freshener companies are not required to disclose all the ingredients, and even if they do, they can trick you by listing something like "organic perfume". This seems to hold true even for air fresheners marketed as natural or organic, so it is probably best to keep all air fresheners away from your cats. Even if they say they are pet safe, if you can't see what all the ingredients are, it is probably a good idea to keep them away from your kitties!
As more people find out about harmful chemicals in air fresheners, essential oils have become more popular, but unfortunately cats and essential oils don't go well together either! Catster.com says most essential oils pose a risk to your cat and none are safe! They say that cats lack certain enzymes and have lower numbers of other enzymes in their livers, which make metabolizing essential oils a problem for them. So, even if essential oils might be a better option for people, it is best to keep them away from our feline friends!
But, you're not doomed to have a stinky house! One of the best things to do to eliminate litter box smells, is to keep the litter box clean. Scooping every day can help reduce smells. An automatic litter box can help with that! You will also want to replace your litter and scrub the box every few weeks.
There are also alternatives to using air fresheners that are safe for cats! Cats.com notes that common household products like baking soda or vinegar can be used to absorb stinks instead of using chemicals to try to cover them up. Baking soda comes in boxes with ventilated sides that could be the right thing to place near your litter box to help soak up smells.
Air purifying plants can also help keep the air in your home safe and smelling good, just be careful to make sure the plant is also cat safe! Cats.com recommends spider plants or Boston ferns - they say the Boston fern is listed by NASA as one of the best air purifying plants!
Catster.com also recommends the use of cat-safe herbs to help add good scents into your home. They say rosemary, basil, and sage are good options that are cat safe and will help to keep your home smelling good.
Another option could be an air purifier. Cats.com says these not only can help your home smell fresh, but also remove toxins from the air, like the VOCs we talked about before. So, if you have been using air fresheners, and now want to clear the air in your home, an air purifier can help. They could also be a good investment if your cat suffers from asthma or allergies.
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