<<> I'm wondering if you have a resource regarding the danger of using the > TTO on cats. Thanks. Dottie>>
Dottie, I randomly went to a few TTO sites on the internet, all selling the product. Heres what I found: The first site, which was quite extensive, had only one application of TTO for animals... diluted in a dog shampoo with this disclaimer under it: "Tea Tree Oil products conform to the 'Fixed Cut -Off ' policy in terms of animal testing. Therefore, none of the ingredients which go to make up this range have been tested on animals." Second site: This was their recommended dilution for use of TTO in pet products, 2%. They tested TTO on humans and found they could take a 25% dilution with no effects. "What concentration of (co. name)Tea Tree Oil do you recommend for use in a pet-care shampoos? A. Tea Tree Oil has a number of benefits for pet care products. The most notable being its antiseptic properties, which help prevent infection from, cuts and scratches. It is also a mild anaesthetic and an excellent insect repellent making it ideal for anti-itch and flea shampoos. For preventative type products 1-3% tea tree oil would be adequate. For products which are intended to be used for treatment purposes we would recommend using 5-10%. When developing a pet care range it is also important to remember that some animals have very sensitive skin and can develop an irritation to some substances. We would therefore recommend that formulators only use (company name) Pharmaceutical Grade Tea Tree Oil for products containing greater than 2% tea tree oil.>> Third site: An essential oil co., this is their disclaimer for human use: "All pure essential oils should be used with care. Do not apply directly into skin. A 2% dilution of essential oils to a base of carrier oil or lotion is recommended for all skincare and massage preparations. " My first experience with TTO... my neighbor called me over in a panic one day, said her cat was ill. That was an understatement. It was lying on the floor, very sick, having spasms and died a short time later. She had used pure TTO on it, not sure what she was using it for. I was/am a member on many cat lists. Years ago, someone posted a question about using TTO, and MANY people came back with "DON'T use it, its toxic!". So it was common knowledge on the cat lists that TTO, by its self, was toxic to cats. As stated by Jo, cats are highly sensitive to chemicals, ess. oils, etc. Maybe the brand of TTO you buy is already diluted or not that potent in the first place. I have heard of others using TTO and I would assume their oil would be the same. Not everything sold in a bottle is true to the label... and maybe thankfully so if you are using the TTO on your cats. TTO is sold in one of my pet catalogs. It doesn't state what animal it can be used on, only a generic explanation which could be applied for human use. There are a few other items in that catalog that a cat would not benefit from but dogs would, but I'm sure the co. is depending on buyers not knowing this. The thought "well, if its good for me, it must be good for the cat/dog.." For anyone with cats... this is a great site for information on nutrition and cat care: http://felinefuture.com Terri L.
