Aromatherapy is Bad For Cats

Are you a fan of aromatherapy? Do you have an essential oil diffuser near your cat’s kitty litter. Have you even applied essential oils to your cat’s body in order to try and ,relax it, or cure an ailment. If so then you are putting your cat’s life in danger.

Unfortunately there are some new age types out there that have misled some cat owners to believe that using essential oils on a cat is a good idea because it is an ,organic, or ,all natural treatment., The bottom is that just because something is natural, does not mean it cannot be toxic. This has led people to actually kill their cats by trying to calm it with oil of lavender, titillate it with oil of valerian or cure a respiratory disease with oil of eucalyptus. This works with people but not with cats.

Cats just don’t have the ability to metabolize essential oils. Application to the skin can lead to toxicity and even death. Even inhalation of the fumes can cause a cat great distress. This is true of all essential oils and cats , no exceptions.

The main reason that cats can’t tolerate essential oils because they cannot metabolize them the same way that humans or even dogs can. Once they absorb the oil through their skin or nostrils they have not way of eliminating it. The result is that toxins from the oil build up to toxic levels and to kidney failure.

Yet another reason that cats are unable to tolerate essential oils is that they literally have very thin skins. This means that the essential oil molecules are absorbed more rapidly into their bloodstream, which of course can lead to sensory overload.

Usually cats don’t tend to get into essential oils as they dislike strong scents. Still you should always keep essential oil bottles and dropper caps tightly closed and hidden in a place where cats can’t play with the bottle or accidentally have oil spilled on them. The same goes for any cold air diffusers that you have around. While operating a cold air diffuser (that sprays pure essential oils into the air) keep it on a very high shelf and point it away from the area any cats might be hanging out in. Symptoms that your cat has gotten into an essential oil are dizziness, clumsiness, vomiting, lack of appetite and coma.

Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite and lack of energy. The next one is that cats have very thin, delicate skin. This means that essential oils can be absorbed more rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream. Cats also dislike strong odors and generally keep away from strong scents- even highly diluted essential oils

Yet another thing you should do is to try and stay away from flea collars or deodorizing cat collars that are laced with ,all natural, essential oils. Not only will your cat dislike the smell, these oils are not that effective against fleas.

Taming an Alpha Dog

An Alpha Dog is a dog that thinks he is the boss. You need to teach him that the opposite is true. As alpha dogs are very sensitive to body language, using your body language is the best way to train them. If you are displaying body behaviors that confuse him then he is not going to be able to read your ,position, and decide that you incompetent. He will then try and take over your position as master. Oddly, many behaviorists believe that most dogs actually dislike the position of alpha dog, but take it on as a necessity when they see you being weak. Most dogs would prefer to be a dog lower on the social rung where life is more secure, well defined and easier. So part of your dog’s aggression might be due to the fact that he is irritable at having to take on the task of doing your job as the master. To get your dog to respect you, you are going to adopt body language that will impress him. You need to have a confident posture, a dignity and a calm. This is why emotionally ill, mentally ill or people with addictions often end up with an alpha dog The dog picks up on the addict or mentally ill person’s insecurity, inconsistency and inability to communication. Dogs can sense such problems as low self-esteem and will ignore the commands of someone who is uncooperative. If you need your dog to be submissive, (but not too submissive) you need to have good posture and the ability to make meaningful eye contact with the animal. You should speak to him in a normal voice and never lose your temper. You should never stoop to use baby talk or your dog will never learn. You should also never beg your dog to do something. Dogs respect personalities that are a bit tough but still calm in tone. With most dogs, just this change in your attitude and an obedience course will be enough to train an alpha dog. However if the dog has already been allowed to get away with growling or biting, then he might not give up his alpha position that easy. Usually your assertion that you are the leader of the pack can cause your dog to act more aggressively then before. This is where you might need a trainer. If you decide to train the dog yourself, keep in mind that you are the same owner who trained your dog to be the alpha dog in the first place. Don’t try the same thing twice and then expecting a different outcome. If your dog is jumping, biting or snapping and snarling at strangers your first responsibility is to put a muzzle on the dog until you figure out what the problem is. Also you must always keep the dog on a leash. If you own a dog that displays aggression, then take out liability insurance. Your dog is out of control and unpredictable.

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