Is Cedar Oil Toxic to Cats? Are Organic Flea Formulas Safer than Chemical Flea Treatments?

In today’s health conscious society, no flea product is safe from scrutiny. A variety of websites such as HartzVictims.org have been established to protest chemical and spot drop flea products. To fill the need for safer alternatives, various organic flea formulas have flooded the market. Such formulas rely upon essential oils to kill parasites.

It is often reported that cats are uniquely sensitive to essential oils because their fragile livers can’t metabolize the phenol compounds. That much is true. According to GreenPaws.org, essential oils that are safer for cats include Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Peppermint and Rosemary. This is the primary reason why most organic flea products are made of cedar oil and many holistic veterinarians still recommend them.

Most of the negative publicity surrounding cedar oil concerns aroma therapy grade oil. Many types of cedar trees are found all over the world and some are more toxic than others. For example, Western Red Cedar is native to the Northwest Coast of the US. Its oil is toxic to animals and humans. Our cedar oil is made from Texas Red Cedar, a tree widely known for exceptional purity and very low phenol compounds. Furthermore, every drop of Dr. Ben’s Evictor is fractionated and steam distilled to remove trace amounts of such compounds. Every batch of oil that we process comes with a certificate of origin and analysis to ensure high quality standards.

When using ANY type of flea spray, be it chemical or natural, it’s a fantastic idea to adorn your cat with an Elizabethan cone during treatment. E-cones are widely available in pet stores to prevent cats from licking and grooming wounds or surgical incisions. Compulsive grooming rituals make cats more sensitive to ALL topical products, including basic shampoos containing natural fragrances. Ingestion of ANY topical product can cause vomiting and lethargy in cats, but this is especially true of chemical flea products. In an investigation conducted by ABC World News, traditional spot drop flea and tick medicines were found to cause more than 44,000 severe reactions in a single year, including seizures and 1,200 deaths. Reactions connected to organic products tend to be more rare and less serious.

For those looking for gentler flea control methods for cats, sulfur dips may be the answer. Contact your local pet groomer for a consultation. Note that it may take more than one visit and more than one dip to eradicate parasites.