Flea Eradication with Tea Tree Oil: Assessing Effectiveness & Safety for Cats

In case your cat has a severe flea drawback, you could possibly turn out to be determined sufficient to strive something to resolve the problem. Waking up with a number of new, pink bumps alongside your pores and skin and watching your cat scratch uncomfortably isn’t nice. Tea tree oil is often discovered in lots of houses and is efficient at killing many sorts of parasites. It’s broadly believed to be efficient at killing fleas too.

Nevertheless, this important oil can also be poisonous to cats and shouldn’t be used on their our bodies or ingested, whatever the amount.

Is Tea Tree Oil Efficient at Killing Fleas?

Tea tree oil is a pure treatment that’s generally used to deal with pores and skin issues in people and a few animals attributable to its antibacterial and antifungal properties. It’s also efficient at killing sure sorts of ticks and lice, however there may be little scientific proof proving that it kills fleas. Nevertheless, many have used this important oil on their pets and round their houses and have had optimistic outcomes.

Though it isn’t really helpful to make use of tea tree oil on or round your cat, the important oil can be utilized round your property to repel fleas as a result of they hate the odor of it. It appears to be efficient at killing fleas as a result of after they come into contact with the substance, it interferes with their nervous system and blocks their tracheas.

dripping natural tea tree oil in bowl
Picture Credit score: New Africa, Shutterstock

Why Shouldn’t I Use Tea Tree Oil on My Cat?

Tea tree oil isn’t secure to make use of on cats as a result of whether it is by chance used improperly, it should hurt them. One of many largest considerations just isn’t utilizing the right focus of tea tree oil. You might have adopted the dilution instructions in keeping with the directions, however there may be at all times a danger that you could possibly be off or that you simply use an excessive amount of of the combo in your cat.

One more reason it is best to by no means use tea tree oil in your cat is that they’re pure groomers that spend most of their day licking themselves. In the event that they ingest the answer, they will turn out to be very sick.

You might have seen that some flea and tick shampoos use tea tree oil of their elements. These merchandise are secure to make use of in your cat as a result of they solely contain small amounts of the essential oil, which is evenly distributed all through the product.  Additionally, watch out of utilizing undiluted tea tree oil round your property. It will likely be sturdy sufficient to kill parasites, but it surely’s harmful to you and your cat in case you breathe it into your lungs all day lengthy.

Indicators of Tea Tree Oil Toxicity

In response to the Pet Poison Helpline, it solely takes seven drops of undiluted tea tree oil to return into contact together with your cat’s pores and skin to trigger extreme poisoning in your pet. Indicators of tea tree oil toxicity can current themselves inside an hour of your cat touching or ingesting the substance and can embrace the next:

  • Low physique temperature
  • Weak point
  • Pores and skin irritation
  • Uncoordinated strolling
  • Incapability to stroll
  • Tremors
  • Decreased coronary heart charge
  • Coma
  • Demise

If you understand that your cat has ingested tea tree oil however hasn’t proven any signs but, don’t look ahead to them earlier than contacting your vet. It’s essential to behave rapidly and get your cat the therapy they want, as this might save its life.

Sick cat in animal hospital
Picture Credit score: Kachalkina Veronika, Shutterstock

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Conclusion

Though there isn’t a scientific proof that tea tree oil kills fleas particularly, it’s efficient at killing many different sorts of parasites and is believed to kill fleas too. Nevertheless, it’s not secure to make use of in your cat as a result of the flawed focus used on their pores and skin could cause severe well being points. There’s additionally a excessive danger that they are going to ingest the substance after they groom themselves, which will lead to tea tree oil toxicity.

As an alternative, use flea and tick remedies which have been really helpful by your vet, as they’re secure to make use of in your cat.

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