I ran into a story just a few weeks ago. A lady had bought a diffuser and a set of essential oils from Amazon. She gave it to her husband as a gift, and one also to her daughter and daughter-in-law. They started using them soon after the holiday and loved how the different oils made the house smell, trying a different one each day. She came down with a head cold. On the package with the oils, it said that eucalyptus oil was good for congestion, so they had the diffuser going several hours for several days in a row and close to where she was sleeping.
Ernie (the cat) loves sleeping with her. The first couple days she didn't notice any symptoms with Ernie, but on the fourth day, he was lethargic, unstable on his feet and was drooling excessively. Her husband instinctively Googled eucalyptus oil. It stated that it can be toxic to cats and they can't metabolize it and stated all of Ernie's symptoms. It also said that without medical attention, it could be fatal! So, they took him to the veterinarian right away, where he was given a shot of antibiotics and another shot of vitamins to boost him and instructions to watch him over the weekend. Ernie hasn't been himself. He is eating and drinking a little, walking a little better, has some diarrhea, but is still not out of the woods. They also learned that out of the 8 oils in the set, only 2 are NOT toxic—rosemary and frankincense. Orange, Lemon, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, and Lavender ARE toxic to cats and small animals. There is no warning anywhere on these essential oils. They have also learned that the candles they love to burn are scented with essential oils.
I feel the need to warn everyone who might be unaware of the toxicity of certain essential oils. Here is a picture of how the cat was looking before taking him to the veterinarian. Watch for signs!
I have read a number of posts saying that they don't cause issues. With that being said I believe you know your animals and if you see a change in them please call a vet and ask them about it and see if your animal maybe one that may have sensiativities to the oils.
