Are Airwick essential oil diffusers safe for cats in my home?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 5 years and 6 months old | 9 lbs
Hi! I have 5 cats in my home and I have those new Airwick Essential Oil diffusers that run on batteries? (If you look it up, I'm sure you can find them!). I was wondering if it's safe to use with cats in the home? They have different oils but the ones I have are Lavender/Almond Blossom and Fresh Water Breeze. I can't seem to find the ingredient list for these two oils so I thought I'd post this. If you could please let me know if these are safe or which oils are safe, that would be wonderful!
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 4th, 2018
Hello. For the most part, these diffusers are safe for cats, as long as there are regular air exchanges & some fresh air coming in all day. Most HVAC systems have automatic air exchanges, but if the weather is good, keeping a window cracked a bit is perfect. Some cats are very sensitive to odors, some do not care for them at all, so as long as the cats are not confined to a closed in room & can move to a different area, there is no harm in essential oils. One caveat, we have a diffuser mounted on a wall in our clinic & it malfunctioned ( exploded ) sending the contents all over a hallway. Fortunately, none of the office cats seemed to have walked through this, but that would be a concern if a cat ingests any of this. But otherwise, I would just enjoy the fragrance of your choice. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
6Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 9th, 2018
Hello. I think you did a great job removing a possible irritant from your home. Cats can be very sensitive to these volatile compounds, but I very much doubt that you caused any illness or harm. If they are eating & drinking well tomorrow, it would not hurt to have them seen by your vet, but if all the symptoms have abated, then I would not worry any further. Just use your best judgment, as they really were not exposed to the oils for any real length of time. Take care.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on January 15th, 2018
It really depends on the product and the concentration. The fact that it is organic would not necessarily make a difference in the potential for problems. The truth is that there is little known about the safety of these products, because the companies have not adequately tested their products with animals. There are some essential oil diffusers like lavender that have been known to cause respiratory and skin problems. In general, dogs and cats are going to be more sensitive to the smell of these products than humans, so it may be at-least displeasing to them. Cats are more sensitive than dogs, so they will likely serve as the sentinel if there are going to be any issues. If you are already using the oils and not noticing any problems, then they are likely OK; but no one really knows for sure. If you notice an increase in sneezing, coughing, or skin problems, then it would be wise to remove the diffuser. I hope that helps and all is well with Shyanne.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on February 26th, 2019
I would check out oilyvet.com. She has a lot of info about what type of oils are safe and which diffusers you can use. Not all oils are created equal and some can cause harm so I would be sure to buy some that are made specifically for dogs and cats. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
I used an essential oil diffuser for no more than 3 mins before checking safety in houses with pets. Will my cats be okay? I’ve now opened the windows and turned it off and put it away. They didn’t get too close I don’t think.
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