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Is peppermint oil safe to use for spiders if I have outdoor cats?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Hello, bought some peppermint essential oil to mix with water to spray around my house for spiders. However I have read mixed things online claiming it could be very harmful to my outdoor cats. Please help before I spray!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 24th, 2018

Yes, you are correct that peppermint oil can be toxic to cats. If it's diluted and your cats do not come indoors at all, then it should be fine to spray around the inside of your home. If you plan on using it outside, that I would not recommend using it. I hope this helps!

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16Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Would it be ok to use 10 drops of essential peppermint oil per 16oz of water to spray windows in and around my home to get rid of spiders? I have 2 cats a 4 year old and a 19 year old, I don’t want them to have a reaction to it.
Hello. Most recipes I have seen recommend using 5 drops of peppermint oil to 16 oz water & a dash of soap, so check to make sure 10 drops will not be too strong for you. Just fill the bottle 1/2 way, add the 10 drops & see how it smells. If too strong, just fill the bottle the rest of the way with water. I do not think this will be a problem to any of your cats as long as the spray has a chance to dry before letting your cats back into the room. You can use the stronger dilution outdoors with no issues, but indoors, check to see how your cats react in just one area after the spray has dried. It cannot harm them once dry, but you certainly do not want anyone licking up any drips. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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I sprayed a peppermint oil mixture (6-7 drops of peppermint oil, dawn dish soap, and warm water) all around my room to deter spiders, is it safe for my cat to be in the room? It's been about an hour and the smell has largely diffused, but I sprayed i
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Hi,a week ago a rat sneaked in my vestibule, it's still there, I want to drive it away without killing it and want to use something that's not harmful for my cats who all pass many times through the vestibule,also want to keep it away from my room to
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I live with my 60 lb dog in an apartment and have noticed a few spiders around. I read that a mixture of water, vinegar, and peppermint sprayed near doors and windows was a good, non toxic way to deter spiders since it seems most commercial pest spra
Peppermint and vinegar may cause some digestive upset if ingested, so as long as Clark isn't eating/licking the area you spray I don't think it would be harmful. If you'd like to take an extra precaution, you can spray the area and keep him out of the room until it has dried (15-30m) just to be extra safe.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I poured peppermint oil all over the house to prevent insects from coming in not knowing how harmful it is to cats. My cat is showing no signs but I’m extremely worried because I can’t get the scent out of my house and I don’t know what her inhaling
The biggest problem with essential oils is not the smell, but when the oil gets onto the cat and they lick it off. This can happen when the oil is aerosolized or if it is sprayed or poured and the cat walks through it since they will then lick their paws. So, if you have sprayed or poured the peppermint oil in an area that Luna may walk through, then make sure you wash the area well. The strong smell is mainly a concern if a cat has asthma and is not associated with the toxicity aspect of essential oils. I am attaching a link to more information about essential oils below for your information. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/blog/essential-oils-cats/ I have used diluted peppermint oil in my house and my cats have not had any problem, but you need to be careful that they do not have any access to it. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
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I use peppermint oil in my hair. I have two cats and I'm wondering if the smell of peppermint can be harmful to my cats?
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I have a spider problem, and will be adopting a kitten soon. The only essential that repel spider are harmful to cats. I.e. treetea, lavender, citrus. If these were to dry, as in i sprayed them and let it dry, would it still be harmful? If it was
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My cat started to pee on my bed. I have read that spraying mixture of peppermint oil with water would deter them. Is it safe
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