Cats are curious animals that rely on their senses of smell and taste to understand the world. Many plants pose no risk to your furred companions, but some plants are poisonous to animals. Always remember to do your research before bringing a plant into a home with animals.
But what about roses? Roses are a very popular plant to bring home as a bouquet or grow in a garden. They are the classical beauty of the flower world! But do they pose a risk for your cat if they chew on the flower’s petals? Thankfully, roses are non-toxic to cats. If you are curious to learn more about roses and your cat, read on!
Are Roses Toxic to Cats?
If you’ve found your cat face-first in your rose bouquet, rest assured that these plants are non-toxic for cats, according to the ASPCA. Of course, you want to avoid having your roses being nibbled on by your pet, so try to keep your bouquet of roses out of reach. Doing this will also prevent your cat from knocking over the vase and causing a big mess.
But if your cat does eat some rose petals, no emergency procedures are necessary.
Is Rose Oil Toxic to Cats?
No essential oils are considered safe for cats. Essential oils are the concentrated “essence” of a plant that can be applied to the skin or diffused in an oil diffuser to change the smell profile of a room. Some people claim that essential can produce medicinal effects, and there is some evidence of minor medicinal effects from certain essential oils. However, they are not safe to administer to cats for any reason, and even small amounts of essential oil applied to the skin can be dangerous or even fatal for a cat.
Are Rose-Scented Perfumes and Items Safe for Cats?
No. Since rose-scented perfumes and items are usually scented using rose oil, that makes them unsuitable for use by cats. Cats will probably avoid the items anyway, as their noses are far more sensitive than ours, and anything scented strongly enough for us to smell would be intolerable for most cats who don’t have a strong preference for the scent.
How to Keep Your Cat Safe from Rose Oil
The easiest way to keep your cat safe from rose oil is to not utilize the compound in your home. While it might smell nice to you, there’s no reason to endanger your cat by bringing highly toxic compounds into your home.
If you’re intent on using rose oil, consider using an oil-water diffuser to keep the concentrations of rose oil in your home low and diluted. If you have a green thumb, consider planting and maintaining some live roses. This will help your home smell like roses without any dangerous compounds for your cats.
Remember to store your rose oil safely out of reach of your cat. Keeping it in a pet-safe medicine cabinet or locked box is the best way to keep curious kitties from getting their paws on your rose oil. Make sure that you wash your hands after handling rose oil to keep the essential oil from accidentally getting into your cat’s skin or fur when you pet them.
If you accidentally expose your cat to rose oil, they’ll need a bath with water and soap to ensure that they have the lowest chance to toxicity. So, for your own convenience, you’re better off just keeping the oil as far away from your cat as you can or planting live roses, which are safe for cats!
Rose-scented objects should be safe for cats since they’ll likely avoid them and won’t be licking them vigorously to see what they taste like. Nonetheless, it’s best if you keep them in a place with low cat traffic to ensure the safety of your cat.
Final Thoughts
Wanting to add a little bit of green to our concrete jungles is a uniquely human desire, but luckily there are plenty of beautiful plants we can add to our homes without putting our pets in danger, including roses!
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
