Are Essential Oils Safe for Pets?

If furry friends are part of your life, we know their wellbeing is of the utmost importance to you. There are many ways to enrich their environment while keeping your home fresh and comfortable for all. Essential oils are one option, but it’s important to understand whether they’re safe to use around pets, who may be more sensitive to these products. 

Many essential oils can be used safely around pets if you follow some vet-recommended guidelines, limit their exposure, and keep oils from the no-go list out of your home. Let’s explore the best essential oils for your family, whether those members have two legs or four. 

Can You Use Essential Oils at Home If You Have Pets?

Yes, if you follow veterinary guidance around how to use them and learn which ones to avoid due to their toxicity, you can use essential oils around both dogs and cats. It’s also important to know the potential risks before bringing any essential oils into your home. 

Humans have been using essential oils for centuries for both personal wellness and aromatherapy. Lavender and chamomile soothe the spirit, but what impact could your self-care routine have on pets? Some essential oils are safer than others, but the way you use them is key. Since they vary so widely in terms of concentration, formulation, and quality, it’s important for pet owners to prevent direct skin contact and ingestion¹ . Canopy’s aroma oils are meant for diffuser use and should always be stored in a safe place.

However, diffusing essential oils for dogs or cats in your home with electronic devices, reed diffusers, candles, and other modes of releasing essential oil microparticles is considered safe to use around pets as long as they don’t have any pre-existing respiratory concerns, like asthma.

Potential Risks for Dogs

Since our canine friends have a sense of smell that’s at least 100,000 times more powerful than our own, an oil that smells light to you may overwhelm dogs². If ingested, dogs may experience gastrointestinal distress, respiratory symptoms like labored breathing or coughing, or even systemic toxicity with certain essential oils, which could result in liver failure, kidney failure, and seizures.

Topical reactions can include unsteadiness, depression, low body temperature, and irritation or chemical burns. Other signs of toxicity from essential oils include excessive drooling, muscle tremors, yellowing of skin, gums, or eyes, and unusual behavior³. 

Potential Risks for Cats

Are essential oils safe for cats? Due to their inability to metabolize certain compounds found in some essential oils, cats are most at risk to systemic toxicity⁴. Ingestion can happen more easily with cats due to their diligent grooming habits, but many vets consider short, well-ventilated diffuser uses a lower-risk option around animals.

Potential Risks for Small Pets

Birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, and other small animals have extremely sensitive respiratory tracts, so it’s best not to use essential oils around them at all. 

Using Aroma Oils Safely Around Pets

Now that we know diffusing pet safe essential oils is the best way to use them if you have furry friends at home, here’s some best practices for safe usage. 

• Choose passive diffusers: Passive diffusers work by evaporating the essential oil⁴.
• Limit duration of exposure: Avoid prolonged diffusion when around your pet, keeping diffusion periods between 10 and 15 minutes.
• Use safer oils: Lavender, chamomile, and ginger are generally safe to use around pets⁵. However, tea tree, eucalyptus, mint varieties, cinnamon, and citrus are more likely to be hazardous
  
  

The most important step is to pet-proof your space. Securely store essential oils in tightly closed containers and keep them out of reach. Place devices with diffusion features in well-ventilated areas where curious kitties or rambunctious dogs move around them easily and remain at a safe distance.

If any spills occur, clean them immediately.

If your pet shows signs of reaction, contact your veterinarian immediately and call the Pet Poison Helpline at (855)-764-7661 or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Get to Know Canopy’s Aroma Diffusion Options

We take wellness seriously, and that applies to everyone in your home. If you’re a pet-lover looking for fresher air at home with our home hydration and filtration devices, we have you covered with mist-free, built-in aroma diffusion in our Bedside 2.0 Humidifier, Nursery Humidifier 2.0, Large Room Humidifier, and our Bedside Air Purifier. Each one offers clean, gentle indoor aroma diffusion in two ways with the choice of aroma stones or aroma wells.

Mist-free, waterless diffusion lets scent settle gently into your space, with no water to manage. Use the aroma stones for the short-term diffusion of multiple scents or the diffusion well for gradual, long-lasting scents.

For on-the-go humidification and aromatherapy, try our Portable Humidifier with the included aroma stones. You can also choose from a variety of Canopy aroma kits* to create a spa-like aromatherapy experience at home. Gentle, clean scenting starts here. 

* - Canopy applies commonly accepted clean standards for our aroma products which means they are made without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, mineral oils, or synthetic dyes. Canopy aroma products may contain both natural and synthetic substances, and are vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated with pure essential oils.

FAQ

What should pet owners know before using essential oils?

Pet owners can use essential oils at home if they adhere to vet-recommended guidelines, limit their pet’s exposure, and never use options from the no-go list. Never topically apply essential oils to a pet, and do not let them ingest them either. 

Can you diffuse essential oils if you have pets?

Yes, you can use essential oils if you have pets. The best options are passive or evaporative diffusers to minimize risks, and always avoid oils deemed toxic. However, if you have birds, you should avoid them altogether as their lungs are too sensitive. 

Which essential oils should you avoid around pets?

For cats and dogs, avoid toxic essential oils. Even small amounts of tea tree oil can be toxic to pets¹, as can eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, cinnamon, pine, citrus, ylang ylang, sage, and rosemary.

Are essential oils safe for cats?

If used properly, many essential oils are safe for cats. However, they lack the ability to break down certain compounds in their livers, so it’s important to follow the recommended safety tips. 

Are essential oils safe for dogs?

Yes, many essential oils can be used safely around our canine friends. Follow safety tips such as keeping them securely stored and never bringing known toxic oils into your home. 

Sources:

1. (23 June 2022). The Essentials of Essential Oils Around Pets. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://www.aspca.org/news/essentials-essential-oils-around-pets
2. Dodd, C. (22 April 2026). Are Essential Oils Safe for Dogs? AKC. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/essential-oils-safe-for-dogs/
3. (28 June 2025). How to Protect Your Pets While Enjoying Essential Oils. Ipswich Family Vet. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://www.ipswichfamilyvet.com.au/blog/pets-and-essential-oils
4. Weymouth, M. (28 July 2026). Dogs and Essential Oil Diffusers: What You Need to Know. Chewy. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/health-and-wellness/dogs-and-essential-oil-diffusers-what-you-need-to-know
5. (19 May 2025). How to Use Aromatherapy Safely Around Your Furry Friends. Texas Health. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://www.texashealth.org/areyouawellbeing/Health-and-Well-Being/Essential-Oils-and-Pets-How-to-Use-Aromatherapy-Safely-Around-Your-Furry-Friends