Alice White
Its intense scent and bright purple flowers make lavender a popular plant in the home and garden. Lavender is also used as a useful and medicinal plant, as the plant contains high-quality essential oils. However, cat owners are unsure whether the fragrant lavender is poisonous for cats.
Is Lavender Plant Safe or Toxic for Cats?
- Lavender poses no danger to cats because the plant is considered non-toxic.
- The intense smell of the plant scares off many cats, so they automatically keep their distance and rarely nibble on the lavender.
- Dried lavender flowers and lavender oil are used as medicinal plants for stress and behavioral problems in cats.
Is Lavender Poisonous to Cats?
The claim that lavender is toxic to cats is a myth. Because although the plant is non-toxic for cats, many velvet paws avoid the fragrant shrub on their own. This is due to the intense scent of the lavender plant. Both the leaves and the bright flowers emit a strong scent and contain essential oils, the smell of which will put off most cats. But even if the cat is not deterred by the smell, the lavender poses no danger. Skin contact or occasional nibbling is permitted and harmless in small quantities.
Effect: Does Lavender Drive Away Cats?
The blooming lavender is not only a popular ornamental plant but is also used as a medicinal plant. Both the dried lavender flowers and the lavender essential oil extracted from the plants have a calming effect on humans and most pets. In cats, the plant can be used as a natural sedative. Scented sachets filled with dried lavender flowers are said to have a calming effect on aggressive, nervous, and stressed cats. Internal use is also possible, for example for flatulence and digestive problems. Internal use, however, should only take place after consultation with the veterinarian.
Does Lavender Have Any Side Effects on Cats?
Although lavender is not poisonous for cats, there may be contraindications if it comes into contact with the plant. Some cats are very sensitive to the essential oils they contain. It is better not to use lavender as a room fragrance in cats ‘households, as cats react strongly to odors and the essential oils they breathe in are only broken down very slowly by the four-legged friends’ bodies. Internal use is also not suitable for every cat, as gastrointestinal complaints can occur in individual cases.
Therefore, never give your cat products containing lavender without consulting your veterinarian.
If lavender is kept as a garden or houseplant, there is usually no danger, as the cat can keep a sufficient distance from the fragrant flowers if necessary.
