Natural Flea Treatment: Is Cedar Toxic to Cats?

Last summer I purchased a cedar oil flea treatment and now I’ve stumbled upon an article that says cedar oil is toxic to cats.  I realize Wondercide is a different company than mentioned below, but you’re obviously a trusted company in the “natural” pet health community, so please explain if you can. I’m just a little concerned. Is there any truth to this statement?

“Cedar Oil, marketed as a flea treatment, is also highly toxic to cats. It has been found to be toxic orally, when absorbed through the skin and an irritant if the fumes are inhaled. It is irresponsibly marketed by Cedarcide as safe for pets, but COSHH and toxicology data indicates it is toxic. Claims supporting Cedarcide are highly biased and were written for dog treatments (dogs have very different and more efficient liver function than cats). They are advertising claims, not scientific claims and perpetuate the misconception tha natural means “safe”.

Kristen K., Indianapolis, IN

Thank you for your trust in Wondercide. We appreciate your question and hope to answer it to the best of our ability.

We researched the comment in question and found the article.  It seems as though the person is talking mostly about Tea Tree Oil on cats, but does add a comment about Cedar Oil, COSHH (the UK’s Control of Substances & Hazardous Health, similar to the EPA in the USA), and Cedarcide.

You are correct that we are not the same company so we can’t answer for them. That being said, all of our cedar oil formulated products have gone through rigorous testing before being released to the public.  Our products are EPA exempt under Fifra (25)b and made of FDA approved Human Food Grade Ingredients. Wondercide products have been tested for effectiveness and are safely used by thousands of families and pets.

Let’s get to your question, “Is cedar oil toxic to cats” more specifically. Cats are always more sensitive by nature and should be treated with more caution.  Though essential oils are beneficial for humans, dogs, and horses, some essential oils can be overpowering for cats.  Furthermore, cats have a unique physiology that make it difficult for the liver to metabolize certain compounds in essential oils.  This is specifically true with oils high in phenols and hydrocarbons, and why there is  confusion with certain types of essential oils of cedarwood.  Wondercide products containing cedarwood oil do not contain phenols. Low phenol hydrosols are generally accepted as OK for cats, but not all animal experts agree.  Many people use them world wide with ease and great success. Other people avoid them completely.

According to GreenPaws.org, the following essential oils are very toxic to cats: Citrus, Bay, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clove (Eugenol), Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Pennyroyal, Rue, & Tea Tree.  Essential oils that are safer for use with cats include: Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Rosemary.

There are many types of cedar and several of them are not only harmful to cats, but dogs and humans as well. There are warnings and negative claims (from the conventional vet office to the internet) but most of the information doesn’t specify the type of cedar.  There are many types of cedar found all over the world and they are not created equally.  For example, Western Red Cedar is native to the beautiful Northwest Coast of the US.  It’s dust and oil is toxic to animals and humans, yet children’s play equipment is made from it because its known to repel insects and prevent decay.  Wondercide products use Texas Red Cedar from the Eastern Red Cedar family, which is NOT Toxic to humans or animals, generally including cats. Again, it contains ZERO Phenols.  Wondercide cedarwood oil is additionally modified through a steam distillation extraction and fractionation process. Every batch of oil that we process comes with a certificate of origin and analysis to ensure our high quality standards are met.

Wondercide provides safe and natural flea control to thousands of pets including cats, dogs, and horses.  Many people and holistic vets consider our products to be much safer than chemical spot-on flea treatments and the toxins pest control companies spray.   For the lowest impact on your pets health, we highly recommend treating the source of the problem (the property) and protecting your pets as needed by misting them down with Wondercide EVOLV Natural Flea Treatment.

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This entry is filed under Pet Health.