Essential oil
Liquid potpourri and essential oil diffusers
Contact a vet immediately.
SevereCatsDogsBirds
Illustrative cover using relevant category imagery; it does not depict the exact subject.
What to do right now
- 1.Wash spilled liquid off the fur with washing-up liquid and water
- 2.Move the pet to fresh air
- 3.Call your vet
Symptoms
- Drooling and mouth burns
- Vomiting
- Breathing difficulty
- Wobbliness
- Low body temperature
Details
- Category
- Essential oil
- Toxicity
- Severe
- Species affected
- Cats, Dogs, Birds
- Routes of exposure
- Licking spills from fur, drinking the liquid or inhaling concentrated oils.
- Urgency
- Contact a vet immediately.
Veterinary notes and prevention
Cats lack liver enzymes to process many oils; birds are highly sensitive to airborne fumes. Avoid diffusers in pet rooms.
Prepare the information your vet needs
- For Liquid potpourri and essential oil diffusers, report the exposure route: Licking spills from fur, drinking the liquid or inhaling concentrated oils. Tell the clinic the time, possible amount and your pet's species and approximate weight.
- Photograph the packaging, ingredient list or plant if safe. Do not handle contaminated material without protection or delay the call to identify it perfectly.
- Keep other animals away from the source. An animal may appear normal before signs develop; do not wait for symptoms or calculate a home 'safe dose'.
- Follow the clinic's transport instructions. Do not give food, medicines or home remedies unless instructed, and take packaging with you if available.
Educational reference, not an individual diagnosis or a verified professional review. Read our editorial policy.
Sources on this topic
Pages on this specific subject from recognised organisations. They are cited for further reading and do not mean the organisation has reviewed this page.
- Liquid Potpourri: toxicity to pets — Pet Poison Helpline
- Essential Oil and Liquid Potpourri Poisoning in Cats — VCA Animal Hospitals
Guidance libraries and further reading
These organisations publish relevant guidance. Their links are further reading, not evidence that they have reviewed this page.