Have you ever noticed that your pets avoid the smell of citrus? There are many videos on social media where cats and dogs cringe and run away from cut lemons. But what is the reason for such a reaction to these fruits?
Although a pet's reaction to lemon may seem amusing, veterinarians warn that teasing animals in this way can be unsafe.
The issue lies in essential oils. Firstly, dogs and cats have highly developed olfactory receptors. For them, the smell of citrus is too sharp due to the high concentration of essential oil in the fruit peel. However, animals avoid this scent not only because of its irritating effect. Essential oils are also highly toxic and can cause poisoning even in humans.
If you have ever used essential oils, you may have noticed that they can cause skin irritation, and sometimes even nausea or headaches. However, these are just "harmless" signs of intoxication. They often contain natural compounds known as endocrine disruptors, which can negatively affect hormonal balance. Additionally, it has been proven that in large doses, oils can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs, and central nervous system.
The metabolism of cats and dogs is more sensitive to such compounds. Although scientists acknowledge that the negative effects of essential oils on animals have not been sufficiently studied, there are documented cases of pets dying from their effects. Most often, animals suffer from tea tree and eucalyptus oils.
To date, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center has identified several of the most dangerous essential oils for cats:
cinnamon oil,
citrus oils,
clove oil,
eucalyptus oil,
peppermint oil,
pine oils,
tea tree oil,
wintergreen or gaultheria oil,
ylang-ylang.
For dogs, toxic essential oils include:
pine oils,
tea tree oil,
wintergreen.
Veterinarians strongly recommend not allowing pets to sniff lemons and to try to keep diffusers and aroma lamps away from them.
