Friday, March 16, 2018

#Cats and Essential Oils--Cats This Week by Karen Rose Smith



Essential oils have gained in popularity over the last decade. They are used for aromatherapy (with and without diffusers), perfumes, aids for better skin tone and also for various health conditions.



However...

I receive a newsletter about felines from Cornell University called CatWatch.  It originates from the College of Veterinary Medicine—Feline Health Center. It includes innovations in pet care, new treatments for diseases, and advice on behavior issues.  I’ve been receiving the newsletter for several years now and find it practical and useful with sound advice.

This month there was an article on essential oils.  The Feline Health Center’s advice advice is to not use them in cat care.  They list these oils as toxic to felines. 


Cinnamon oil
Citrus oil
Clove oil
Eucalyptus oil
Oil of sweet birch
Oil of wintergreen
Pennyroyal oil
Peppermint oil
Pine oils
Tea tree oils
Ylang Ylang oil


The ASPCA Poison Control Center recommends avoiding essential oil use unless approved by your veterinarian. Apparently some are used for parasite control. If the oils are ingested, breathed in or absorbed by their skin, the oils can possibly affect your cat’s liver. 

I know I like to use natural products with our five inside cats and two outside strays. I raise pesticide free flowers and herbs for our gardens and try to avoid plants that are toxic to felines.  I’ll be avoiding essential oils now and in the future.



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Daisy, a widowed mom of two teenagers, is used to feeling protective—so when Iris started dating the wealthy and not-quite-divorced Harvey Fitz, she worried . . . especially after his bitter ex stormed in and caused a scene at the party Daisy’s Tea Garden was catering. Then there was the gossip she overheard about Harvey’s grown children being cut out of his will. Daisy didn’t want her aunt to wind up with a broken heart—but she never expected Iris to wind up a suspect in Harvey’s murder.

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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. This award-winning and bestselling author will have her 100th novel released in 2018.  At present she is working on two mystery series for Kensington Books--Caprice De Luca Home Staging cozies and Daisy's Tea Garden mysteries. From time to time, she also writes romance for Harlequin Special Edition.
Karen and Zander

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks and does watercolor paintings rather than gardens. And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 




©2018 Karen Rose Smith

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