Cats
and Aromatherapy
Although there is a place for Aromatherapy in your cat care, it
must not be used in place of professional Vetinary treatment.
Cats are now known to be good for our health, by actually
stroking a cat it is having a calming effect on our nervous system,
which in turn lowers our blood pressure.People who have had a heart
attack lenghten their chances of survival if they own a cat.
Aromatherapy oils do have their place in cat care; below are a
few instances where Aromatherapy oils can be used.
- Canker of the ear- This is a problem that Cats encounter,
one form is eczematous, and the other is due to a parasite.The
scratching can cause a sore and infection can set in.The ear will
feel hot to the touch and there could be a discharge of wax. Try
to clean the ear if possible. To prevent a sore from forming due
to constant scratching, warm a teaspoon of Olive oil and add one
drop of Lavender oil and one drop of Chammomile oil, insert a
small amount into the ear and rub gently the surrounding area.
Canker is contagious so it is important to trat it.
- Mange- This is also very contagious in cats, all the
bedding should be treated or thrown out. Cover your cat with water
to which you add three drops of Lavender and three drops of Tea
tree essential oil, you could use Chammomile as well. Try to
ensure (much to your cats disqust) that the cover the whole area
with this soloution.
- Fleas - The age old problem that affects not only our Cats
but our home as well.This remedy will not only get rid of fleas
but will get your cats coat in a good condition as well. Many shop
bought sprays have chemicals in them which are not only bad for
the environment but also bad for your Cats as well, this remedy is
based on a more natural approach and will not effect the balance
of the oils in your Cats skin. Take an old steel brush and cover
it with a piece of flannel, ensuring you pull it down over the
brushes teeth. Prepare a bowl of warm water and mix in 4 drops of
Cedarwood or Pine oil and soak the prepared brush in it before
hand. This treatment will disenfect the Cat,condition the coat and
collect the parasites and eggs in the brush. Brush the mixture
through your cats coat several times rinsing the brush out in the
soloution regularly. Another way of dispersing the oil is to put 4
drops of either oil neat on a brush and brush through your cats
coat thourghly.
- Flea collars- Most commercially bought flea collars are
made with highly toxic chemicals which can be absorbed through the
cats skin., cats will lick around the area where a flea collar is
worn, thus increasing the chances of absorbing the chemicals. An
essential oil collar provides excellent protection from fleas, it
is very cheap and easy to make. Buy a soft material collar and
soak it in the following mixture; half a teasppon of alcohol, 1
drop of Cedarwood, 1 drop of Thyme, 1 drop of Citronella, 1 drop
of Lavender, Mix with 4 garlic capsules(break them open and add
contents of capsules to the mixture. Soak the flea collar in the
mixture and leave to dry befoore putting it around your cats neck.
This collar should be effective for up to one month. Blood is the
fleas only form of food, but when garlic is detected in it they
will leave well alone. Add one or two garlic capsules to your pets
food in spring and summer, depending on it's size.
- Abscesses- Cats often get abscesses during a night on the
tiles from fighting with other cats.Put neat tea tree oil to bring
it to a head. As the cat licks the fur he will ingest the oil
which also helps clear up the abscess. After it has burst and the
pus has discharged, dab some neat Lavender oil on the wound to
speed up healing.
- Arthritus- Just like humans cats can suffer from arhritus
to, a gentle massage into the affected area with the following
mixture usually brings some relief to the cat. 4 drops od
Rosemary, 2 drops of Lavender, 3 drops of ginger, diluted in 30ml
vegetable oil.
