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TEA TREE OIL - TOXIC TO CATS
Copyright 1995, 2003 Sarah Hartwell Tea Tree oil (oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, Oleum Melaleucae) is often promoted as pretty much the best thing since flu jabs as far as cats are concerned. It is a colorless or pale yellow oil obtained by steam distillation of the freshly harvested leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia (Australian Tea Tree). The main active ingredients are cyclic terpenes. Tea Tree oil is promoted for the treatment of many skin problems and to control external parasites. Tea Tree oil lotions, shampoos and wipes are readily available from pet stores. It has been tested on humans and has been found to be effective on larger animals such as horses and sheep. In humans, it has been used in dentistry. However, animals and humans have been poisoned (sometimes fatally) from topical use or accidental ingestion of tea tree oil. Use of tea tree oil to control fleas has resulted in the death of kittens. There are case studies at the end of this article where cats have died following its use : Buddy and Foxy and Tiger and Miss Charlotte who were both made seriously ill. Claims For Tea Tree Oil: The oil is reputed to have mild antibacterial and antifungal properties and is marketed as a natural remedy in veterinary and human medicine. It has proven antiseptic, antibacterial and fungicidal properties. It is sold in cat skin-care products for cleaning, healing, soothing and relieving itching associated with allergies, insect bites, hotspots, burns, abrasions, minor rashes and irritations. It is claimed that Tea Tree oil is an effective deodorizer, fur detangler, external parasite repellent and that it restores luster to fur. It is actively promoted for its ability to penetrate the skin. The oil is highly lipophilic (attracted to fats, solvent) and is rapidly absorbed through intact skin (even faster through open wounds). It may also be ingested or absorbed orally through mucous membranes when a cat self-grooms. Many cat owners claim to use Tea Tree oil without any adverse effect, however, there have been reports from the US that Tea Tree oil is toxic, to cats. There are unconfirmed reports of cats which have died following the its use. In the US, cat owners are advised to seek the advice of a vet before using the oil on cats. A Californian producer of the oil was reportedly unhappy about its Tea Tree product being promoted for use on cats due to concerns over its potential toxicity. In the UK there appears to be no mention of possible ill-effects or contra-indications and little awareness of its toxicity. An American expert in the use of essential oils (who has used Tea Tree oil successfully to treat skin infections in cats) recommends that the oil should not be used where the cat can lick it off, This addresses the hazard of ingestion, but not of absorption through the skin or through wounds (such as unhealed flea bites). Cases of Tea Tree Oil Poisoning: In the early 1990s, it was suggested that cats with nerve disorders were unable to tolerate Tea Tree oil and suffered ill effects from its use. It was recommended that the amount of the oil in a product such as a cat shampoo should not exceed 1% although even that small amount may be toxic to certain individuals. American cat owners were advised not to use Tea Tree oil at all on cats with diabetes, epilepsy, metabolic or neurological disorders or on young kittens whose immature livers may not be able to cope with it. Cases of Tea Tree oil poisoning have since been reported to the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) of the US following external application of the oil to cats. In most cases, the oil had been used at inappropriately high doses, causing acute poisoning. Symptoms occurred 2 - 8 hours after topical application of Tea Tree oil products. Symptoms were depression, weakness, ataxia, lack of coordination, behavioral disorders and muscle tremors. Warning signs; may include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite and lack of energy. Treatment is by removing residual amounts of oil from the skin by bathing the cat in a non-insecticide shampoo. Intravenous fluids and glucose may were sometimes required to strengthen the animal, to overcome hypertension and to aid renal elimination (elimination in the urine). Where the oil had been ingested (licked off through grooming) activated charcoal and a cathartic was required to decrease the amount of oil absorbed in the gut. It has been reported that cats treated for Tea Tree oil poisoning recovered within 2-3 days following treatment of clinical signs and supportive care. There is no specific antidote for the adverse reactions caused by dermal (skin) overexposure to Tea Tree oil (or related essential oils). Basic supportive care is required, including monitoring of respiratory and cardiovascular functions, checking for possible hypothermia and providing additional warmth if needed. K Bischoff and F Guale reported a case of Australian Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil poisoning in three purebred cats. In brief, a Tea Tree Oil spot treatment/flea repellent was used on 3 Angora cats which had been shaved prior to treatment. The treatment was advertised for use as a topical treatment or a dip and was diluted according to manufacturer's instructions before use. Because the cats had been shaved, the treatment was applied directly to the skin. Symptoms of Tea Tree Oil toxicity began five hours after treatment. Cat A became hypothermic, ataxic (lack of muscle co-ordination), unable to stand, but alert. Cat B became hypothermic, dehydrated and comatose. Cat C was alert but nervous, trembling and slightly ataxic. The three cats smelled of the Tea Tree Oil product. They were bathed using mild detergent to remove any residue from their skin, rehydrated, kept warm and treated for Tea Tree Oil ingestion. Their urine contained terpinen-4-ol (a constituent of Tea Tree Oil), indicating Tea Tree Oil ingestion. It also contained other substances which may have been metabolic breakdown products of Tea Tree Oil. All three cats were given supportive nursing. Two recovered fully over a two day period. The worst affected (Cat B) remained dull, hypothermic, ataxic and dehydrated despite rehydration therapy. It appeared to rally on the third day of treatment, but died several hours later. Notes: The Tea Tree Oil had therefore reached, and potentially damaged, the cats' livers (abnormal metabolic substances in the urine), their kidneys (unchanged terpinen-4-ol excreted in the urine) and brains (ataxia and trembling/twitching). The cats had been heavily flea infested and possibly slightly anemic which may have exacerbated later problems; flea bite wounds may have contributed to rapid absorption of the oil (however the product is actually recommended for use as a flea treatment). Not all vets or poison control centers are aware of the oil's specific toxicity to cats and the correct treatment may not be given. Vets are left to do the best they can based on the symptoms. Owners or groomers may not dilute the shampoos appropriately, Two cases in which Tea Tree Oil is implicated is that of Buddy, a six year old Maine Coon who became critically ill shortly after being bathed in a Tea Tree Oil shampoo and who died a few days later in great distress, and also of Foxy plus a 3 week old kitten treated for ringworm using Tea Tree Oil. Miss Charlotte and Tiger both became seriously ill after a Tea Tree shampoo was used to treat ringworm and a skin problems respectively. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Toxic Components of Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree oil (melaleuca, Melaleuca alternifolia) is a phenol-containing essential oil. Its active ingredients are cyclic terpenes which have a similar structure and action to turpentine (a known toxin) - in fact Tea Tree oil makes a good paint solvent! Cats are uniquely sensitive to phenolics and other benzene-based compounds. Benzyl alcohol (a preservative) is toxic to cats. The acute toxicity for the major terpenic compounds (linalool, ocimene, alpha-terpinene, 1,8-cineole, terpinolene, camphene) is 2 - 5 g/kg body weight, which is considered a moderately toxic range. From a toxicological point of view Tea Tree oil is comparable to oil of turpentine, which is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and skin. In addition, cats have relatively thin, delicate skin and Tea Tree oil is highly lipophilic (attracted to fats,solvent). This means that the oil is absorbed rapidly and enters the bloodstream. These factors may account for the poisoning cases reported to the NAPCC.Mean Percentage Composition of Major Components of Tea Tree Oil, Terpinen-4-ol Type
(the low cineole oil specified by the Standards Association of Australia) *97 components have been identified, this table relates to major components only. Component*
Mean
Percentage
Component*
Mean
Percentage
a-pinene
2.46
g-terpinene
20.20
a-thujene
0.83
r-cymene
2.80
beta-pinene
0.66
terpinolene
3.45
sabinene
0.45
aromadendrene
1.68
myrcene
0.86
terpinen-4-ol
37.93
a-phellandrene
0.44
virdiflorene
1.68
a-terpinene
9.56
a-terpineol
3.01
limonene
1.01
d-cadinene
1.49
beta-phellandrene
0.94
globulol
0.86
1.8-cineole
3.87
virdiflorol
0.33 Cats are notoriously sensitive to toxins; their livers are not able to metabolize many substances which may safely be used on dogs (cats have been poisoned through use of dog flea preparations). For this reason, a substance shown to be beneficial and safe for humans may be unsuitable for use on cats. e.g. to cover the area where oil is applied. Cats cannot efficiently metabolize substances present in certain essential oils (including Tea Tree oil), which will therefore build up in the cat's body. This means that they are not efficiently excreted by the body and can accumulate in soft tissues and vital organs. Over a period of time, the substances can reach toxic levels which cause death or symptoms of poisoning. An owner could therefore use Tea Tree oil in supposedly safe low concentrations for some time with no symptoms, though the cat is being slowly poisoned as the toxins accumulate. This is similar to they way that heavy metals (e.g. lead, zinc) or poly-chlorinated bi-phenols (PCBs) accumulate in the soft tissues and organs. An added danger is that cheap essential oils may be adulterated with other things for various reasons; the combination of substances could be more toxic than the unadulterated oil. The other effects of long term use of Tea Tree oil on cats are not known, especially any carcinogenic (cancer-forming) effects. Nor is it confirmed whether it reacts with prescription medications or non-prescription items such as flea-treatments (sprays, powders and especially long-acting treatments added to the food or applied in absorbable form to the back of the neck). It is therefore recommended that Tea Tree oil is not used within days, possibly weeks, of other treatments. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Irresponsible Marketing of Tea Tree Oil: I contacted a distributor of Tea Tree oil products in the UK with specific reference to potential toxicity of the oil (based on US studies). The company provided an information leaflet and although the oil appears useful in treating skin conditions and ecto-parasites (fleas, lice, mites etc) there is no scientific qualification for its effectiveness. The leaflet carried the following qualification: "The statements made herein are for information purposes only. Many statements and claims made herein are not based on clinical data but are founded on anecdotal data that cannot be quoted on products for sale in the marketplace. This document is not presented as a scientific paper." It is worrying that a product is marketed for safe use on cats on the basis of anecdotal information related to humans, sheep and horses with no consideration given to the cat's poor ability to metabolize substances harmless to other species. It is of concern that the statements and claims made for the product are scientifically unproven. Herbal remedies used safely on humans for hundreds of years may be unsuitable for felines due to their different metabolism. The leaflet claimed that the "absence of toxicity" and "general perfect tolerance" are attributes of Tea Tree oil. This conflicts with American reports and instances of poisoning reported to NAPCC. The leaflet also contained a list of Tea Tree oil constituents: alpha-terpinene, gamma-terpinene, cymene, alpha-terpineol, sesquiterpenes and up to 10% of cineole (British Pharmaceutical Codex, 1949). High levels of cineole may irritate mucous membranes, so low cineole oil is used for medicinal purposes. Although the leaflet contained references to in vitro and in vivo studies, these were related to the oil's antimicrobial properties, not to its toxicity. The cat was not specifically mentioned. The idea of toxicology tests e.g. LD50 - lethal dosage - tests on cats will be abhorrent to cat owners, although the oil could be tested on feline cell cultures. There is little toxicology data available on whole Tea Tree Oil to balance the enthusiastic marketing hyperbole and anecdotal claims. The following is taken from chemical data sheets on terpinen-4-ol (C10H18O), also known as terpinene-4-ol, (-)-4-isopropyl-1-methyl-1-cyclohexen-4-ol, 1-p-menthen-4-ol, 1-terpinen-4-ol, 4-terpinenol, 4-carvomenthenol, (+)-terpinen-4-ol, 1-methyl-4-isopropyl-1-cyclohexen-4-ol. Tea Tree Oil contains upwards of 38% terpinen-4-ol. Data sheets state that it is harmful if swallowed and, in humans, is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant. It is a solvent of oil-base products e.g. plastics, rubber, oil based paints etc. It is absorbed rapidly and toxic effects noted in humans include central nervous system depression, seizures, coma and respiratory depression. In humans, terpinen-4-ol has a toxicity of 4.3 g/kg, corresponding to a "completely safe" rating of between 3 and 5. One In rats, the lethal dose (LD50 - dosage at which 50% of subjects are fatally poisoned) is 1.9 ml/kg (note: rats have relatively good liver function compared to that of felines). One promoter of Tea Tree Oil glowingly cites four cases of children swallowing up to 25 ml of Tea Tree Oil with no worse effects than mild diarrhoea and drowsiness which passed within 24 hours, but conveniently ignored a case where a patient remained in coma for 12 hours and semi-conscious for 36 hours following Tea Tree Oil ingestion. Note: Humans have far better liver function than do cats. Current evidence, not anecdotal but recorded by veterinarians, is that Tea Tree Oil is toxic to cats. The peculiarities of the feline liver means it is extremely unsafe to market a product, even an "all natural" one, as safe to use on cats based on human or livestock studies. Results of tests on humans do not prove that a product is suitable for cats since cats are very poor at metabolizing toxic substances. For example; Aspirin is a useful painkiller in humans and well tolerated by most people, but it is highly toxic to cats. Since Tea Tree oil can penetrate the skin and be ingested when a cat self-grooms, there is a possibility of it accumulating in the cat's liver and building up to toxic levels. The UK distributors' leaflet presented only favorable information. It did not address the toxicity problem of Tea Tree oil or list the contra-indications if it is used. There was also no indication of whether the concentration of oil in the products was above the 1% 'safe' threshold recommended at the time the leaflet was issued. The distributors failed to explain why Tea Tree oil is promoted as safe and non-toxic in the UK but is considered toxic in the US. This is a case of irresponsible marketing and may already have led to 'mystery poisonings' or even deaths in cats and kittens. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Other Essential Oils: For the sake of completeness, Tea Tree oil is not the only commonly found essential oil. Herbal remedies contain a variety of oils, a number of which are dangerous to cats. Problems commonly occur when an oil safe for use on humans or dogs are used on cats. Incorrect usage of an oil is almost guaranteed to cause problems. Problems also occur when an oil is 'in fashion' an marketed using anecdotal evidence; its effects on cats may not have been researched properly. Tea Tree oil is currently a fashionable remedy. There have been cases of poisoning resulting from a single drop of an essential oil (not only Tea Tree oil, though this is the one most readily available to most cat owners) on their paws or belly, or diffusing them in the area where the litter box was located. Often the reaction was considered a "mystery poisoning" and the toxic agent was not readily identified. Many cat products now contain Tea Tree oil: Shampoos, coat sprays, 'antiseptic' wipes, ear cleaners, rechargeable flea collars and herbal dips. Some are simply labeled as "herbal oils". Essential oils; which contain phenols are particularly toxic to cats and cause liver damage. These include; Oregano, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Clove, Cinnamon, Bay Leaf, Parsley and Savory Essential oils which contain ketones cause neurological symptoms. These include: Cedar Leaf*, Sage*, Hyssop*, Cyprus*, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Mint, Caraway*, Citronella ,Clove*, Ginger*, Chamomile, Thyme and Rosemary (those marked * give particular cause for concern). Hydrosols and Aromatherapy: It is recommended that the oil is never be administered orally or used on the skin (cats will lick it off). It isn't known whether Tea Tree oil is safe for use by aromatherapy by nebulization, but it is recommended that it only be used in well-ventilated areas and that the cat be able to leave the room easily if it wishes (cats dislike strong odors). For aromatherapy purposes, there is an alternative to the oil which is believed to be safe. A by-product of essential oil production is "hydrosol" (or "hydrolat"). Hydrosols are left behind after the essential oils are steam-distilled from plant matter. Steam is used to extract the essential oil from plant matter. The oil (containing the toxins) is condensed and removed, leaving the steam itself. The steam contains water-soluble plant compounds and can be condensed to form the hydrosol. Classically, aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils. For purposes of aromatherapy for cats, hydrosols are considered safe for use on the skin because they don't contain the actual oil. They are delicately scented and have strong anti-inflammatory properties due to high levels of carboxylic acids. They are also soothing and act as gentle antiseptics. They are also believed to work on the emotions in the same way as Bach Remedies. It is important to locate a manufacturer who does not add essential oil to hydrosols to make it stronger smelling or more potent. References: Knight, M.J. & Villar, David. Toxicity of melaleuca oil and related essential oils applied topically on dogs and cats. Vet Human Toxicol 36(2): April 1994, p139-142.Florida Veterinary Scene Newsletter, 4(5), May/June 1995. Promotional leaflet from Pet & Garden Manufacturing plc (Scotland), 1995 Further discussions of Tea Tree Oil toxicity are located at http://www.holisticat.com/aromatherapy.html & http://www.holisticat.com/essoils_arch.html Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Buddy - Tea Tree Oil victim?
Judy Hansen from California provided details of her cats' reactions following a bath in a shampoo containing Tea Tree Oil. In July 2002, she took her Maine Coons, Buddy and Baby, to a grooming parlor for bathing, clipping and grooming. When she collected them later, they were "not happy" and remained unsettled into the evening. Both were grooming more than usual, but not then in obvious distress. The following morning, both were unwell and had raised temperatures and were rushed to the vet clinic. Their temperatures were over 105 Fahrenheit and they were in pain. They were given immediate cool baths to lower the fever and subcutaneous fluids to combat dehydration. Judy contacted the groomer to find out what products had been used in bathing and grooming. These were a shampoo containing oatmeal & tea tree oil, followed by an oatmeal conditioner. The groomer said that they used these products all the time, they were "all natural" and she had never had any problems. Judy had read of potential problems with cats reacting to Tea Tree Oil and requested they be rebathed to remove the residue, but there the only available time was a few days later so she took the cats straight to vet. Five year old Baby was bathed and given subcutaneous fluids. Six year old Buddy was in worse shape. While being bathed to reduce his temperature, a 6" x 3" patch of hair fell out at the scuff of his neck. The underlying skin was red and raw -"like it had been blowtorched". He was given subcutaneous fluids to rehydrate him and sent home on Prednisolone 5 mg. Note: This wound may have been due to a skin reaction to a substance (e.g. an undiluted substance) being poured onto the fur and reaching the skin. Over the next 24 hours both cats ate and drank little and were restless and obviously unwell. The following morning Buddy became very sick, unresponsive, in obvious great pain and cold. Both cats were rushed back to the vet. Buddy's blood test showed nothing except a high bilirubin count; his abdominal X-rays (because of extreme tenderness) were negative. He was given dexamethazone injection and intravenous fluids and was by then critically ill. Baby showed the same symptoms to a lesser degree and was given subcutaneous fluids. Buddy was put into a 24 hour emergency facility and the emergency clinic vets wanted to see Baby also. En route to the clinic it became obvious that Buddy was dying and he died a short while later. Judy described it as a hard death and that he suffered. Baby remained on subcutaneous fluids, Baytril and Methylpred injections. Blood tests showed increased eosinophils. She received Baytril and Methylpred injections. Her condition was upgraded to "fair" and she was discharged for home nursing. Her long-term prognosis (e.g. impaired liver/kidney function) is not yet known. Judy took photos and asked that tissue samples be taken from Buddy, including fat since Tea Tree Oil accumulates in fatty tissue, and delivered to her own vet to be sent for analysis. The amount of grooming the cats did after being bathed could have led to them ingesting the substance as well as absorbing it through the skin and, in Buddy's case, through the wound. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed, but a reaction to Tea Tree Oil remains the most likely explanation. Through this experience, Judy learnt that the vets she saw and the poison control center in Chicago were unfamiliar with tea tree oil toxicity in cats. She found many websites praising Tea Tree Oil, mostly manufacturers of Tea Tree Oil products, though few mentioned its specific toxicity to cats. Groomers may be buying these products unaware of the growing number of reported poisonings. Tea tree oil appears to be neuro-, hepatic- and nephro- toxic at a minimum to cats, a little like drinking anti-freeze. Baby update: August 2003. Baby seems to be doing well. She didn't seem to either be as affected or received a lower dose during her bath than Bud. During the week after he died she was pretty sick but eventually turned the corner, had several days of high velocity sneezing, just clear fluid, and an odd brown substance in her right ear. I gave her 7 days of Baytril and she is almost back to normal. Her skin has patchy areas and it is flaking off somewhat like REALLY bad dandruff. My vet called and reported on the tissue samples that were sent for study. Unfortunately from an ammunition point of view they had no clear signs pointing to Tea Tree Oil. Vascular congestion which she says would be seen in any dead body. Samples were sent of major organs and skin but neurological sites were not obtained. She doesn't know if this would have had any definitive answers or not. I have not personally seen the reports yet. On the Petco front, we have not approached them yet in any fashion as we were waiting for the sample results. As it happens, I finally received a response to the message I sent to them asking who I would contact regarding a serious problem that occurred in one of their grooming shops. A "Customer Satisfaction Coordinator" suggested I contact them so we could file a formal report. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Foxy + 3 Week Old Kitten-Killed by Tea Tree Oil? I received another case of apparent Tea Tree Oil poisoning in May 2003; this time in breeding Persians owned by Rhonda Baerwald. The following is reproduced (in summary) with permission of the cats' owner as a warning to others. A kitten bought in November 2002 led to ringworm infection in other household cats. By January 2003, all of the cats, except the 2 pregnant females, had been treated successfully with Keteconozole (a drug used in the USA). The pregnant cats showed ringworm symptoms in March 2003; the preferred drug was griseofulvisin which is apparently hard to obtain in the USA (It is widely used in the UK). By then, the kittens from the 2 pregnant cats developed ringworm aged 8 weeks and 3 weeks. Foxy, a shaded silver Persian, was 4 years old (DOB 28 Feb 1999) and weighed 4.5 lbs (the female Persians ranged between 4.5 lbs to 7 lbs). The owner found a spot on Foxy's neck under her chin, but Foxy was possibly pregnant so no oral medication could be used (risk of kitten deformities or miscarriage). The mother of the 3 week old kittens could not be treated in case the drug was passed in the milk. Myosan cream was used on the spot. With 11 cats and 6 kittens in the home (a cattery, but uncaged), the bill for eliminating ringworm could run into thousands of dollars. According to a website review, Tea Tree Oil could cure ringworm within 72 hours and was safe to use on cats. Although it smelled strong and the breeder was concerned that the kittens might accidentally ingest some while nursing, the instructions provided with the oil did not mention any danger if ingested. The mother of 3 week old kittens had numerous patches around the nipples and the kittens had it on their faces. The owner applied Tea Tree Oil full-strength to the belly on a cotton swab according to the manufacturer's instructions for Cat and Dog uses. Within an hour all 3 kittens were weak, unco-ordinated, shaking and staggering (resembling neurological problems). They were immediately washed with soap and water and bottle-fed. They were unco-ordinated and shaky for approximately 2-2.5 weeks; 2 of the 3 kittens improved after a couple of days and began nursing again. The third would not start nursing again, lost the ability to swallow (when bottle-fed) and died. Because the instructions did not mention toxicity or symptoms of Tea Tree Oil poisoning, the owner did not link the oil to the kittens' illness or the death of one of the kittens. In March 2003, Foxy turned out to be not pregnant. She was bathed to remove all residue of Myosan cream and given 20 mg Keteconozole. Tea Tree Oil was applied topically to spots on her belly using cotton wool. Later in the evening (when the owner returned), Foxy was weak and unresponsive. She smelled very strongly of Tea Tree Oil and this was immediately washed off. She was unable to walk and diagnosed by a vet as anorexic, ataxic and having muscle tremors. The vet diagnosed poisoning of some sort, but was unaware of Tea Tree Oil toxicity. He washed Foxy to remove any remaining contaminant and gave her fluids. The vet said that Foxy might recover given time and fluids (to flush the system and give it time to eliminate any toxins). Foxy received further fluids and returned home; she was able to stand, but was unco-ordinated and unable to walk much. She would not eat and after 4 days had to be force fed diluted liquidized food. The smell of Tea Tree Oil remained strong despite the previous thorough bathing (by this time she would have been excreting it in urine). After a 3rd bath, the owner found Foxy's stomach to be raw in some areas where the oil had been used (chemical burns). The skin on the neck had become leathery where the oil had been used. Foxy refused to leave the litter box; she urinated on herself, cried and whimpered. Foxy had to be euthanized 1 week after being treated with Tea Tree Oil. She still smelled very strongly of tea tree oil, indicating it was still in her system (it is absorbed through the skin). The vet was in no doubt that Tea Tree Oil was the poison responsible. The manufacturer asked for a statement from the Vet and details of medication used for all of the cats. Despite the lack of clinical evidence, Tea Tree Oil is considered to be a cure-all and non-toxic. Claims to the contrary are not accepted by manufacturers and vendors. The manufacturer claimed that the oil had not been used as directed and apparently accused the owner of giving the cat several other medications (which had not actually been used). In spite of no warning about ingestion, the manufacturer apparently considered the owner negligent for allowing the oil to be licked off. In fact all cats groom and any externally used preparation will end up being ingested to some extent. The manufacturer also referred to a disclaimer, which followed 6 pages of specific uses and directions, to say it was not intended to treat or cure any disorders or diseases (in spite of claims apparently made on a website). He could not be held liable for correct or incorrect use of his product. The accompanying literature had no information on ingestion of Tea Tree Oil and apparently cited 3 instances of directly using it full strength in the mouth. The manufacturer claims the oil was used incorrectly and in unreasonably high amounts yet a responsible owner followed that manufacturer's instructions. The moral of the tale is Tea Tree Oil is not a safe product to use on cats. It is marketed based on anecdotal evidence. Clinical studies are lacking. If it poisons your cat (or dog) the manufacturers will deny all responsibility - even if you followed their instructions to the letter. The manufacturers are making money and are in a win-win situation. Cat-owners, on the other hand, risks losing their cat and have no comeback. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Tiger: From feline athlete to uncoordinated cat through tea-tree toxicity I received the following account of tea tree oil poisoning resulting in long-term damage from Anna North. Before my mother passed away, she made me promise to take care of her cat, Tiger. So, when the time came, I took Tiger, a big orange short-hair tabby, back home with me. Because of that promise, and because Tiger is such a fine feline, his care was a matter of importance. He was five years old at the time. He also had to adjust from being a farm cat, accustomed to lots of roaming and unpolluted air, to becoming a cat living in the suburbs of Denver. This he did quite well, having quickly bonded to both my Great Dane/German Shepherd dog and me. He chose to stick around the house and yard and gave up roaming. This was at the beginning of 2000. The next summer (2001) Tiger began to show skin irritation and balding spots in areas he worried. My [now ex-] husband was opposed to spending money to let me take Tiger to the vet. I did telephone the vet, who recommended a tea tree oil shampoo for Tiger - and this is a very good clinic I have used for years. We had used such a shampoo on a previous dog, with questionable effect; we had also used tea tree oil for ourselves in topical applications. However, humans are not dogs are not cats.... So, I hit the Internet for further information and found tea tree concoctions broadly recommended for nearly everyone and everything, even by veterinarians. I could find no logical reason to not try some to relieve Tiger's skin irritation (I was looking for a reason, a side effect, a contraindication to rule out using tea tree oil) . So, I applied a dilution to the bald patches, which were not ringworm, mange or anything else experienced over years of working with livestock of various kinds. Tiger's irritation acted like an allergic reaction to his new and different environment. Sorry for the vagueness but that is how vague it was. Here is the moral beforehand, as my husband discovered belatedly: Spend a little now and save a lot later - including your cat! About four hours after applying the diluted oil, my son came running upstairs yelling that something was wrong with Tiger. I sped down to find Tiger on his feet - barely - weaving and clearly uncoordinated. His breathing was shallow and rapid. He was clearly in great distress, mewling in a way I hope to never again hear. He also reeked of far more tea tree oil than had been put on him; that was very odd. I swept Tiger up and yelled for my son to start running tepid water and to get lots of towels. There was no doubt in my mind that he had been poisoned by something (sans a stroke) and tea tree oil was my immediate, intuitive suspicion. Frankly, I used dish soap (UK: washing-up liquid) on him in a effort to cut the oil. However, I also allowed for the likelihood that he had managed to ingest some. After the rude bath, the smell was still incredibly strong, magnified even. I sat on the stairs holding Tiger wrapped in dry towels. My son and I were nearly hysterical, as we watched Tiger visibly weaken, while my husband said we would wait to see how he was in the morning. By morning he would probably have been dead. The time was past midnight. I was not about to lose my mother's cat, so I called the vet, who referred us to an all night clinic. I called poison control in Denver to discover the number disconnected. My son got on the phone and found the number for poison control in Kansas City and called them; they, unfortunately, had absolutely no clue. My son and I bundled the cat into the car and drove to the all night clinic. The vet at the clinic was mystified and rather doubted tea tree oil could cause such a reaction. He didn't really know what to do, except try to treat Tiger for general poisoning. Tiger spent a day and a half at the clinic while they tried to flush his system and remain watchful. Tiger survived that period and we picked him up. The vet said it appeared to be a poisoning incident and not a stroke or other event. He also suggested that what Tiger had survived could have long-term effects on liver or kidney function, or could even shorten his life. It was just too hard to know for sure. Back at home, Tiger chose to remain in my bedroom for two weeks and a little more. He was still unsteady, lacked appetite and required force feeding of kitten formula and water for a while, and remained by choice in the cat carrier except for weaving trips to the litter box in the room. He couldn't stand loud sounds or bright light, or to have the other animals around him. Any stimulation seemed overwhelming. Sometime after two weeks, Tiger began to move to other areas of the room but was disinclined to leave. In the end, Tiger did recover but there have been long-term deficits that we have observed. Tiger's motor control has been permanently affected. He no longer leaps on top of six-foot fences. He is not longer sure-footed and if not watched could topple from the height of the bathroom sink counter (he loves to drink from a dripping faucet). He is happy but, sometimes, he just doesn't feel so well - and this was a cat who scaled tall cottonwoods, ran fleet-footed and took on small predators in the country. He is a different cat after that experience. The vet thinks he is doing remarkably well, considering everything. The cost was about $500, compared to a regular vet visit and treatment. This does not include the cost to my cat. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Miss Charlotte: Persian cat with severe illness following use of Tea Tree Oil Shampoo. On 5th December 2003, I received another report of Tea Tree Oil poisoning from Chris Lorrie (the following account is summarized from several email updates): I also once believed that Australian Tea Tree Oil products were safe and used one on one of my Persian cats (Miss Charlotte) for ringworm at approximately 2:00 in the afternoon. December/04/2003: I applied the Tea Tree Oil and when I checked on her a number of hours later she was uncoordinated (walking like a drunk), weak, and was suffering from hypothermia. she was curled in a corner on a blanket. At first it didn't seem like anything was wrong with her; however, when I approached her and she tried to stand up and walk I immediately noticed that she moved like someone who was extremely weak and drunk. She staggered and collapsed repeatedly and when she did move forward she would weave and appeared severely neurologically impaired. I didn't really know what was wrong with her but instincts told me to wash her off immediately and this is what I did. I bathed her in warm water twice as she needed two bathes with mild (non-tea tree oil shampoo) soap and conditioner to take the oil product off of her skin and out of her hair. Specifically, I used Johnson's and Johnson's baby shampoo on her because it was the mildest shampoo in my house. After the first bath, under warm water, I took her out and began toweling her off. However, she still reeked like Tea Tree Oil and my gut reaction was to get as much Tea Tree Oil as possible off of her. Thus I immediately bathed her again. After the second bath, I toweled her again and placed her in a cat carrier in front of a space heater because she was so weak and shivering. Then I called Poison Control. I knew somehow at this point that it was likely the oil because nothing else made any logical sense under the circumstances. My cat is not a kitten and she never gets into anything she shouldn't. There was nothing in my house that could have injured her in any way. This particular cat won't even climb up on anything high off the ground, so falls were not possible. Moreover, she is a 100% indoor cat. Initially the Poison Control worker didn't want to give me any information and she just said, "We don't know about animals, you need to take her to a vet." The two vets I had come in contact with were totally ignorant of this possibility I needed to know exactly what was happening to my cat. I felt that if I rushed her to a vet without understanding what was happening to her the vet might actually do her more harm then good. It was the Poison Control operator who looked up the affects of Tea Tree Oil on cats and found the initial information regarding Tea Tree Oil poisoning in cats (via a study of three Angora cats who were treated for fleas using a Tea Tree Oil product, one of these cats died). From this Poison Control operator I learned that the first symptom of Tea Tree Oil poisoning in cats appears to be hypothermia. I'd asked two vets before using the oil if it was safe and both said they saw no problem with it - so I needed to understand better about what ways it could be toxic. One of the two vets (a highly respected specialist for exotics, including birds, cats and reptiles) told me directly that the oil would not likely get rid of the ringworm but it also would not hurt my cat! From the Poison Control worker I learned that Tea Tree Oil is linked to hypothermia, coma and death. At least knew what I was dealing with. However, local vets don't seem to know what to do in effective treatment. Hypothermia gave me something to address or treat immediately at home. After all, if I let my cat continue freezing from the hypothermia she wouldn't likely make it to any vet in time. Luckily she was in that carrier in front of a space heater. However, as I learned later, too extreme of a re-heating process can also cause harm. Thus far local vets have not been helpful to either my cat or me. Therefore, I have ended up treating her myself. She was poisoned by Australian Tea Tree oil yesterday afternoon. At this point she continues to be uncoordinated, lethargic, weak, depressed, her breathing seems slow, and she refuses to drink or move. Fluids can be administered through IV methods or under her skin, however, she is lethargic and depressed. She can walk, yet she doesn't do so very well. She is aware of people who come into the room, yet she doesn't sit up or move anything but her eyes and sometimes ears in response. She is being kept warm but between the ignorance of local vets and the level of poisoning she is likely suffering from the prognosis is not good. I still don't know how to tell if she's getting worse or better as detailed information about the stages or progression of this type of poisoning are not available. The only good news is that so far she appears to be physically comfortable and I can only hope that if she is to pass away or be put to sleep that she never suffers any terrible pain in the process. I still can't believe the vet who is a specialist in exotics told me that Tea Tree Oil products would not harm my cat. It is far too obvious that he was disgustingly wrong. I spent my afternoon creating my own website in hopes that I might spare another cat owner the nightmare I am currently going through and the even worse the situation that my cat is suffering from. Update 8th Dec, 2003: I am force feeding her water out of a syringe and I also forced a few CC's of goat milk into her this evening. I am using a product called a Treagger (magnet and red light pad) to provide her with some extra warmth and to help with her pain level. She is able to balance herself better, but is still extremely weak and shakes her head frequently which causes her to nearly topple off of her feet. However, a few days ago, head shaking did cause her to fall down all the way. I still notice darting in her eyes, especially when I feed her water, which appears to be mild seizure activity. It seems this might be due to the position of her head of the swallowing action more than an effect of the actual water. However, she can walk much better now and can even climb over my leg while I sit flat on the floor with her. Nonetheless, she is far from out of the woods. These are the basic steps I have taken after bathing her twice to remove as much Tea Tree Oil product as possible. I do not know if I have done the right things or if my cat will fully recover from Tea Tree Oil poisoning. Cont Next Page>>>> |
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Miss Charlotte - Cont...... 1) December/04/2003: I researched hypothermia first and then Tea Tree Oil poisoning in cats thoroughly on the Internet. From this research I learned not to re-heat my cat too quickly and not to burn her or over heat her in the process of trying to keep her warm. I also learned a lot of terms that I wish I hadn't ever had to hear of, such as ataxia (the lack of coordination and drunken appearance of animals suffering from both hypothermia and Tea Tree Oil poisoning). After researching these topics for hours I knew what my cat's symptoms were, a little about what to do to take care of her, and a lot about terrible prognosis potential for cats suffering as severely as my cat was. My cat had severe ataxia, dilated pupils (one pupil looked more dilated then the other), she could barely walk, her hind legs were very weak and could barely support her weight for even a few minutes, she had been vomiting (nearly whole pieces of dry cat food were in the vomit indicating that she likely couldn't even chew or swallow) and had had diarrhea, she was unresponsive to most movements and/or sounds, she had hypothermia but she didn't shiver, she seemed to be having seizure activity in her eyes, she shook her head often and for no reason and when she did so she would fall down and be unable to rise again for several minutes, she did not want to move at all if given a choice, etc. 2) I placed my cat in a spare bathroom in a cat carried stuffed and layered with warm blankets. 3) I placed a Treager (i.e. High Density Magnetic/Monochromatic Biofield Stimulator -- magnetic red-light pad device onto the floor of the cat carrier after wrapping the Treager in two plastic bags and placing it beneath one layer of blanket). The reason I wrapped the Treager in the plastic bags was to prevent electrocution in case my cat suffered through more vomiting or diarrhoea. I hoped that the Treager would help keep my cat warm (due to the hypothermia which lasted an extended period of time with my cat). The Treager is NOT tested or approved for use on cats. In fact, as far as I know, the Treager is an experimental device, which supposedly helps to control pain, and stimulates healing processes. Therefore, my use of the Treager in this case was due to my sheer helpless desperation in trying to help my cat. I was hoping that the Treager might at least alleviate her pain. The makers of the Treager claim that is does diminish pain in larger animals and that it also help to speed the healing of injuries. Nonetheless, as far as I understand, the Treager is a wholly untested device and it may harm cats. 4) At this point my cat was in a bathroom, isolated from all other animals, noises and stress from the outside environment. The space heater was set on low and placed away from the carrier inside the bathroom. From this point, I basically watched my cat non-stop through the night and through most of the next day as well. I turned the space heater off during her first night in the bathroom as I did not want to overheat her. 5) I monitored her water and dry food and noticed that she wasn't drinking or eating anything. In fact, she wouldn't leave the carrier. She seemed somewhat comfortable inside the carried and on top of the Treager. I am sure she was not really comfortable. Nonetheless, I hope that her shelter inside that carrier was offering her some comfort as she fought to survive. 6) December/05/2003: By the next day I had to force feed her water through a syringe (the needle was removed and I was dribbling the water into her mouth a drop at a time). I tried to get approximately 6CC's of water in her at a feeding. She seemed too weak to take anything else but water. I still have no idea what size a cat's stomach is and if this amount of water was too much for her. I was not very aggressive in the way I fed her the water, however, due to how weak and fragile my cat was. My local vets were not very helpful at all. 7) December/06/2003:By the second day I noticed that my cat had a fistful of loose skin hanging under her chest and stomach. This loose flesh began directly under her chest and continued in between her rear legs. Since there was so much loose skin this could have been due to dehydration or another less documented factor of Tea Tree Oil poisoning or both. My cat was still severely uncoordinated with all the symptoms of serious Tea Tree Oil poisoning and possibly with some remnants of hypothermia. 8) By the third day I was desperate to get some type of nutrition into my cat. I force fed her a few CC's of goat milk at a time and hoped she would not begin vomiting again as this could weaken her further. She was still obviously in dire shape. Though her condition was very slightly better I thought that I'd lose her for sure at this point if things didn't begin to improve more completely and/or rapidly. I continued to force feed her water and became more aggressive at this time. I figured I had to force more water into her any way possible if she was to have a chance at life at all. I used the goat milk because she still would not eat, no matter what. I had heard of a cattery owner who used goat milk on nursing cats and weaning kittens and that goat milk was less harmful and/or better for cats than cow milk. I thought that along with the nutrition she needed any sugars that she might get out of the goat milk. In any case, after being force-fed more water and goat milk she finally did urinate a great deal. Her urine was an excessive amount and it was thick and greasy (it looked oily) at the bottom of her litter box. After dumping the litter out of the box I noticed that my cat's urine had a faint smell of Tea Tree Oil. Because of this I removed her litter and washed the litter box with soap and water often as I thought it was possible for her to pick up the oily Tea Tree remnants on her paws and perhaps lick this substance off of her feet causing additional Tea Tree Oil poisoning. (The oily urine came at a time when some other owners may think their cats have recovered). 9) Also on the third day, I gave my cat another bath with non-Tea Tree Oil Shampoo because her coat still stank of Tea Tree Oil. It seemed like the Tea Tree Oil was coming up out of her skin in some way. I was extremely careful to avoid letting her become chilled due to the reality of how much she had suffered from hypothermia and how weak and susceptible she seemed to many potential complications at this time. 10) At the fourth or fifth day (truly the days blurred into one long nightmare of watching this poor cat suffer) I gave her some canned cat food and she ate it. She had also eaten dry cat food and drank water on her own. When she first drank by herself it seemed excessive and her urination appeared to be excessive too (far too much and alarmingly greasy at the bottom of the litter box). 11) I left the Treager on for her 24 hours a day because she seemed to suffer a drastic and immediately (within a few hours time) decline when the Treager was turned off for a few hours previously but after the first few days. I honestly don't know what component of the Treager appeared to be keeping my cat more stable (the added warmth or something else). I also still don't know whether or not a Treager device is truly safe or advisable for cats. 12) At this point, December/11/2003, she is drinking by herself. Her urine is more normal. Her coordination is nearly completely normal. All and all she appears to be recovering; yet I still don't know what kind of kidney and/or liver damage she may have. I plan to have her blood tested for renal complications in the near future. I bought her some canned cat food, as she had begun to drink water on her own and seemed possibly ready to try feeding herself. I fed her canned cat food twice per day. The first day she ate only a miniscule portion in the late morning; by the second day she ate a little of her portion at both feedings. She is now eating more and she also ate dry cat food. She produced manure (poop) for the first time yesterday and again today. Her drinking and urination seem to be more normal. She is very well able to walk and even run today. Her reflexes are extremely quick and her balance is nearly perfect. She jumped off the top of her cat carrier (her cave through all this sick time) and ran at me across the bathroom floor this evening. Her ability to balance through all of this and the fact that she didn't falter or fall down at all, really gave me somewhat of a shock after watching her struggle to simply stay alive for so long (it's felt like a long time at least). Her eyes look more normal as well - not so dilated as they were before. Her skin and ringworm patches are healing and she's growing fine patches of new hairs (her back was shaved before the mistake of ringworm treatment with a Tea Tree Oil product). This last point is interesting and hopefully a positive sign because the Tea Tree Oil product created large horrible looking deep open sores over the actual ringworm in her skin and very dry skin around her back area and ears. I was very worried that her skin might actually begin to die, erode or peel off. The skin on her back and ears appeared to be so raw, dry and brittle I thought it could be even more damaged than it is. I've had some bloodwork done on Miss Charlotte. Her liver is functioning (though not perfectly) and she seems to continue on the mend, albeit slowly. The wounds on her back are indeed chemical burns, however, they are deemed to be mild at this time. Her hair is growing back in a healthy looking soft fuzz over the burned areas and the scabs are getting smaller in size. On the negative side, she's still thin and when she rubs against my leg demanding attention her rear end seems a little wobbly (her rear end sways very slightly from side to side after she's pressed against me), but it doesn't look like she's going to fall down. Also when she shakes her head now she keeps her balance perfectly. I am truly grateful that I only used this Tea Tree Oil product on one of my nine cats. What a disaster it would have been if more than one of my pets had been harmed by the oil. I am a strong believer is using vets when one has problems, yet when I went through this ordeal it was frustrating to see how little information there was on home care - for many people home care could be the only option and with Tea Tree Oil products so readily available on the market (not to mention how highly recommended some of these products seem to be) the victims of this product likely need more information on how to deal with its affects in the worst case scenario - i.e. when they can't afford a vet ASAP, when the vet doesn't know what's wrong and what to do, etc. In my case, my regular vet could have left Charlotte in a cold metal cat kennel-cage in a room with high air conditioning overnight to observe her - with the hypothermia she was initially suffering through this kind of "care" could have killed her! |
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| | | From: wingnut | Sent: 1/1/2007 5:57 AM |
 DancingMoonWolf2u That is so great to know!!! While I love the Tea Tree Oil for me and my family , I am sooo glad that I have never given any to my Cats.I can promise you that from now on I will be checking out the Ingrdients on products that I use on my cats. I have already told my friends that have animals. |
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