Ragdoll Cat Poisoning from Bath and Body Works Wallflower Plug in Air Freshener
I have decided to run this story again because Bath and Body Works Wallflower is still on the market.
“I have a tragic story. We had a beautiful seal mitted ragdoll named Jingles who we loved dearly. She cuddled, followed the kids around, brought us toys to throw, met us at the door and always went to the window at 3 pm to watch for our son come home from school. A few weeks ago she was tragically, accidentally poisoned. I bought a Bath and Body Works plug in air freshener (Bath and Body Works Wallflower) and plugged into an outlet 4 feet up the wall. It was plugged in for one hour and leaked (something it is not suppose to do). I didn’t realize until the next day that it had leaked (a few tablespoons leaked) and it landed in or near her food dish. By then it was too late. I can’t even explain how emotional and horrific it was for our family with two children. The liquid was so toxic that when I washed the area it took the paint of the baseboard. I have sent a letter to the chief executive office of the Ltd Co which is the owner of Bath and Body Works. I don’t want this tragedy to happen to anyone else.”
Bath and Body Works wallflowers toxic for cats.
Read Jingles Ragdoll of the Week story here.
Read more about things that poison cats:
- Ragdoll Cat Poisoning from a snow globe
- Holiday Alert: Watch Out For Plants Poisonous to Your Cat
- Poisonous Holiday Plants and More for Cats by Boris’ Mom
- Ragdoll Cat Poisoning from Bath and Body Works Plug in Air Freshener
- Read more about preventing pet poisoning
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
Thank you for running this very tragic story, Jenny!!! RIP Jingles, hon. You are NEVER forgotten! <3
It's OUTRAGEOUS that toxic product is still being produced and sold! At the VERY LEAST there should be a POISON WARNING on it's toxicity for pets! Grrrrr.
Horrible stories like this are a very important reminder for all of us pet owners to be super vigilant about products that our babies are exposed to and the health risks that could potentially exist with certain products, etc… There was a time (before this post) when I wouldn't have even thought twice about the toxicity of a product like that! Now, I know better, but what a horrible price was paid to teach us about this issue. So sad. <3
Big hugs & lots of love!!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
The air freshener problem goes beyond Bath and Body Works. It extends to all air fresheners, including aerosol sprays, electric plug-ins, candles, oil diffusers, and other products. One-quarter of the ingredients in air fresheners are classified as toxic or hazardous … to cats AND humans. Air freshener products are chemical mixtures that mask odor. They are not designed to clean and disinfect the air. The best smell is no smell, or if you want a fresh, natural smell, then use fresh, natural products, like mint tea or infusions of cinnamon sticks or oranges, or essential oils. Read this article for more information: http://www.grandparents.com/health-and-wellbeing/health/are-air-fresheners-bad-for-you
I am so sorry for your loss! I found this page when Googling wallflower poisoning. My cat has been having seizures for the past 3 days. The vets haven’t been able to figure out what is causing it. He had vaccinations and flea medicine this past weekend, so that is what I initially suspected. The vets scared me to death with talk of heart / throwing off clots and brain tumors. The vet suggested I go home and scour the place for things that could be poisonous. I realized I had gotten a wallflower and placed it near the litter box. It had not leaked or anything. I’m thinking the droplets came down into the litter box and mat, and my cat licked his paws. This is terrible! My cat is still fighting for his life. I will be up all night administering the anti-seizure meds that I finally got today. They are afraid of brain damage 🙁
My cat passed away this morning. I WILL be writing to the company!!!
Thanks so much Jenny for running this again! A kind neighbor sent me a beautiful floral arrangement and right there in the middle was one of those lilies. I thanked her profusely and promptly took it to a nearby nursing home for them to enjoy. Felt that I couldn’t even take the chance that some of the pollen had dropped off the lilly onto the other flowers because it would be deadly to my babies if they were to even touch it. Will definitely not take any chances with these BBW air fresheners or other essential oils that could hurt them. It is just NOT worth it.♥♥♥
Definitely not worth it!
Weez very sowry fur yous loss. All essential oils awe toxic to cats, sum more than others. We use plugins offen but never by or near our food or toys. Not even in da pawdee box awea. Most of these purroducts come wiff cautions and warnings so we magine yous letter will go unanswered. Fur dat weez sowry, but yous bwingin’ attention to da hawmful effects will hopefully educate udders on da need fur caution when usin’ such purroducts. These can also be poisonous to small childwen and babies. Sendin’ ourrayers.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
i will no longer shop at bath and body works. i was in there about a month ago and told them they need very serious changes in the warnings on their products and i know the women that were working in there can’t make those changes but i told them this story and that i had written to corporate and that i still saw limited info on their products about there toxicity to animals. the girl was a total bitch and when i inquired about some shampoo that i really loved there (that i had gotten years ago) she was a total ding dong and showed me something that was nothing close to the product that i was looking for and when i told her.. “this isn’t even the same brand, nor is it even close to the same scent”.. she was so snotty and said “well you aren’t ever going to get what you are asking for. it’s gone, isn’t coming back, so i don’t know what to tell you”. i wanted to slap her upside the head. she just wanted to make a sale and thought i’d go for her suggestion. and i know that’s what they are there for but the way i was treated really pissed me off and their irresponsibility in not having huge warning signs on products that are toxic to animals makes me sick and i will never shop there again.
This is so tragic!! I would have came apart at the seams…. My ragdoll is just like a child to me… I went through cancer and all of it’s ugliness and he never left my side, it was like he knew something bad was really wrong with me….
But, this has taught me something to always make sure when I purchase any pull in air freshener to check it over and over and to make sure it’s far far away from his food and even from his liter box….
My deepest condolences to you and your family for the tragic loss of your family member…. God bless all of you and for Mr. Jingles as he has crossed the Rainbow bridge….
Poor thing,hes a beauty sure your devastated.A tear ran down my cheek as I read this.My prayers for Mr Jingles whos now in kitty Heaven,with many other Ragdolls.Each Ragdoll is unique and one of a kind.Sincerly Lisa
Thank-you Lisa
Im so sorry for your loss. We don’t use the bath and body works ones, but we frequently use the febreeze, glade, etc. ones. It makes me really nervous now! Thank you for the heads up! If the companies are not going to warn us, we need to warn each other!
I am so terribly sorry & shocked. I was surprised only a few days ago to find that many Cat owners were unaware that the flower “Lilly” are very Toxic especially to cats after I saw a photo of a stunning Ragdoll standing next to a vase filled with them. I contacted the owner who was so grateful I told her about them as was totally unaware & upset that she could have killed her beloved Raggi. She threw them away & asked me to share “& post the info I had sent her on FB as sure others were unaware also. This new problem now needs to be out there also & I will share your story on Ziggys page as may help save others. Sending love to you & your family from the UK, Alison x
Also, please feel free to share the story so that we can get the word out about the dangers of this plug in air freshened
Thank you Janice and hope that your pain lessens as time goes on. I am forwarding this to my vet tonight and asking her to please read this and post it in her lobby on the message board so other people will see it. This is a horribly tragic thing. Please know that you are doing so much good and others’ lives will be saved because of the information you have graciously given even though it is so hard. Hoping for the best for you and your family.♥♥♥
Thank – you very much for your kind comments. Jingles was very special to our family as I am sure as cat lovers you understand. She was very intuitive and came to anyone who was sad. So, it is very tough as we all want to cuddle with her and have her comfort us. If I don’t hear from the president of the Ltd Co which owns Bath and Body Works I will follow up. You are right things this toxic should not be on the shelves.
i contacted them and this is the email i got from them this morning.
Case # 3743624
Dear Patricia,
We apologize for this experience. We would love to have the owner of the cat contact us and let us know about the experience with our wallflowers. If you could have them please call us at the earliest convenience at the number listed below and refer to the case number listed on the email. We’re open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
If we can be of any further assistance, please reply to this email or contact us at 1-800-395-1001, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Sketel
Kelsey Sketel
Customer Relations Representative
Bath & Body Works
Patricia,
Thank-you. On the advice of a lawyer I sent a letter to the chief executive officer of the Ltd group which owns Bath and Body Works. My goal is to get the toxic products off the market and I stated that in the letter..
I feel they are a real danger for pets and people. I will let you know what happens..
Janice
yes and it makes me so angry that companies even make products like this that aren’t non toxic. they KNOW that a major amount of their profits are made off pet owners! i had no idea and i’m sick about it. if they won’t change their formula then they need to state VERY CLEARLY on their products to not just keep away from pets and kids but that it will KILL your animals! people need to know that.
Oh my gosh! I am so sorry to hear about your gorgeous baby Jingles. I wish I could say that I can’t imagine your pain, but I can because I once had a kitten accidentally poisoned, by rat poisoning after she licked a cardboard box that her window perch was shipped to me in. She became so ill right before our eyes and we lost her at the vet’s one day later. I am so sorry that this happened to you and your family. Sometimes, the simplest least expected thing can be so harmful. I hope that in time, the pain lessens for your family. Thank you for telling your story. Hopefully it will help others to avoid this mishap.
My baby girl Bella was having what I thought were asthma attacks and after a couple of vet appointments, I spoke to a friend who had a similar incident with her cat. The common denominator …a BBW plug in freshener. Needless to say , I don’t use plug in fresheners any longer…
Oh my, thats terrible! 🙁 Im so sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing your story, even though it wont bring your gorgeous girl back, you may be saving many other beloved kitties. I know I will not be purchasing plug-ins ever. Her picture reminds me of my beautiful Katy, who was also poisoned, but by a neighbor 🙁 My lesson was to keep my kitties indoors only.
Poor Jingles! My heart goes out to you and your family. Thank you for warning all of us about the danger of plug-in air fresheners. I’m amazed that the CEO hasn’t responded to your letter. If I were you, I would find a lawyer and see how fast an attorney can get the company’s attention. Toxic products like this should be taken off the shelves immediately!
Oh my gosh!!!! Am so very very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and wish there was something I could do or say that would take your pain away. Jingles was a gorgeous boy. Please know that by you sharing your story, it is saving other kitties lives in the future. I was just thinking about getting one that had the autumn scent, but definitely not now or ever after this! Am going with flameless candles as well.
I had one electric scent holder leak once because my husband unplugged it and laid it on the table so he could vacuum for me and he forgot to put it back. It poured out all over the table and the oil in it took the finish off the table. I had no idea that it is toxic to our pets!!!!!
Again, my heart is with you and your family.♥♥♥♥
Forgot to also mention that I put this link on my kitties’ facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/heartofgrace1 so that all the people who come there will be notified about this terrible hazard because the holiday season is near and more and more people will be buying these as gifts and using them more.
Thank-you
i went to the website and contacted them about not having a warning on the site! i don’t know if it’s on the product itself but it needs to be on the website as well since so many of us shop online. we need a warning that says it’s deadly to cats… period! they don’t do it because they would lose sales. to me that is nothing but irresponsible. it just makes no sense to me that something that is so often used to help with pet odors would be toxic to them. it’s makes me very angry and sad. i also went to their facebook page and left a comment.
It says on the refill to keep out of reach of children and pets
If it can kill a cat, in time, it can kill a human…canary in a coal mine.
that is NOT very specific. EVEN THE AIRBORNE SCENT can do damage to kidneys of cats! I know, It happened to my two boy cats. The animals do not need to ingest it for it to cause serious health issues. Essential Oils are harmful to cats and they are PURE. So imagine something with chemicals in it!
OMG! Poor Jingles! What a beautiful kitty and tragic loss. 🙁 How hard it must have been to deal with all of this. I’m sure this tragedy has hit your family very, very hard. Poor dears. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your beloved Jingles.
Thank you having the courage to share your story with all of us. I certainly hope you get a response back from the CEO of B&BW. Something that toxic should be clearly labeled as harmful to humans and animals and the fact that it’s defective — well those things should be removed from the shelves altogether!
Big hugs & prayers to you and your family!
Patti & Pink Sugar <3
omg what a horrible thing to have happen! my heart aches for you. losing an animal that way is so sad. i lost a rabbit that i had once to being poisoned and it just about killed me. i had no idea that an air freshener could kill your cats. it seems to me that something that is going to be out like that would be non toxic as there are kids often running around and we often use an air freshener BECAUSE we have animals. thank you for sharing this heartbreaking story. i have some air fresheners in my bathroom that are going to be removed. i had no idea and i bet others didn’t either.
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet baby. I also lost a Ragdoll a year ago from FIP, It is devastating. Your story may save others so thank you for sharing it. I will never use plugin air fresheners again.
Patricia H
I lost my ragdoll Max to FIP last Christmas. I read this before and i stopped using the automatic spray air fresheners and am careful when i give a quick spray that i am not over the cats or their water or food. So sorry for your loss. Please keep telling people about the loss of your beautiful cat so nobody else has to lose one like that either