Is Scentsy Toxic to Pets? Is it Dangerous?

To many, it smells fantastic, and for those, it’s lovely to have the fragrance in their home, but is Scentsy toxic to pets? Unfortunately, this is the major issue with air fresheners, so cat owners must always research before using this product.

Scentsy’s signature products are wax melts, a superior alternative to traditional candles because the wax is only warmed. Still, it does not reach a temperature high enough to cause injuries.

With cats, this is one of the major concerns. For example, if the cat knocks down a burning candle, the hot wax could burn it. Moreover, this is a considerable fire hazard, so flameless wax melts eliminate this concern. But does this make them safe for cats?

What Are the Concerns for Cats Surrounding Scentsy?

Scentsy wax melts are wickless candles; there is no danger of your cat getting burnt or starting a fire when knocking down the wax warmer. But some significant concerns remain:

1. Ingesting the Wax

Cats are drawn to various smells and might be tempted to lick, chew, or even ingest the wax, melted or not. This should be a cause for concern for cat owners because this could be potentially dangerous.

Even though Scentsy wax bars are made from food-grade paraffin wax and their products do not include toxic substances, they could still be dangerous for cats. This is because these wax melts include very concentrated substances that spread pleasant smells, which could still be dangerous for cats if ingested.

For instance, here are some oils that are often used in wax melts, which are toxic for cats:

• wintergreen oil
• citrus oil
• pine oil
• Ylang Ylang oil
• peppermint oil
• clove oil
• pennyroyal oil
• eucalyptus oil
• tea tree oil
• bergamot oil
• bitter almond oil
• lavender oil
• lime oil
• lemongrass oil
• orange oil

Is Scentsy Wax Toxic to Cats if Ingested?

Keep in mind that Scentsy products are not meant to be ingested. They are not toxic as long as they are not ingested. A new set of risks arises if this happens because they include concentrated substances. These risks differ for people, cats, dogs, birds, and other pets. When purchasing these products, you must ensure that your cat does not ingest them to avoid complications. We will provide more advice on how to do that.

2. Inhaling the Volatile Oils

When the wax melts are warmed, they release volatile oils, which provide a pleasant scent in your home. While these are not toxic to humans, their toxicity to pets may be more challenging to assess.

This depends a lot on the number of volatile oils inhaled by the cat, which, in turn, depends on how close the cat was to the wax melt warmer, the quantity of wax that was melted, and the concentration of the oils in their composition. The more wax melted, the more volatile oils in the air, and the closer to the warmer, the more concentrated the volatile oils are.

Naturally, you should ensure that your cat is not close to the wax melts and that it inhales as few volatile oils as possible. Even so, in some situations, these oils may still be dangerous for cats (the oils mentioned above are toxic to cats if inhaled and ingested).

Keep in mind that cats lack an enzyme required to break down these volatile oils, which makes it difficult for them to metabolize and eliminate large quantities of these oils. Moreover, if the cat suffers from respiratory diseases or liver disease, it may be susceptible to volatile oils.

Compared to essential oils, which are very dangerous for cats, wax melts pose less threat because the volatile oils released are less concentrated.

So, Is Scentsy Toxic to Pets?

If used correctly and safely, and if your cat is not sensitive to volatile oils, then no, Scentsy is not toxic to pets, but it does have the potential to be. So, you must ensure that you use Scentsy safely in your home. To do that, you need to make sure that:

1. Your cat does not ingest the wax melts.
2. Your cat is not close to the wax melt warmer.
3. Ask your veterinarian about your cat’s sensitivity to a volatile oil.

How to Prevent Your Cat from Ingesting Wax Melts

The simplest way to ensure your cat does not ingest wax melts is to keep them in a locked drawer or cabinet, just as you should keep cleaning products or other potentially toxic substances in your home. When you are not using them, please keep them in a place your cat cannot access them. We strongly recommend that this place be locked because cats are highly resourceful.

When using them, the safest thing to do is to keep your cat in another room. This way, it is not exposed to volatile oils released from the was either. But if your cat is present, you can place the warmer somewhere high, where the cat can’t jump to. You should be in the room during the entire period the wax is warmer. This way, you can monitor your cat and know it has not ingested any wax.

What To Do if Your Cat Does Ingest Wax Melts

Accidents happen, and even if you try your best, your cat could still have ingested wax melts. If this is the case, you have to act quickly. You first need to remove any remaining wax from the cat’s mouth to prevent it from ingesting more of it.

Take the cat away from the wax, clean its mouth and monitor its reactions. You need to call your veterinarian as soon as possible. Please note that this is a potential medical emergency, so you shouldn’t wait. While the wax melts are not made with chemicals, they are made with very concentrated substances that could have toxic effects on cats if ingested. Wax melts are not meant to be ingested, so the manufacturer’s indications will not cover this instance, least of all for cats.

Tell your doctor what happened and what product your cat has ingested. Then take your cat to the vet’s office immediately. By the time you get there, the vet can research the ingredients in the wax melts to determine any potentially toxic substances. When you get to the vet, the doctor will perform a complete work-up and administer treatment if needed.

You may notice vomiting, hypersalivation, difficulty breathing, stomach cramps, diarrhea, tremors, ataxia (wobbliness), low heart rate, low body temperature, and liver failure. However, the specific symptoms depend on the ingredients in the wax melts and differ significantly from one product to another.

Keep in mind that when it comes to exposure to toxic substances, the effects could be highly damaging, so it is best to act quickly rather than regret not having taken your cat to the doctor in due time.

How to Prevent Your Cat from Inhaling Volatile Oils

As mentioned above, the best course of action is to limit the cat’s access to the wax melts entirely. The cat should not be in the room when you use the wax melts. If this is not possible, you can place the wax melt warmer in a high place. This ensures that it is located far from your cat and that the cat will not inhale concentrated volatile oils. As the oils dissipate in the air, their concentration decreases, and any potentially toxic effect is decreased.

Exposure to concentrated volatile oils could be dangerous for the cat’s respiratory and digestive tract and could cause lesions. This is why it should be avoided for all cats. However, if your cat already suffers from respiratory issues, exposure to low concentrations of volatile oils must be avoided. Cats suffering from liver disease should also be kept from inhaling volatile oils because these strong smells could cause nausea and vomiting.

After using the wax melts, you should always air out the room to dissipate the volatile oils even further. Then, you can let the cat back in the room safely.

What To Do if Your Cat Suffers From Respiratory or Liver Issues

Suppose your cat has acute or chronic respiratory issues. In that case, if it recently suffered from tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, or even pneumonia but has recovered, or if it has asthma or rhinitis, which are chronic – you should avoid Scentsy wax melts altogether.

The volatile oils in these products are irritants to a respiratory system that is already weakened, so you must ensure that they are not exposed to strong smells. In addition, if your cat suffers from liver disease, it has an increased sensitivity to strong smells, which could trigger nausea or vomiting episodes. A loss of appetite usually follows this.

If your cat has any of the issues described above, you should keep them away from strong fragrances that extend further than wax melts. These also include perfumes, flowers, or even the smells in your kitchen when you cook. Your veterinarian will talk to you about this sensitivity and will provide you with further instructions on how to keep the cat safe.

So, are wax melts safe for pets? The short answer is yes, as long as the pets are not close to them and do not ingest them. Do you use Scentsy wax melts? Are your cats interested in them? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.