Is mint toxic to cats? (2023)

What happens if a cat smells mint?

Just smelling the aroma can cause your kitty to develop difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, and aspiration pneumonia. Peppermint oil, like many essential oils, contains phenols and phenolic compounds. Cats are very sensitive to phenols, whether exposure comes via inhalation or ingestion.

All parts of mint, particularly leaves, flowers, and stems, are unsafe for your feline friends. These plants are loaded with essential oils, which are highly toxic to not just cats, but also horses and dogs. Therefore, make sure your cat doesn't nibble on mint leaves or any other part of the plant.

Unfortunately, cats like mint plants as well as any mint-scented products. Cats like the smell of mint because it is close to the smell of catnip. If you have a mint herb in your garden, do not be surprised if it draws in any cat. Catnip comes from the mint family and shares similar characteristics with it.

More smells cats hate include mint and strong mint-related odors, such as wintergreen and menthol. This may be for good reason, as ingesting mint and its relatives can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats.

5 SMELLS CATS DISLIKE

Mint - This one's a toss-up, but cats who really dislike mint are demonstrating good sense: from peppermint to the wintergreen herb, these mints contain salicylate, a substance toxic to cats. Cayenne Pepper Capsaicin doesn't just chase me away - it repels cats as well!

Both catnip and catmint are types of mint that are safe to cats. Garden mint may cause gastrointestinal upset if too much is eaten. The essential oils specific to garden mint have also been known to relax the esophageal valve, making vomiting more likely in a cat who may already be ill.

5 SMELLS CATS DISLIKE

Mint – This one's a toss-up, but cats who really dislike mint are demonstrating good sense: from peppermint to the wintergreen herb, these mints contain salicylate, a substance toxic to cats. Cayenne Pepper Capsaicin doesn't just chase me away – it repels cats as well!

Your cat is obsessed with mint because they are likely getting it confused with another herb from the mint family: catnip! Cats love the smell of both catnip and mint, and they often gravitate towards it if they smell it in your house. Cats have a powerful sense of smell, so it's not hard for them to find it.

Garlic and chives are by and large the most dangerous herbs for your cat. In fact, all members of the allium family—including onions, leeks, scallions, and shallots—are toxic to felines. Even a small ingestion of these can cause damage to your cat's red blood cells, leading to anemia or even death.

So, cover freshly planted nepetas with some sort of barrier (a cut-off gallon milk jug, for example) to keep the cats away. After 4 or 5 days, the aroma accidentally released during planting will have disappeared and cats will no longer be a bother. Your nepeta will then go on to live a beautiful, cat-free existence …

What smells are cats OK with?

Cats should never consume lavender because it's toxic and can cause nausea and vomiting. Lavender plants contain linalool and linalyl acetate, which are poisons to cats because they can't process these compounds.

As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.

Some of these behaviors include licking, chewing, head shaking, chin and cheek rubbing, rolling, and salivation. Only about two-thirds of domestic cats respond to the herb. Lions, leopards, jaguars, and other cat species are also affected.

For most cats, catmint leads to a euphoric, hyperactive state. Some animals even become hyperactive on contact with catmint, rubbing themselves against the plant or even rolling in it. Other cats also nibble on the leaves.

5 SMELLS CATS DISLIKE

Mint – This one's a toss-up, but cats who really dislike mint are demonstrating good sense: from peppermint to the wintergreen herb, these mints contain salicylate, a substance toxic to cats. Cayenne Pepper Capsaicin doesn't just chase me away – it repels cats as well!