Aromatherapy and cats

What thoughts are out there regarding aromatherapy in the home and effect on our kitties? I recently started to use a very effective electric aromatherapy oil burner to counter the smells after my kittens have a poop but hadn't really thought about whether this was harmful to kittens?

I was asking following the Ellie and Ted thread and use of tea tree oil being toxic for cats, so was wondering if this toxicity was only if it was used topically or could it be harmful to be breathed in by cats?

Cheers

Hey there Sparklesbling!!
Checked this out on Google and found this article that might be of interest
http://cats.about.com/od/housekeepin...omatherapy.htm
Also found this link about all toxins to cats
http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worldtoxic.htm

Sure made me think twice. I had been burning aromatherapy candles - eek!

This is just personal experience I wanted to add as it is an area of interest to me.
I had a budgie (bird) that passed away in December 2005 who was only 2 years old. He had developed neurological problems due to candles that I never even burned in the same room as he was in. The vet was almost 100% sure it was due to the candles & incense I used kind of a lot (I love them all!) She had read something that was particularly dangerous to birds that was found in Glade brand candles and room deodrizers.

I know birds are very different from cats in that they are smaller and their respiratory systems are probably different and can handle different things, but it made me really stop and think about the other animals in the house, and how it was affecting them. It was really hard to watch my bird get sick and suffer for the short period that he did, from something I may have been able to prevent had I known...

Those links ^ are interesting, and good to have on hand!

(Oh, and I don't mean to scare anyone...I just don't want the same to happen to anyone else!)

Yes, essential oils are potentially harmful to cats since they metabolize things differently and cannot rid their body of toxins produced by "aromatherapy". Honestly I don't think it's that great for humans either.

Another thing to consider is how freakishly terrible our sense of smell is. By the time we can smell it at all, it's a very strong scent to our kitties. In my experience, aromatherapy scents are very strong to me, almost suffocatingly so (I have asthma and grew up and maintain a mostly fragrance-free place) I can't imagine what it smells like to a cat.