The Potential Dangers of Incense for Cats: Learning and Moving Forward

Yesterday, I lit two incenses in my bathroom with the windows closed, and my cat was around. He seemed to suffer from a previous respiratory problem. After a short while, he had dizziness and spasms and eventually passed away. I can’t help but feel guilty.

Im truly sorry to hear about your cats passing. It’s understandable to feel guilty, especially when it comes to the well-being of a beloved pet. Incense can potentially be harmful to cats, especially if they have pre-existing respiratory issues. The smoke from incense contains various compounds that can irritate the respiratory system of pets. Here are some key points to consider:

Respiratory Sensitivity

Cats with existing respiratory problems are particularly vulnerable to smoke and strong odors, which can exacerbate their condition. Smoke and strong fumes can irritate their already sensitive lungs and airways.

Toxic Ingredients

Some incense contains essential oils or other substances that can be toxic to cats. For instance, certain essential oils like tea tree oil, eucalyptus, and citrus oils are known to be harmful to felines. These oils can cause severe reactions or even harm a cat’s respiratory system.

Smoke Inhalation

Inhalation of smoke can lead to respiratory distress, which may manifest as coughing, difficulty breathing, or other symptoms. This can be especially dangerous for cats with pre-existing conditions that make their respiratory system more sensitive.

Dizziness and Spasms

These symptoms could be related to respiratory failure, which can occur if a cat is exposed to harmful smoke for an extended period. The combination of smoke, dizziness, and spasms suggests a serious reaction to the environment.

While it’s difficult to know the exact cause of your cat’s symptoms and ultimate passing without a veterinary examination, it’s clear that incense smoke could have contributed, especially given the cat’s pre-existing condition.

Future Precautions

In the future, it’s best to ensure that any scented products used in your home are safe for pets and to ventilate areas well when using anything that produces smoke or strong odors. If you have other pets, consider discussing safe practices with your veterinarian. Again, I’m very sorry for your loss.

Understanding and Moving Forward

Yes, many fumes and essential oils can kill otherwise healthy cats. It is not a good idea to use those without doing some research first on what can be toxic to pets. Keep in mind that even onion, for example, is toxic to pets despite being perfectly safe for humans.

I sincerely regret your loss. If you feel sad and guilty, as insane as this may sound, talk to your pet. Explain that you don’t know everything. Humans don’t know it all, and they are not meant to be 100% in control of every changing condition surrounding them. Having acknowledged your limitations as a human being, even if it sounds weird, ask for forgiveness from your furry friend somehow. From afar, he can probably hear you and I am totally positive if he saw you feeling overwhelmed, he would comfort you for sure.

In addition, you need to forgive yourself. Please realize that if it had been a tornado or a horrible earthquake, you wouldn’t have had full control either, and you wouldn’t necessarily guess the best thing to do next. Sometimes people make the wrong choice and cannot survive to tell the tale, or they cannot save their family and pets even though they try. Forgive yourself. Please realize that we ALL make mistakes and you have a right to make one just as I and any other reader can make mistakes.

If you are still feeling unwell, go and seek therapy. I am sure your furry friend would want you to be okay and would try hard to help you. And once you get over the issue, go and adopt another furry friend. One never stops loving the first one. It’s just that there are more furry creatures waiting to make the world a little bit better for someone and at the same time receiving some love.