Are Essential Oils Safe for Pets? In 2018, a post went viral on Facebook in which a woman who had been treating her own cold with essential oils for her symptoms accidentally ended up poisoning her family cat. While essential oils can improve the smell of your home, there is little research on their health effects. Active diffusers, including our favorites, are not meant to be used around pets. Some essential oils can be toxic to pets, and none of them have been shown to be effective in treating pets. There isn’t much scientific evidence that essential oils work better for pets than humans. The few studies we were able to locate are mostly funded by herbal pet supplement manufacturers (including these 2002, 2013 and 2016 studies). If you have pets, many essential oils should not be used at all, as they may be toxic to your pets, such as dogs, cats, and birds. You should not use pure essential oils on your pets, either topically or orally, as they can be harmful, especially tea tree oil...