Is rosemary oil safe for cats and dogs?
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Concentrated rosemary oil should never be applied to a cat or a dog1. Cats are the more sensitive species because they are deficient in the liver enzyme glucuronyl transferase, and EFSA sets a tighter limit for cats than for dogs on rosemary extracts in pet food1,3. Keep pets away from diffusers and freshly treated surfaces, and call a veterinarian after direct contact1,8.
Why are cats more sensitive to rosemary oil than dogs?
Rosemary oil is the essential oil steam-distilled from the aerial parts of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)4. Like other essential oils, it is readily and rapidly absorbed through the digestive tract, skin, lungs and mucous membranes, and the higher the concentration, the greater the risk to the animal1. The Merck Veterinary Manual states that cats are more sensitive to essential oils than dogs because they are deficient in the enzyme glucuronyl transferase1.
Genetics explains part of that deficiency. The domestic cat has a much lower capacity than most mammals to glucuronidate planar phenolic compounds, and UGT1A6, the gene for one key form of the enzyme, is a nonfunctional pseudogene in cats2. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) applied this directly to rosemary: because glucuronidation is an important route for excreting the metabolites of rosemary extract constituents, its feed panel added an extra safety factor of 5 when calculating limits for cats3.
Dogs do not share the cat's enzyme deficiency, but they are still at risk of toxicosis from essential oils1. Cats also groom, which adds oral exposure to any oil that lands on the coat1.
What is in rosemary oil?
Rosemary oil is a complex mixture, and its makeup depends on the chemical type of the plant: European regulators describe a eucalyptol type (Italy, Morocco and Tunisia), a camphor-borneol type (Spain) and an alpha-pinene-verbenone type (France and Corsica)4. The European Pharmacopoeia ranges quoted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) show how much the two commercial types differ4.
Camphor is the constituent that draws the most attention. Swallowed in sufficient quantity, camphor readily causes convulsions in people, and most recorded poisonings involved accidental intake of camphorated oil4. EMA also found no human data showing that rosemary extracts cause seizures, despite their variable camphor content4. Because the oil can irritate, EMA's monograph warns against contact with the eyes and mucous membranes4.
| Constituent | Spanish type | Moroccan and Tunisian type |
|---|---|---|
| 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) | 16 to 25% | 38 to 55% |
| Camphor | 13 to 21% | 5 to 15% |
| Alpha-pinene | 18 to 26% | 9 to 14% |
| Camphene | 8 to 12% | 2.5 to 6% |
| Borneol | 2 to 4.5% | 1.5 to 5% |
Is rosemary extract in pet food the same as rosemary oil?
No. The rosemary extracts used in pet food are antioxidant additives standardized on carnosic acid and carnosol, two non-volatile compounds, and the extracts EFSA assessed were specified with a minimum ratio of these antioxidants to volatile, oil-type compounds and with a camphor limit3. For the two extracts it assessed, EFSA set maximum safe concentrations of 300 mg per kg of complete feed for dogs and 50 mg per kg for cats3. The lower cat figure comes from the extra safety factor for the cat's limited glucuronidation3.
In the United States, rosemary appears on FDA's list of essential oils, oleoresins and natural extractives generally recognized as safe for their intended use in animal feed7. Both regulators are describing small, controlled amounts inside a finished feed. Neither covers concentrated rosemary oil rubbed onto a coat, sprayed on bedding or run in a diffuser1,3,7.
What are the signs of essential oil exposure in cats and dogs?
Signs depend on the type and concentration of the oil and on the route of exposure, and they develop within minutes to hours by every route1. Inhaled oils are especially hazardous for animals with existing respiratory problems such as feline asthma, airborne allergies or chronic bronchitis1.
| Exposure route | Common signs | Signs that need emergency care |
|---|---|---|
| Swallowed or on the skin | Vomiting, lethargy, drooling, wobbliness (ataxia), loss of appetite, skin irritation1 | Tremors, seizures, rear-limb paralysis1 |
| Breathed in | Watery eyes and nose, nausea, drooling, vomiting, coughing or wheezing1 | Labored or rapid breathing1,8 |
| Any route | Onset within minutes to hours1 | Low blood pressure, slow heart rate, low body temperature, liver or kidney failure1 |
Does a natural or minimum risk label mean a rosemary product was checked for pets?
No. Rosemary and rosemary oil are both on the federal list of active ingredients permitted in minimum risk pesticides, a category exempt from EPA registration5. EPA states that it does not review exempted products, and it treats label wording that implies a federal safety determination for one of them as misleading6.
All ingredients in an exempted product, active and inert, must be listed on the label6. Check that list before you use a pest spray, repellent or cleaner in a home with a cat or dog, so you know whether it contains rosemary oil or other essential oils.
How do you use rosemary oil products around pets, and what if a pet is exposed?
Follow the product label, and use these precautions from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) and the Merck Veterinary Manual8,1:
- Never apply concentrated rosemary oil directly to a cat or dog1.
- Remove pets, their toys, bedding and food and water bowls before you apply a spray, and keep pets away until it has dried completely or for the label time, whichever is longer8.
- Keep pets out of any room where a diffuser is running, and ventilate the room afterward1.
- Prevent pets from licking or chewing treated surfaces, because residues can remain after drying8.
- After exposure, decontamination means bathing or fresh air; do not make the pet vomit, because of the risk of inhaling oil into the lungs1.
- If the pet has difficulty breathing, tremors or seizures, call a veterinarian or animal poison control center immediately; NPIC answers pesticide questions at 800-858-73788.
Key takeaways
- Concentrated essential oils, rosemary oil included, should never be applied directly to pets.
- Cats are more sensitive than dogs because of a glucuronyl transferase deficiency, and UGT1A6 is a pseudogene in cats.
- EFSA's limit for rosemary extract in cat food is one sixth of the limit for dogs.
- Rosemary extract in pet food is a standardized antioxidant, not concentrated rosemary oil.
- A minimum risk or natural label does not mean EPA reviewed the product.
References
- Toxicoses From Essential Oils in Animals
- Molecular genetic basis for deficient acetaminophen glucuronidation by cats: UGT1A6 is a pseudogene, and evidence for reduced diversity of expressed hepatic UGT1A isoforms
- Safety and efficacy of two solvent extracts of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) when used as feed additive for cats and dogs (Kemin Nutrisurance Europe SRL)
- Assessment report on Rosmarinus officinalis L., aetheroleum and Rosmarinus officinalis L., folium, Final, Revision 1 (EMA/HMPC/681037/2021)
- 40 CFR 152.25 Exemptions for pesticides of a character not requiring FIFRA regulation (paragraph (f), Table 1, permitted active ingredients)
- Conditions for Minimum Risk Pesticides
- 21 CFR 582.20 Essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free), and natural extractives (including distillates)
- Pets and Pesticide Use Fact Sheet
Frequently asked questions
Can I put rosemary oil on my dog's coat for fleas or shine?
Concentrated essential oils should never be applied directly to pets, dogs included1. Dogs lack the cat's enzyme deficiency but can still develop essential oil toxicosis, and risk rises with concentration1. For any product applied to a pet, follow the label exactly and never use more than it directs8. Ask your veterinarian before using any essential oil product on your dog.
Can I run a rosemary oil diffuser in a home with a cat?
Keep the cat out of the room while the diffuser runs and air the room afterward1. Active ultrasonic or nebulizing diffusers release microdroplets that can settle on fur and be swallowed during grooming, while passive diffusers such as reeds mainly pose a risk of respiratory irritation1. Cats with asthma or other airway disease are at particular risk from inhaled oils1.
Does rosemary oil cause seizures in dogs or cats?
The Merck Veterinary Manual's list of essential oils that can cause seizures names birch, cedar, eucalyptus, hyssop, pennyroyal, sage, wintergreen and wormwood, and seizures appear among the possible signs of any essential oil toxicosis1. Rosemary oil contains camphor, which causes convulsions in people when swallowed in sufficient quantity4. EMA found no human data linking rosemary extracts to seizures4, so treat any tremor or seizure after exposure as an emergency8.