tea tree oil

[nutzy]

When I lived in South Africa we had 2 cats.  One used to get into terrible fights with the cat next door and I used to put diluted tea tree oil on his fight wounds .  He never developed abcesses on those wounds that I cleaned with tea tree oil either, and didn't seem to suffer any effects from it other than the initial sting.   

However, I must agree that I would not be happy with someone else taking liberties with my cat.  I would also be annoyed by the fact that this woman seems to think that you are not taking sufficient care of your cat so that she has to apply tea tree oil to his eyes, etc.  GRRR!!!!   But, maybe she means well!

[Christine (Blip)]

I must say I would be incandescent with rage if someone dared to put anything on Blip without my permission.  You do need to be extremely assertive - but keep cool, calm and collected - and really get through to her how irresponsible she's being.

I can't be doing with non-standard treatments. Too much room for error.

It's probably well-known to Purrs regulars that I concur with Julie on this point (to put it mildly  ).

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I think given the range of products now available, especially for alternative or herbal remedies, there is bound to be confusion. 

I recently came across a rescue worker who was giving Aloe Vera to a feral kitten with the trots due to excessive parasites. The Aloe plant is a poison to cats if they eat it raw. But the reader might well think Aloe = natural treatment for the squits.  I can't be doing with non-standard treatments. Too much room for error. A good old fashioned Drontal or Panacur does the trick a lot safer in my view. 

Tea tree shampoo for cats??? That's going to go down well with your average moggy... 

[Bazsmum]

hi, sorry youre having such problems with your neighbour. I hope it gets better soon and you can let your cat out soon without worry.

Glad to know about tea tree- I noticed that they actually sell tea tree shampoo on Vetuk one was for cats and dogs.

I think the reason that's okay is cos of the concentration of the oil! 

[Zebedee-n-Me]

hi, sorry youre having such problems with your neighbour. I hope it gets better soon and you can let your cat out soon without worry.

Glad to know about tea tree- I noticed that they actually sell tea tree shampoo on Vetuk one was for cats and dogs.

[Hippykitty]

A week or so ago, Sam went missing for 24 hours. She'd not been eating well for a while, but looked fat. I strongly suspect she had a second home. Remedy: the little B@@@ isn't being allowed out for a month.

Maybe you could try this with your cat to establish in his mind just exactly where his home is, and to break the neighbour's habit of feeding him. When you let him out, make sure he's wearing a KittyCollar with your name and phone number printed on

http://www.kittycollars.co.uk/

Maybe show some nice pics of him to your neighbour over a cup of tea (to establish that he's your cat) and suggest she go to a local cat rescue to give a cat a home. It may be a good idea to point her towards Purrs for advice about looking after her cat 

BTW, I once read in a herbalism book that tea tree oil was a great flea deterrent for cats. This was in the great flea epidemic of '95. I put some on Samantha, who has an allergy to fleas; she HATED it. Now I know better. Isn't Frontline great!

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

What a difficult situation (hug). I think a polite word (plus the collar!) to explain that she has no right to encourage him into her house or to give him any kind of cream. You can also say he has recently been to the vet and his eyes are fine (even if it is a little porky pie!) and say the vet wishes to know how much tea tree oil and what else was used as it may be harmful. If you say it has come from the vet, she may take you seriously. Definitely speak to the vet about it too for advice.
Is there any chance he could have conjunctivitis? It's not always easy to spot if mild unless you've seen it before. She may have seen it before which is why she's concerned? Maybe checking with the vet may be a good idea as it's very common but can be nasty if left untreated.
You could also tell a little fib which often works which is that he is on a prescription diet for something and that he could get very poorly if given any other food. I could put money on the fact she is feeding him if she's inviting him in- he will take full advantage too!
I do feel for you as I once had someone who tried very hard to 'adopt' my cat and even rang my house (she got my number from his collar) to ask me if he was loved! (Again he looked shiny, healthy and very well cared for but loved any attention!) and that he liked Go Cat of all things! ggrr! Good luck!

[naboocat]

He seems fine today. I've been keeping an eye on him.
He's was neutered & chipped before we got him but has no collar. I'll be getting one today.

She knew he was ours but claims she thought he was stray. He looks very healthy & is well fed so doesn't look like he's in need of another home. 
He doesn't have sore eyes so really don't know what she was doing putting cream on them anyway!

He used to spend a lot of time indoors before she took him in so it's not like he's been wandering around for ages looking lost.

we're keeping him indoors til we've had chance to talk to her again & make it very clear that he's not allowed in her house.

[Millys Mum]

Is said stray now neutered chipped and collared? If not i would suggest this asap to make your 'ownership' valid if disputed by her.
I would also keep him in for a little while, so she cant get to him. Has he actually got sore eyes? Probably has now if tea tree got into them 

[Bazsmum]

What Ive heard about T Tree oil is that one application probably wont harm as it is a build up that happens usually weeks or months later that affects the cat....

Hopefully all will be ok, did you find out what this woman used as the carrier for the oil yet? 

Spose the silly woman did think she was helping but still I would be   

[Kay and Penny]

that is a good idea, Julie

there could be an opening for a cat needing a home out of all this

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

  My Jumpy used to be a bit of a six dinner Syd. He would often come home smelling of Yardley Lilly of the Valley.  I knew full well he was down the road taking advantage of an old dear. But he always come home okay and it was a bit of company for the old dear. We had to put a collar on him eventually as the little  would go into other cat's houses and pinch their toys and bring them home. There was a little note which told people if they wanted their toys back to knock at no.52. 

I really don't know what I would do if someone else medicated my cat. Especially with something potentially dangerous.  I think I would be inclined to help them search for their own cat to adopt from a rescue.... one which was genuinely homeless and needing her love and care. 

[Den]

Have to say that I stand by what I said based on if the woman genuinely believed he was a stray and not someones pet. If a person believes they are trying to help I think can be naive but not stupid. I've never classed using tea tree as medicating, don't know what I would class it as though. I always thought it was fab stuff and harmless! Not everyone thinks of calling the RSPCA about strays either. Guess I'm just a benefit of the doubt person.

But I do think she is wrong as she was told before she acted -which I didn't realize before- that he was an owned cat although she was no doubt trying and failing to help in her own way

[Gillian Harvey]

As Naboo said, there is no way she should have taken it on herself to treat someone else's cat regardless, its out of order.

If its a homemade treatment she could have put any amount of tea tree in it. I'd definitely have a few words with her in the morning and find out exactly how much tea tree oil was used.

[naboocat]

So I do feel it's harsh calling her stupid  Sad I now appreciate the dangers of tea tree but I didnt know about it until a couple of months ago, maybe she needs educating too.

She spoke to my husband this afternoon, he told her he was our cat so she knows he's not a stray & knows where he lives, yet has still taken him into her house tonight to feed him & medicate him 
 
I do believe she's known all along that he's our cat, even before dh told her today.
She puts him outside after dark & must watch where he goes to, he runs straight back to our house. Why put him outside if she thinks he's a stray?

She told me she had been asking around to see if anyone had lost a cat but hadn't bothered to knock on our door. Neither has she rang the rspca to see if anyone's reported him missing.

It is stupid to be rubbing cream into a cats eye, unless it's been prescribed by a vet.  especially as she knows where he lives & could've mentioned his eye condition to me. When I told her it was toxic to cats she didn't apologise & carried on talking to me like she had done me a favour even though I was telling her how harmful it is.

[Den]

If she thought he was a stray she was probably trying to do a nice thing but was mistaken. I think everyone knows how good tea tree is for things and it can be used safely on some animals. Even I had no idea it was toxic to cats until recently! I wouldn't hesitate about using it on my pooch as it's in so many products. It's even in some cat shampoos that I've seen! Based on that I would think it was fine for cats - I now know otherwise. Ok I wouldn't use it for eye problems but I bet this woman would have thought it was safe.

As for being sprayed with perfume, that might not be the case. I can always tell if my cat has been snuggled up to my mum because he smells of her perfume. As it's a strong scent he does end up smelling like he had bathed in it.

So I do feel it's harsh calling her stupid  I now appreciate the dangers of tea tree but I didnt know about it until a couple of months ago, maybe she needs educating too.

In the mean time lots of fingers crossed your kitty is ok from his ordeal and  to you.

[naboocat]

it's an ointment she's made herself 

her lights are off now so probably won't get an answer if I go round now.

I just can't believe how stupid some people can be. Why would you think to rub an ointment into a cat's eyes, especially a cat that's not even yours.
Why didn't she just tell me next time she saw me that he may need to see the vets about it. She shouldn't even be letting him into her house  Let alone feeding him & medicating him

It smells like she's sprayed him with perfume aswell. He absolutely stinks of it & my house smells of it now too as it's so strong.

I've just tried to wash him but he still stinks. Poor cat.

[Gillian Harvey]

It can be absorbed through the skin, so I'd do what Trigger suggested and find out exactly what she used and the concentration of oil and get in touch with your vet.

[naboocat]

Thank you for your advice.

Is it only harmful if they ingest it or can it affect them if it's just on their skin?

[Mark]

Lots of essential oils are toxic for cats due to the phenols in them.
http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

[Kay and Penny]

I think you need to get the ointment from her and then ring vet, as the concentration of the oil may well be crucial to whether he needs treatment or not

[Janeyk]

Annoying but I bet the woman thought she was helping, did you tell her not to use human things on cats in future without checking with a vet first.
I don't think it will harm but I'd just try and sponge off lightly with some warm water or baby wipes 

[sheryl]

Stupid woman - It will burn his skin so I would get as much off as you can and then as Helen says, call the vet for advice.

[Kay and Penny]

at least he won't have been able to ingest any as his tongue won't reach where the  idiot put it

website suggests getting it off with shampoo, but that will only do for the top of his head

[Tiggy's Mum]

Oh No! Can't believe some people can be so ignorant sometimes  I would give the vets a ring and ask as it could be really dangerous for him, there should be an emergency number on the answerphone so you should be able to ring for advice 24/7 

[naboocat]

I'm so cross
Our next door neighbour has taken in our 'stray' cat (he's very much loved & cared for) & feeding him despite being told today he is our cat & we'd like him home

He's just come home smelling of tea tree oil so I've been round & asked why she's putting toxic stuff on our cat,

She thinks he has conjunctivitis so has been rubbing tea tree oil ointment around his eyes  & on top of his head.

What's the best way to get it off his head & will it damage his eyes if it's gone in them?