Are Beard Oils Safe for Cats?

5 minute read

(If you are looking for information about dog safety, please check out our dog-specific article.)

We’ve received this question several times: “Is it safe for me to use a scented beard oil when I own a cat who likes to cozy up to me?”. It’s no secret that we love our furry friends, being as we provide paw protection in our store, but we understand the concern and decided to go a little further than a simple “yes” or “no”. Let’s take a look at the possible safety concerns - if any - essential oils may pose for your cat

As of 2022, the ASPCA itself has released a statement regarding the safety of essential oils to cats. Fortunately most of the dangers involved with essential oils to cats are related to direct application on the fur or skin as opposed to the inhalation of their smell, though it’s worth considering that a smell which isn’t overpowering to you may be so to your cat.

Essential oils are not necessarily dangerous in a diluted form such as a beard oil, however if your cat tends to be up on your chest or close to your face often, it’s recommended to stick to the non-scented beard oils whenever you’re around them. Beard oils typically contain about 5% essential oil in their composition - about 18-30 drops which would classify it as a diluted form, however something such as Tea Tree Oil would only need about 8 drops to be potentially harmful to your cat.

A few things you can do to help your cat, regardless of scented or unscented oils:

Keep your beard oil in a safe, closed-access place away from where your cat can possibly knock a bottle over
Don’t apply any beard oils directly to your cat - the pleasant smell to you can be harmful to them
If your cat somehow gains access to an oil, do your best to prevent them from licking their paws or fur where they had contact
If you think your cat is ill due to an oil, contact your local vet as soon as possible and be ready to provide information on the ingredients of the oil

If your cat typically avoids being in direct contact with you, you should still consider using the scentless beard oils as a precaution. If nothing else, you could be keeping their little nose from becoming overwhelmed while still maintaining the well kept look of a beard which is cared for using all-natural ingredients.

Like plants, essential oils can seem innocuous to your cat’s health. Make sure to play it safe if in doubt!

Just as with the plants around your household, it’s best practice to do a little bit of research and double check that nothing you’re using could be toxic to your feline companion. Cats metabolize differently from humans and aren’t necessarily equipped biologically to handle the same things we can. Fortunately, there are lists of potentially harmful essential oils which you can make certain to avoid if you’re adamant about using a scented beard product.

There are a couple situations in particular in which you want to avoid beard products with essential oils at all costs:

If your cat has a history of respiratory issues
If your cat has any liver impairment

If you don’t have the time to invest in researching what to avoid regarding essential oils for your cat, we would recommend avoiding scented beard products per the information available through multiple sources.

So if I can’t use scented beard oils, what can I use?

Fortunately for you and your cat, we’ve already been making a beard oil that is safe for humans with allergies which optionally contains zero essential oils, meaning you can responsibly use it around your cat. Braveheart Beard Oil’s “Mellow Knights” is the safest option for both you and your cat if you have any concerns about the oils or their vapors causing any harm while still maintaining the high quality we ensure with all of our products.

Keep your cat and beard healthy with Mellow Knights