When we share our home with kitties, finding compatible cleaning products can be a bit of a challenge. If you have a purring princess or prince at home, you probably want to ensure that everything you have is entirely safe before you use it in your pet’s presence.
Febreze is one of the most popular deodorizing brands around due to its wonderful selection of scents and overall formula effectiveness. But are they safe products to have around your pets? Luckily, when used as directed, Febreze is absolutely cat-safe. Let’s break it down.
What Is Febreze?
Febreze is a brand of deodorizer, marketed as an air freshener, that gets to the core of odor issues, resulting in odor resolution. Just about every home in America has a bottle of Febreze in their cabinet. It’s useful, readily available, and found at virtually any grocery or home goods store.
You can spray Febreze as an air freshener or on your fabrics to spruce them up. They have a variety of options to choose from, all of which are suitable to use around cats.
Febreze has some pretty interesting science behind how it works. The molecules in the formula eliminate odors. You can read all about it. But for now, let’s keep the focus on our cats.
Febreze & Pet Safety
We understand that there can be some confusion when it comes to the safety of this product for pets.
However, according to the ASPCA, Febreze is completely safe to use around your cat when used as directed. That means you have to let the spray fully dry before allowing them around the area, which shouldn’t take more than 10-20 minutes at most.
Regardless, you should always use caution when using any chemical product around your cat. There’s always a chance for adverse reactions.
If you notice any symptoms such as sneezing or wheezing after using Febreze around your cat, you should probably discontinue use.
Questionable Febreze Ingredients
Febreze is very transparent with its ingredients.
There are no directly concerning ingredients in Febreze. However, your cat should never ingest it for any reason. That means ensuring that your cat is not getting it on their coat in any way shape or form.
Let’s say, for example, you are spraying your cat’s bed regularly with Febreze. The product is continually landing on a place where they often groom. If they are constantly getting Febreze on their coat and then licking it off, it can cause every ingredient to enter your pet’s system. This can lead to more severe side effects.
Always make sure any area you spray with Febreze is completely dry before allowing your cat to have access.
Avoid Skin Contact
Of course, any chemical compound has negative impacts if it’s misused.
You should never spray Febreze directly onto your cat for any reason. Direct contact with your kitty’s coat can cause allergic reactions and irritation. Plus, they can lick the substance from their fur, ingesting all the chemicals therein.
At worst, they might have vomiting or a tummy ache, but it’s best to be safe rather than sorry. If your cat ingests any Febreze by mistake, you should contact Poison Control or your vet’s office right away for further guidance.
Febreze Alternatives
Even though Febreze is deemed pet safe by professionals, you still might not be crazy about the idea of using it in your home. If you are worried about using anything that could potentially harm your cat, you can always go the pet-safe route.
Sites like Chewy have tons of products designed specifically for pets, providing optimal compatibility between cleanliness and cat keeping.
Conclusion
So, now you know that as long as you use Febreze exactly as directed, it is generally safe to have around your cat. Febreze is a terrific product that is fabulous at controlling odors, so it is a popular choice among many households.
If you feel comfortable using Febreze in your household, you’re backed up by the ASPCA. But never directly spray your cat with Febreze and go very light on their bedding to avoid too much exposure.
Featured Image: Kristi Blokhin, Shutterstock
