How to work with your cat

Listen to Caroline’s Podcast on How To Begin Working With Your Cat

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10:03

In this demonstration, Caroline explains how to offer herbs to your cat as well as what to look out for

Here, Caroline is showing how to offer oils to a cat. You will see how they take their doses, what you should look for in their body language and how you should respond

Inhalation

Work in a calm place where your cat is relaxed. Avoid too much noise or people walking in and out of the room. A sofa, a bed or a medium sized dogs create can be a great place to work, with herbs in little piles at one end and a sheet covering half of the create with some perhaps with some aromatic waters sprayed on separate areas – leaving half the Create with no aromatics/herbs. The sheet should not cover an area where the cat can get fresh air. If your cat is not enjoying working in a create do not continue.

Always hold the bottle so that it is positioned below the nostrils, this way your cat can guide the dose easier since the aroma travels up. If you hold it so that is higher than the nostrils you are more likely to flood the room with the aroma and the cat may get too much.

When offering the aroma to your cat, and your cat may slightly turn their head away, don’t follow with the bottle. There is often a temptation to do this. Your cat is positioning itself to get the correct concentration. This may change in the moments to follow and you can slowly bring the aroma closer. Stop as soon as they move their head. Wait and ‘feel’ your way, working slowly.

If you follow your cat with the aroma when they have turned away from it, they may run off.

Make a note of the extracts which have provided the greatest responses, then re-offer them all again, keep re-working them until there is no further interest.

How Often Do I Offer The Remedies?

If the cat is fighting an infection, you may need to offer the remedies relatively frequently for the first few days. Otherwise offer remedies 1-3 times a day, and try to get the feel of how often they are needed. Or leave the selected oils on individual pieces of cloth / aroma-strip or in inhalers, making sure they can get to fresh air. Remedies may be needed daily or every other day. Get the ‘feel’ of what is needed.

If an essential oil inadvertently touches a cats nose / coat, prevent them from licking it, or if a cat drools / froths at the mouth: See Adverse Reactions

Key Learning Points When Offering Essential Oils To Cats

Eyes

Positive Responses To Look For:
Soft, blinking, heavy eyes, or squinting (this does not indicate the oil is too strong, rather it is a behaviour only performed with the most favoured aromatics)

Breathing changes and using the vomeronasal organ (VNO)

Positive Responses To Look For:
Changes in breathing, swallowing or grimicing – breathing through the mouth using the vomeronasal organ (VNO)

Nose

Positive Responses To Look For:
Sniffing or movement of the nostrils

Body Language: Positive Responses To Look For

Stillness, relaxed with soft eyes. Laying down, tucking feet under chest. If working with elderly or lethargic cats, you may see more energy

Reactions: When A Remedy Is Not Immediately Needed

All

Turning away from the aromatics with none of the above signs. Be aware that the remedy may be needed later