Reed diffusers can cause chemical burns in cats

Please be aware that reed diffusers can cause chemical burns in cats. I’m writing this story as a warning to cat owner’s who use reed diffusers to scent the air. Having done some research, I’d like to share the story of a cat named Dewey, pictured…

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Reed diffuser
Reed diffuser

Reed diffusers are sticks inserted into a liquid used to make a room smell good. In other words, it would likely cover any lingering cat odors. Dewey had the misfortune of knocking over a cinnamon reed diffuser a few weeks ago. His owner cleaned him up quickly, thinking everything would be fine. They believed the cinnamon just stained his skin, when in reality it was burning and destroying cells everywhere the spill had touched Dewey.

According to his family, it took one to two weeks for the damage to show up. Dewey had chemical burns over a good portion of his belly and on his back legs. The damage was so severe that Dewey had to be put under anesthesia to debride his wounds (surgical removal of dead skin/tissue). He spent five days at the vet, and this has run up an expensive vet bill. His family says the photo here was made several days after treatment was started. His condition at the time of his first vet visit was much worse.

The danger in cinnamon comes in the form of cinnamaldehyde, which gives cinnamon its flavor and odor. If you Google the term, you’ll find plenty of information on this seemingly innocent natural deodorizer. Cinnamaldehyde is also used as a fungicide. One bit of advice I found helpful came from the I Love Dogs forum and stated

“As far as other non-cinn scents, many oils, synthetic and essentials are very skin safe, but you need to know what the base oils are in the reed kits.”

For those who enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, there are many homemade recipes on how to make a safe product to use in a diffuser.

This article is important, not just to cat owners, but to those who have children. It would be easy for a child to knock over a reed diffuser, and could prove disastrous, should a child get the chemical on their face or in their eyes.

It’s a shame we must learn the hard way that just because something is touted as natural doesn’t mean it comes without risks. Be sure to study up on anything in your home that your pets will be around. We have to be smart consumers, and protect ourselves and our pets. We also have to act quickly, should something like this happen. I think the majority of us have learned to pay an emergency visit to the vet at the first sign of an emergency.

Have any of the readers dealt with any skin conditions on their cats that were caused by something you believed was safe? Please educate us in the comment section. Personally, I lost four cats to mothball poisoning many years ago when a neighbor put them under their home. My cats drank from a puddle that formed after it rained and were dead within a few days.

Elisa

33 thoughts on “Reed diffusers can cause chemical burns in cats”

  1. I just saw a picture my son posted on Facebook of his cat, Koko. In the background I could see a reed diffuser. I immediately sent him a reference to the cat that got burned with the diffuser liquid. I hope he removes that stuff, and takes seriously what can happen. Koko is alone most of the day, so she’s even more vulnerable.

  2. Hi Mary Lou. I remember this article well because the lady wanted the photo removed. Also I had never heard of the dangers of these products. There are lots of potential hazards in the house for cats — and people 😉 .

  3. Just saw this, was re-reading the article about my dog Harley who was crushed to death in August by a riser/lift/recliner chair, when I saw this link underneath. Many people receive these Reed Diffusers as Holiday gift sets, so I think it would be nice to share this article link, maybe it will prevent a tragedy. I never knew of the danger, esp regarding Cinnamon. I’ve never liked them due to the fact cats, dogs, children, too could get an eye poked with them. I hope and pray Dewey is well today, almost a year later. <3

  4. I have to jump in here, I know, a little late, but this is exactly why I stopped “burning” candles… for my safety and health and that of my cat. It didn’t make sense to have a burning flame along with the chemicals and smoke/soot from this process just to get my apartment to smell better. I also used reed diffusers and never gave it a thought as to what the stuff was made of! Scentsy warms food grade wax, no smoke, no soot, no flame. Takes care of the burning situation! It’s safe around children and pets, the picture of poor Dewey made me want to tell people even more. There is a better way…. stay safe!

  5. I agree Lisa D. I think what happened was that Dewey’s caretaker allowed the photo to be taken without realising it would be published all over the internet. Dewey’s owner will not be able to get the image deleted everywhere. I feel I have been nice to her because not many website owners would even respond to her request. They’d just ignore it.

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