Wax melts in a home with cats and dogs: what to know before you melt
Wax melts in a home with cats and dogs: what to know before you melt
Creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere at home matters to many of us, and few things feel better than coming home to a soft, pleasant scent after a hot day. But for pet owners, the same question always follows: Can we make the home smell lovely without harming our cats and dogs?
The good news is that you do not have to give up home fragrance. Once you understand how different scents, and the way they are released into the air, affect pets differently, you can scent your home more thoughtfully. Every pet reacts to scent differently, so if you have any doubts, ask your vet before using any fragrance product.
How wax melts differ from essential oils
A common misconception among pet owners is that natural always means safe. Many people assume pure essential oils are the best choice for scenting the home, but in reality many concentrated essential oils, such as tea tree, eucalyptus, citrus and mint, contain high concentrations of organic compounds that a pet's liver struggles to break down, and they can be toxic to pets.
Wax melts work differently from essential oil diffusers and wick candles:
- Gentle melting, not burning: Wax melts are melted in an electric wax warmer or a tealight wax warmer instead of being set alight. The scent is released gradually from the melted wax, and the wax itself is not burned.
- Fragrance oil is not the same as pure essential oil: Unlike ultrasonic diffusers, which release a mist of concentrated essential oil straight into the air (which pets can inhale or lick off their fur), the fragrance oil in a wax melt is blended into solid wax and is not sprayed as a mist.
- Contained release: The liquid wax and fragrance oil stay in the warmer dish. Melted wax is still hot, and tealight warmers have an open flame, so always keep the warmer out of reach of pets.
Quick guide: scents to be careful with for each type of pet
Different pets process substances in their environment through different physiological pathways. Here is a summary of how each type of pet responds to scent, and the fragrance families you should avoid.
| Pet | Biological and anatomical sensitivity | Scents and fragrance families to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Cats | A highly sensitive liver that lacks a specific enzyme (glucuronyl transferase) needed to break down certain phenolic compounds and terpenes. | Citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit), tea tree, eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, pine, mint, wintergreen |
| Dogs | A very sensitive sense of smell and airways that react easily to strong chemical vapours. | Pine forest scents high in pinene, wintergreen, cinnamon, clove, citrus, star anise |
| Birds | A delicate but highly efficient respiratory system with many air sacs that absorb airborne particles quickly. | Any strong scent aerosol Heavy synthetic musks, ozonic notes, concentrated floral or herbal oils, and smoke from any kind of burning (always use a wax warmer in a well-ventilated space) |
| Small mammals (rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs) | Delicate airways and a very keen sense of smell relative to their small body weight. | Strong pine or cedar scents, mint, eucalyptus and pungent spices |
Soft Dalayla scents without citrus or mint as the main note
When choosing a scent to live alongside your pets, soft floral notes, bakery notes and non-citrus fruits help you avoid common triggers such as sharp terpenes, mint and spice. Here are 4 scents we have picked that do not have citrus or mint as the main note. Start with a small amount and watch how your pet responds.
Golden rules for using wax melts in a home with pets
Whatever scent you choose, these simple tips help you use wax melts thoughtfully in a home with pets.
- Prioritise ventilation: Always melt wax in an open, well-ventilated room. Never keep a pet in a small closed room with a wax warmer running.
- Place it wisely: Keep your electric wax warmer or tealight wax warmer away from curious paws, wagging tails and climbing cats, and tidy away power cords so the warmer cannot be pulled over.
- Store wax melts securely: Keep wax melts in a sealed container or their original packaging, out of reach of pets. They may smell lovely to us, but a curious dog may lick or eat solid wax, which can upset its stomach.
- Watch your pet's behaviour: If your pet sneezes often, has watery eyes, seems lethargic, hides, or behaves unusually, switch off the wax warmer straight away, air out the room and contact your vet.
