Are Lemon and Lemongrass Oils Toxic to Cats?

Name: Are Lemon and Lemongrass Oils Toxic to Cats?
Creator: Dr. Zubair Khalid

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-10-03

Yes, lemongrass essential oil is toxic to cats, and so is lemon essential oil. Cats cannot efficiently break down the compounds in these oils, so even small exposures from diffusers, cleaners, or flea products can cause drooling, vomiting, wobbliness, or worse. This article explains how these oils reach your cat, what signs to watch for, and what to do if exposure happens.

This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.

Quick Answer

Lemongrass and lemon oils are both toxic to cats. Lemongrass contains essential oils and cyanogenic glycosides, and lemon contains essential oils and psoralens [1][2].
Cats are uniquely sensitive because their livers lack an enzyme needed to metabolize and clear many essential oils [3].
Exposure can happen by mouth, through the skin, or by breathing in diffused oil, and cats absorb these compounds quickly [3].
Signs range from drooling and vomiting to tremors, wobbliness, breathing trouble, slow heart rate, low body temperature, and liver failure [3].
If you suspect exposure, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 right away. Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to.

Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Toxic to Cats?

Yes. The ASPCA lists lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses [1]. The toxic principles are essential oils and cyanogenic glycosides, and the expected clinical sign in cats is stomach upset [1].

This matters because lemongrass oil is not a rare ingredient. It shows up in diffusers, room sprays, natural cleaning products, and some insect repellent products. A study of Cymbopogon essential oils, including Cymbopogon flexuosus, found concentration-dependent insecticidal and repellent activity against cat fleas [4]. That sounds useful, but it also confirms these oils are biologically active against insects, and a cat is a much smaller animal with a much slower clearance system.

Is Lemon Essential Oil Toxic to Cats?

Yes. The ASPCA lists lemon (Citrus limonia) as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses [2]. The toxic principles are essential oils and psoralens, and signs include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and possible dermatitis [2]. The fruit itself is edible, but the skins and plant material can cause problems [2].

Citrus oil, specifically d-limonene, is named by Pet Poison Helpline as an essential oil known to cause poisoning in cats [3]. That is the same compound that gives lemon and orange peels their smell, and it is common in "natural" degreasers and citrus cleaners.

Which Parts and Products Matter Most

The whole plant, the peel, the concentrated oil, and any product built around the oil all carry risk. Concentration matters. Pet Poison Helpline notes that the higher the concentration of the essential oil, meaning 100% straight oil, the greater the risk to the cat [3].

Products to think about include:

Essential oil diffusers and nebulizers
Room sprays, plug-ins, and wax melts
Liquid potpourri, which Pet Poison Helpline specifically flags as a source of essential oil exposure [3]
Citrus and lemongrass household cleaners
Flea shampoos, sprays, and repellents marketed as natural
Aromatherapy massage oils and balms that end up on your hands or furniture

If you want a broader picture of how different oils behave in pets, see Are Essential Oils Safe for Cats and Dogs?.

The Toxic Principle and What It Does in the Body

Essential oils are volatile, organic plant compounds extracted by distillation or cold pressing, and they are used as insecticides, in aromatherapy, in personal care products, as flavorings, and in herbal remedies [3].

The core problem for cats is metabolism. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly both by mouth and across the skin, then processed in the liver [3]. Cats lack an essential enzyme in the liver, so they have real difficulty metabolizing and eliminating certain toxins like essential oils [3]. Cats are also very sensitive to phenols and phenolic compounds found in some oils [3].

Think of it this way. A compound that a dog's liver can clear in a few hours may sit in a cat's body far longer, and the dose keeps working the whole time. That is why a small spill, a lick off a paw, or a few hours in a diffused room can matter more than an owner expects.

Lemongrass adds a second concern. Along with essential oils, it contains cyanogenic glycosides, which are compounds that can release cyanide when broken down [1]. The ASPCA lists stomach upset as the expected sign in cats from lemongrass [1], but the presence of cyanogenic glycosides is one more reason not to treat this plant or its oil as harmless.

Signs of Lemongrass or Lemon Oil Poisoning in Cats

Signs depend on the oil involved and the route of exposure [3]. Pet Poison Helpline lists drooling, vomiting, tremors, ataxia (wobbliness), respiratory distress, low heart rate, low body temperature, and liver failure as possible signs of essential oil poisoning in cats [3].

For lemongrass specifically, the ASPCA describes stomach upset in cats [1]. For lemon, the ASPCA lists vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and possible dermatitis [2].

Timeline: What You Might See and When

Timing varies with the amount, the concentration, and how your cat was exposed. Because cats absorb essential oils rapidly by mouth and across the skin [3], signs often appear within hours of a meaningful exposure. Skin contact can produce redness, irritation, or hair loss at the contact site, which fits the dermatitis listed for lemon [2].

Watch for these patterns:

Soon after exposure: drooling, lip licking, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, hiding
Within hours: diarrhea, depression, wobbliness, tremors
Worsening cases: trouble breathing, slow heart rate, low body temperature, collapse
Delayed or repeated exposure: liver injury, which may not be obvious until it is advanced

A cat that walks through a spilled cleaner and then grooms its paws has both a skin exposure and an oral exposure. A cat in a room with a running diffuser has an inhaled exposure plus oil settling on the coat, which it then swallows while grooming.

What to Do Right Now

Act quickly. Call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. These services are staffed for exactly this situation and can tell you whether your cat needs to be seen.

Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to. Essential oils can irritate the mouth and throat, and forcing vomiting can make things worse. It can also be dangerous if your cat is already wobbly, breathing hard, or depressed.

While you wait for guidance:

Move your cat to fresh air, away from the diffuser, spray, or spill.
If oil is on the coat or paws, ask the poison control service or your veterinarian whether bathing is appropriate, and use only what they recommend.
Keep the product container. The exact oil, concentration, and ingredients change the advice you get.
Do not give food, milk, oil, or home remedies by mouth.
Do not apply any topical product to try to "neutralize" the oil.

If your cat is having trouble breathing, is having tremors or seizures, has collapsed, or has a very slow heart rate, treat it as an emergency and go to the nearest veterinary hospital now.

How Veterinarians Treat Essential Oil Poisoning in Cats

Treatment is supportive and tailored to your cat. There is no single antidote for essential oil poisoning, so your veterinarian will focus on stabilizing your cat and supporting the organs under stress.

Depending on the case, care may include:

Decontamination, if it is safe and appropriate for the route and timing
Intravenous fluids to support circulation and help the body clear the toxin
Medications to control vomiting, tremors, or seizures
Oxygen and breathing support if respiratory distress is present
Warming measures if body temperature is low
Blood work to monitor the liver and other organs

Any medication dose is calculated by your veterinarian from your cat's weight, current health, and the specific toxin involved. There is no safe at-home dose you can figure out on your own.

If your cat also got into a plant, the plant itself may be the bigger problem. Our guides on What Plants And Flowers Are Toxic To Cats and Flowers Toxic To Cats can help you identify what you are dealing with.

Outlook After Exposure

The outlook depends on how much oil your cat absorbed, how concentrated it was, how quickly treatment started, and whether liver injury developed. Cats that are drooling and vomiting but otherwise stable often do well with prompt supportive care. Cats with tremors, breathing difficulty, low heart rate, low body temperature, or liver failure have a more guarded outlook [3].

Because cats clear these compounds slowly [3], some cats need monitoring for more than a day. Your veterinarian may want to repeat blood work to check liver values even after your cat looks better at home.

Prevention and Safer Alternatives

The simplest prevention is removal. If you have a cat, skip the diffuser, the plug-in, the wax melt, and the lemongrass room spray. Pet Poison Helpline notes that essential oils pose a toxic risk to household pets, especially cats [3], and that risk does not disappear because a product is labeled natural.

Practical steps:

Read labels on cleaners, and choose fragrance-free or pet-safe options.
Store all essential oil bottles, including closed ones, where your cat cannot knock them over or chew them.
Wipe up spills immediately and keep your cat out of the area until it is fully dry.
Do not use citrus or lemongrass products on your cat's coat, bedding, or scratching posts.
Ask your veterinarian before using any flea product that lists essential oils as the active ingredient.
If you enjoy scent, use a closed container or a room your cat cannot enter, and ventilate well.

For flea control, prescription products from your veterinarian are the safer route. A study of lime essential oil shampoo in cats with ringworm found no cutaneous or systemic adverse effects in that specific trial [5], but that is one narrow use under veterinary supervision, not a green light for any citrus product you buy online. Similarly, a study of Artemisia argyi essential oil nasal drops in cats with feline herpesvirus reported benefits in that research setting [6], yet the same study noted concentration-dependent toxicity to feline kidney cells in the lab [6]. Essential oils are active compounds with real effects, and "natural" does not mean "safe for cats."

If you want to make your home safer overall, our guide on Flowers That Are Toxic To Cats covers other common household plants to keep out of reach.

Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian

This article cannot tell you whether your specific cat will be fine. Individual cases need a veterinarian, because the amount, concentration, route, and your cat's health all change the answer.

Contact a veterinarian the same day if your cat had a known or suspected exposure to lemongrass or lemon oil and is drooling, vomiting, or acting mildly off, even if signs seem to be improving. Early treatment is easier than late treatment.

Go to an emergency hospital now if your cat has trouble breathing, tremors, seizures, collapse, a very slow heart rate, or a body temperature that feels low. These are the signs Pet Poison Helpline associates with serious essential oil poisoning in cats [3].

Schedule a routine visit if your cat had a possible exposure days ago and now seems fine, but you want blood work to check the liver. Also book a visit if you are unsure which products in your home contain these oils and want help making a safe plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my cat get sick from a lemongrass diffuser?

Yes, a diffuser can make your cat sick. Cats absorb essential oils rapidly by mouth and across the skin, and they also breathe in airborne oil, which then settles on the coat and gets swallowed during grooming [3]. Cats lack an essential liver enzyme needed to clear these compounds, so exposure that seems minor can build up [3].

Is lemon essential oil as dangerous as lemongrass oil for cats?

Both are toxic to cats, and citrus oil (d-limonene) is specifically named among the essential oils known to cause poisoning in cats [3]. Lemon is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats, with essential oils and psoralens as the toxic principles and vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and possible dermatitis as signs [2]. Lemongrass is also listed as toxic, with essential oils and cyanogenic glycosides as its toxic principles [1].

Will a small amount of lemongrass oil on my cat's fur cause problems?

It can, because cats absorb essential oils across the skin and then groom the oil off their coat [3]. Skin contact can also cause local irritation, which fits the dermatitis listed for lemon [2]. Call your veterinarian or a poison control service for guidance instead of washing your cat with anything that has not been cleared for use on cats.

Are lemongrass plants as dangerous as the oil?

The plant is listed as toxic to cats, with essential oils and cyanogenic glycosides as the toxic principles and stomach upset as the expected sign [1]. The concentrated oil is generally riskier because concentration drives toxicity, and Pet Poison Helpline notes that the higher the concentration, the greater the risk to the cat [3]. Keep lemongrass plants out of reach either way.

Can I use lemongrass or citrus oil to treat fleas on my cat?

No, not on your own. Cymbopogon oils and geraniol do show insecticidal and repellent activity against cat fleas in laboratory testing [4], but that does not make them safe to apply to your cat at home. Ask your veterinarian for a flea product proven safe for cats, and never apply a dog product to a cat.

References

Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lemon Grass. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lemon. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Essential Oils and Cats. Pet Poison Helpline.
In vitro insecticidal and repellent activity of Cymbopogon essential oils and geraniol against cat flea. Veterinary parasitology, 2026.
Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Lime Essential Oil Shampoo Versus 2% Miconazole/Chlorhexidine Combination Shampoo for the Treatment of Dermatophytosis in Client-Owned Cats. Veterinary sciences, 2026.
The Therapeutic Efficacy and Molecular Mechanisms of Artemisia argyi Essential Oil in Treating Feline Herpesvirus Infection via Nasal Drops. Veterinary sciences, 2025.