Is Oregano Poisonous To Cats?

Anyone who has ever owned a cat knows that they always show up when you are eating and are not shy about showing their interest. For the most part it’s perfectly fine to give your cat a taste of your food, there are some foods which are unhealthy or just plain dangerous for cats to eat.

But what about oregano? Is oregano poisonous to cats?

No, it’s not!

Oregano is an herb that most cats enjoy smelling and chewing on, and won’t harm them at all. It is uncommon for a cat to actually eat the oregano, but even if they do it’s still perfectly safe.

There are many other herbs which cats enjoy, such as parsley and basil.

HOWEVER! Be careful with the use of Oregano Essential Oils! … see comments below.

7 thoughts on “Is Oregano Poisonous To Cats?

  1. I Just wanted to leave a comment about my experience with oregano and cats. A week ago, I applied a few drops of oregano oil mixed with olive oil on my cat due to a skin condition (she did not ingest). Within 15 minutes, she vomit, and fell limp to the floor with very shallow breathing. I rushed her to the vet where she stayed for two days while on an IV to flush the toxin from her system. I feel the need to post this to at least make others aware. If it worked for you, great but not worth the risk in my opinion.

  2. Rachel, Normally there’s no harm in adding a small amount of oregano to your pet’s food if you think that it might help (It is believed that Oregano has some effectiveness against certain bacteria.), but in general I wouldn’t recommend it.

    However, there is a BIG difference with using Oregano essential Oils ! Beware of using ANY product marketed for cats with essential oils and especially tea tree oils.
    They are toxic and not at all safe! Essential oils which contain phenols are particularly toxic to cats and cause liver damage. These include oregano, thyme, eucalyptus, clove,
    cinnamon, bay leaf, parsley and savory.

    Even when you just apply the oil to the skin, they are likely to lick it and might even end up with burns on their tongue or mouth. So better not do that indeed.

  3. My kitten was eating oregano in my garden. In the night, she was vomiting a rope of green stuff. Then she was berserk, as if she had eaten super catnip. She could only hop, not walk. I had to put her out because she was so crazy. In the morning she was very drowsy. It could have been another plant, but the one I saw her eat was oregano. Anyone have an idea?

  4. My two cats came to sit on my lap, at two separate times. Both smelled my hands and freaked out like I’ve never seen before! One even hissed which is a first time for her. I thought about it, and had not washed my hands after trimming my garden oregano. Totally disagree with idea they like it, based on my experience and what I’ve read.

  5. Wrong, oregano is extremely TOXIC and DEADLY to cats. Check ASPCA website. Oregano can kill your cat and anyone putting it on their cat or giving it to their cat is causing permanent liver damage

  6. My cat has swollen lymphnodes due to maybe an infection or virus, so I treat her with carrots, curcumin and honey and that seems to be a miracle-remedy…….it’s getting better by the day. Two days ago I cooked some fish in steam and put a very small amount of oregano on it as it was mentioned somewhere as having anti-virus or anti-bacterial properties…
    The day after, she was doing so well, she was full of good mood and vitality and made the farthest walk outside my house in weeks !
    So I do not know what to think now about the presumed toxicity of oregano ! But I’m really tempted to give it another try !

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