Peppermint oil is everywhere in mouse-prevention advice, and if you share your home with a dog or a cat, the first question is fair: is peppermint oil safe for dogs? The short version is that concentrated peppermint oil is not something a dog or cat should eat, lick, or get on its fur. That does not mean you can never use a peppermint product in a pet home. It means placement matters more than anything else.
This guide covers what veterinary sources say about dogs and cats, where a peppermint repellent can and cannot go, and when to call your vet. We sell a peppermint repellent, so we have no reason to downplay the risks.
The Short Answer
The ASPCA lists mint as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, and names its essential oils as the toxic principle. The ASPCA also says that in their concentrated form, essential oils "can absolutely be a danger for pets." Texas A&M's veterinary college lists mint, including peppermint, among the common store-bought oils that can be toxic to cats, and cinnamon is on the same list.
So the honest answer to "is peppermint oil safe for dogs and cats" is: not as something they can reach. A peppermint product placed where pets cannot chew, lick, knock over, or walk through it is a very different situation from oil on a floor, a cotton ball under the couch, or a spray on a pet bed.
Is Peppermint Oil Safe for Dogs? What It Can Do
For the plant itself, the ASPCA lists vomiting and diarrhea with large ingestions. Concentrated oil is a bigger concern. According to the ASPCA, dogs and cats that walk through oils, get oil on their coat, or have it applied directly can develop problems, including unsteadiness on their feet, depression, and, in severe cases, low body temperature. If a pet swallows oil, vomiting and diarrhea can follow.
Dr. Murl Bailey of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine has said essential oils "should never be given by mouth or in the animal's food." He lists vomiting, diarrhea, and central nervous system depression after oral ingestion, and notes that seizures are possible with large doses.
Is Peppermint Oil Safe for Cats?
Cats deserve extra caution. Texas A&M's Pet Talk article on diffusers and cats warns that many oils commonly sold in stores can be toxic to cats, with peppermint named on the list. It describes signs of respiratory irritation such as a watery nose and eyes, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. It also points out two less obvious routes of exposure: a diffuser can tip over and spill oil, and some diffusers release tiny droplets that settle on fur and are swallowed when the cat grooms.
That is why we would never spray peppermint oil anywhere a cat walks or sleeps. If you have birds, the ASPCA advises avoiding essential oil diffusers in the house altogether.
"Natural" Is Not a Safety Rating
Peppermint and cinnamon repellents are usually sold as minimum risk pesticides under the EPA's 25(b) rules. Products that meet those conditions do not need EPA registration, and the EPA states that it "does not review exempted products." Dr. Bailey makes a related point about essential oils in general: they are not regulated, and the concentration and safety listed on the label may be unknown in pets. "Natural" describes where an ingredient came from, not whether a pet can safely chew it.
How to Use a Peppermint Repellent in a Home With Pets
Choose places your pets never go
Good spots include a closed garage cabinet, the engine compartment of a parked car, a shed your dog cannot enter, a storage room with the door kept shut, or the far side of a barrier. Open floors, corners of living rooms, and anywhere near food or water bowls are poor choices.
Skip loose cotton balls and floor sprays
Soaked cotton balls look like toys, and sprayed floors end up on paws and fur. If you use peppermint at all in shared spaces, a contained product placed out of reach is the safer option. Our guide to peppermint oil spray, cotton balls, and scent balls covers the tradeoffs in more detail.
Never apply oil to your pet
The ASPCA advises against applying essential oils directly to pets at all and suggests keeping them "up and out of paws' reach." That includes bottles of oil you keep for refills.
Signs to Watch For, and When to Call the Vet
Call your veterinarian right away if your pet chewed, swallowed, or got covered in a peppermint product, or if you notice any of these signs after possible exposure:
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Drooling, a watery nose or eyes
- Wobbliness or unsteady walking
- Unusual dullness or lethargy
- Trouble breathing, which in cats can look like a hairball attempt with nothing coming up
Texas A&M advises moving a cat in respiratory distress to fresh air immediately and getting emergency care if it does not recover quickly. You can also call the ASPCA's 24/7 pet toxin hotline (APCC) at (888) 426-4435. The ASPCA notes that a consultation fee may apply. Keep the product packaging handy so you can read the ingredients to whoever answers.
Cheat Sheet
- The ASPCA lists mint as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses because of its essential oils.
- Concentrated essential oils can be dangerous to pets that lick them, swallow them, or get them on their fur.
- Cats need extra care: Texas A&M lists peppermint and cinnamon among oils that can be toxic to cats.
- Place any peppermint product where pets cannot chew, lick, knock over, or walk through it.
- Avoid floor sprays and loose cotton balls in rooms pets use.
- Never put essential oils on a pet or in its food.
- Exposure or symptoms: call your vet, or the ASPCA APCC at (888) 426-4435.
Where BioGuard Fits
BioGuard is a pack of 12 scent balls infused with peppermint and cinnamon essential oils, so everything above applies to it. Keep it away from children, pets, and food. In a pet home, that means spots like a closed garage cabinet, a car engine compartment, or a shed your pets do not enter, not the floor of a room they use. It is a repellent, not a removal product, and results vary. For what peppermint can and cannot do against mice in the first place, read does peppermint oil keep mice away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the smell of peppermint oil safe for dogs?
The ASPCA says using a diffuser for a short time, in an area your dog cannot get into, is not likely to be an issue, but if your pet has a history of breathing problems, it may be best to avoid diffusers altogether. The bigger risks come from licking, swallowing, or getting oil on the coat.
Is peppermint oil safe for cats to smell?
Be more cautious with cats. Texas A&M warns that diffused oils are inhaled and can cause respiratory irritation in cats, and that droplets can land on fur and be swallowed during grooming. Talk to your vet before using peppermint oil in a cat's space.
What should I do if my dog licked peppermint oil?
Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA APCC at (888) 426-4435 right away, and have the product label ready. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Can I use peppermint oil for mice if I have a dog or cat?
Yes, with strict placement. Use it only in places your pets cannot reach, such as a closed cabinet, a car engine compartment, or a shed they never enter. Sealing entry points matters more than any scent; see our guide to keeping mice out of your car engine for one example of pet-free placement.
Sources
- ASPCA, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Mint
- ASPCA, The Essentials of Essential Oils Around Pets
- ASPCA, APCC pet toxin hotline page
- Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, A Scent-sitive Subject: Essential Oil Diffusers and Your Cat
- Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, Pet Talk: Dangers of essential oils
- U.S. EPA, Conditions for Minimum Risk Pesticides