In a nutshell, some mint species may not be toxic to your cat, but it is not good either. If your kitten has eaten a little bit of mint and is not showing any symptoms of infection, you are safe, but things might not be that simple in every case, it can also be highly toxic for your cat. Let’s explore in more depth:
- What is mint?
- Is mint toxic for cats?
- Mint poisoning
- Common symptoms of mint poisoning
- Conclusion
What is mint?
Mentha, more commonly known as mint the name of plants from the Lamiaceae family. It is used for various purposes in the industry in folk medicine, cosmetics, culinary, insecticide, but the most common use of ultra-beneficial plants is in aromatherapy.
There are dozens of sub-species and hybrids of mint including Corsican, slender horse, American wild, or Australian mint. Many species of mint is also cultivated in water, it includes water mint, field or banana mint, spearmints, pennyroyals, etc.
Is mint toxic for cats?
The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)‘s recent report on toxic plant’s list has stated that mint is toxic for cats. Protracted exposure to mint creates a high probability of mint poisoning in cats.
Kittens and adult cats love the smell of mint, especially catnip, which makes it important for the owner to prevent their vulnerable pets from getting near mints.
What exactly is mint poisoning?
No matter which species of the mint is, all of them have a signature essential mint oil known as peppermint oil. This oil is used in various meds, but its consumptions in higher quantity are hazardous, not only for cats but for humans too.
Munching too much on the garden mint can cause gastrointestinal upset in your cat. These essential oils in the garden mint are eminent for relaxing the esophageal valve, this will cause more likeliness of vomiting in your cat.
The other species of mints available in the market like pennyroyal is more dangerous than garden mint. Studies have shown that these mints can cause severe liver failure in pets especially cats. It is always advised not to feed mint to cats who are already suffering from some kind of liver illness.
Moreover, skin infections and rashes can also because if your hypersensitive cat is staying in contact with the mint plants for a considerable amount of time.
Common symptoms of mint poisoning
If your cat, unfortunately, has been exposed to the mint for a long time, then do lookout for the symptoms of mint poisoning. The most common symptoms include:
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Anaphylaxis
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Liver damage
- Heartburns
- Cramps
- Central nervous system damage
Exposure to mint can also cause sedation, laziness, and dizziness. If your cat is constantly ill because of mint, then please take it to the vet as soon as possible.
Conclusion
To conclude, mint is anything but good for your little pet cat. Don’t let your cat eat it. And bear in mind that like humans, every cat has a different endurance level, therefore not all of them will face the same kind of allergic reaction from the mint.
