Can Cats Have Lemon – 5 Things To Know!

If you have ever tried to offer a lemon to your cat, they probably sniffed it and immediately turned away. Cats tend not to like the smell of citrus and avoid it if they can. But, what would you do if they did take a bite of the lemon? Can cats have lemon?

Cats cannot have lemon. Lemon is toxic to cats due to psolaren; a chemical that can affect your cat’s DNA and cause mutations. There are also essential oils in the peel of the lemon called limonene and linalool that are toxic for cats.

Lemon is toxic to cats, so it is best to keep it away from them. Lemon can be helpful in certain ways to clean your cat, but you must be careful about how you prepare the lemon for them. Here are some reasons to avoid letting your cat ingest lemon and how to use it around them safely.

Is Lemon Poisonous To Cats

Lemon is poisonous to cats, so it is best to make sure they never ingest lemon in any form. What makes lemons poisonous to cats is a chemical called psoralen. Ultimately this chemical can cause your cat to have issues with its very DNA. That’s problematic because it can lead to mutations down the road. Also, lemon peels have essential oil on them that cats cannot ingest.

Even the tiniest amount of lemon ingested can cause severe gastrointestinal upset. Lemons have high acidity, and this will irritate your cat’s stomach immediately. How well your cat recovers from ingesting lemon depends significantly on its own physiology. Some cats will get sick, and treatment at the vet will help them to bounce back. Others, unfortunately, could pass away if they aren’t able to recover.

How To Identify Lemon Poisoning In Cats

Cats tend to hide when they are in pain or not feeling well, so it is pertinent that you know the signs of lemon poisoning so you can get your cat treatment as soon as possible.

Vomiting will be the most noticeable and usually the first symptom to occur when your cat has lemon poisoning. If you notice they are vomiting more frequently, also look for other symptoms such as:

• Irritation around and inside of your cat’s mouth
• Excessive drooling
• Tremors
• Body weakness
• Lethargy
• Light sensitivity
• Diarrhea
• A rash
• Cold paws and limbs
• Low blood pressure
• Cowering or moving like they are in pain

Once you have identified one or more of these symptoms, you must take your cat immediately to the vet. The vet will most likely use activated charcoal to pump your cat’s stomach of any remaining lemon. Then they will use an IV to give your cat fluids to help rehydrate them.

Are Lemon Trees Toxic To Cats

Lemon trees are toxic to cats. Even if they do not take a bite out of a lemon, they can still get lemon poisoning from the outside of the lemon. The peel of the lemon and parts of the tree contain essential oils that are toxic to cats. If your cat gets curious and licks or bites any part of the tree, they are at risk of experiencing lemon poisoning.

Even the tiniest amount can make your cat extremely sick. It is unlikely your cat will go near your lemon tree because most cats do not like the smell of citrus. However, all cats are different, and it’s always better to err on the side of caution.

Do Cats Like Lemon

Luckily enough, cats do not like lemon! It is very rare a cat will even be interested in trying a lemon, so it’s very easy to keep them away from them. A cat’s nose contains 200 million scent receptors, so the smell of a lemon is incredibly offensive to them. The sour smell is too strong and turns them away. Lemons are often used as deterrents to keep cats out of certain areas.

How Do I Give My Cat Lemon

While you do not want your cat to ingest any lemon, it is still safe to use lemon around cats. Always make sure they cannot lick it or smell the lemon before it dries.

Lemon makes for an excellent, natural repellent for fleas. You have to dilute the lemon before applying it to your cat’s fur. To do this, you cut your lemon into large or small chunks; it doesn’t matter the size, keep the peel on the lemon. Then place the lemon chunks into a pot with two cups of water and start to boil.

Let them boil for three minutes before removing them from the heat and stirring the water well. Then let the lemon/water mixture sit overnight. The next day you can start applying it to your cat’s fur.

Some cat owners will use a spray bottle to apply the mixture to their cat’s fur. Make sure if you use a spray bottle, it has a fine mist nozzle. You do not want to oversaturate your cat’s fur; you want a nice mist over it so it will dry quickly. You also need to keep it away from their eyes and nose.

If you are nervous about doing this with a spray bottle, then you can get a cotton ball damp with the lemon water and gently dab your cat all over to eliminate fleas. Let them air dry completely so their fur can absorb the lemon. Most cats will start to clean themselves if they feel that their fur is wet, so do not let them leave your supervision until their fur is completely dry so you can ensure they do not ingest any lemon water. You can repeat this process once every two weeks to kill fleas.

Things To Consider 

There are several cat repellents and flea sprays on the market that use lemon in their recipes. If you are nervous about your cat ingesting lemons, be sure to research the products you use on them and in your home. The best way to keep your cat safe from lemon poisoning is to make sure lemons are never around them. If you use lemons in your home, be mindful of how you use them and if they affect your cat.