It’s Sunday! Time to kick back & relax. It is so nice to kick back with the scent of a nice candle but have you ever thought about how it affects our pets?

I have been working on replacing my candles since learning about how paraffin wax is not as healthy as a natural wax such as soy. It isn’t just unhealthy for us, it is also unhealthy for our pets.

I just recently got a new wax warmer from a Scentsy party my niece had. I absolutely LOVE the garden warmer.

I needed to get some wax melts for it and was researching online where I could get soy/natural ones. In the process of researching I read some information on scents that cats love & hate. Oh dear, now I had to worry about what scent I was getting too.

If it was just that my cat might just not like the smell a bit and that was that, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. But after reading about certain scents that cats hate and how it can affect them I decided to choose ones with Cino in mind.

It isn’t easy to find soy/natural wax melts but I did find some from Swan Creek Candle Co. at a boutique. There was a wide range of scent options. I was on my phone in the store googling the scents and if cats like them or not. It took me a while but these are the ones I wound up getting.

When I got up to the counter to pay for them the clerk said “You’re the kind of shopper I like. You take your time and really look around.” 🙂

Here is the rest of our conversation:

Me: “Well to be honest, I was googling all of the scents and trying to see which ones cats liked. I heard the smells can affect behavior and possibly make them sick. Our home is my cat’s home too and I want her to be comfortable. I also heard paraffin wax can cause respiratory issues in cats and I certainly don’t want that to happen so I was looking for soy.”

Clerk: “Oh yeah, I learned that the hard way.”

Me: “What do you mean you learned that the hard way? Did something happen?”

Clerk: “My cat who is normally very affectionate didn’t want to have anything to do with me for a few days and was hiding. I thought something was wrong so I took him to the vet. The vet asked me if there was anything different in the routine or anything new such as a new detergent or soap. I said no, but that I did light a new candle. The vet asked what scent? It turns out that is what was was affecting him.”

After all the researching I started noticing that some of my air fresheners, dryer sheets, disinfectant sprays, etc. were scents on the “hate or unsafe” list for cats. So I am getting rid of them or going to be more conscious of where and how I am using them around the home.

The discussion with the clerk led to other topics regarding animals. She told me about one of her dogs and how he was peeing on her bed all of a sudden. She later learned he had an injury and it was too hard for him to jump off of the bed. We talked about how there is always a reason for behavior in an animal. They can’t talk, so we have to take the time to help them and figure it out. Not yell at them or punish them.

Bottom line is we all enjoy things that smell good! But when we have pets we have to keep them in mind when choosing products. So if you suddenly notice a change in your pet’s behavior or health, it could be a new product you’re using.

Happy Sunday!

*Note: I haven’t tried all of the wax melts I purchased yet. As I am using them I am watching to see if Cino acts any differently.