Please Read.....

I was not aware of this untill yesterday when I read this article in a cat magazine that I get. I hope the magazine doesn't mind but I wanted to let everyone have a chance to read it.

I want to let readers konw how toxic potpourri concentrate is to cats. My experience began when a bird flew into the kitchen window and my young and agile Maine Coon, Meow-Meow, jumped up on my counter and into the potpourri pot. I tried to get as much of the concentrate off of him as possible. Later that evening I awoke to the sound of his chest rattling. The vet offered little hope because there was no phone number to call (on the pot pourri package), the ingredients were in Spanish, and the product was purchased from Wal-Mart. My vet said the oils may have coused damage to his lungs, which can be progressive. Fortunately, the X-rays came back showing no damage to his lungs. Meow-Meow only suffered irritation to his bronchial tubes. The residue was just enough to cause him such side effects. Please inform your readers to not take a chance with any kind of potpourri in their home. Accidents can happen. DEEANN HORSLEY Roanoke, Va.

Thanks for the warning - I bet most people wouldn't even think of it!

We wouldn't think of it!! Thank you for the "heads up"!!!

Thanks a lot for the advice Sara. I don't have potpourri in the house mainly because I would find it everywhere but in the proper bowl. Someone gave me a bunch of dried lavender once and I had to hide it immediately because 2 of the cats went for it. But the thought that it could be harmful did not cross my mind.

Yes, thanks Sara. I would never have thought of it either, but it makes sense when you do think about it. On some of those oils they even warn about getting it on human skin, so it must be some pretty toxic stuff.