Neem Oil Pesticide & Cats

by Lita K.
(Melbourne, Australia)

I have a neem pesticide spray for spraying my garden that is 85% cold pressed neem oil. It is to be diluted and then sprayed. Will my cats suffer poisoning if they brush past the plants that I spray and then groom themselves?
Thank-you.

Comments for Neem Oil Pesticide & Cats

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Neem oil is fine
by: Birgit

Hi Lita,

Of course not. As it says on the page about neem oil and cats:

"You don't need to worry about neem oil traces. They do no harm. If used at low concentrations neem oil sprays are fine, too."

Even if you spray your cat, that's fine. Probably good for it. Just don't cover the cat in pure neem oil on a daily basis...

From that page again:

"I would not treat a cat with a concentrated neem oil product that's left on the skin."

I am talking about concentrated oils and ingesting large amounts. Neither humans nor cats should do that.

Please rest assured, using neem in the house or the garden is totally, 150% safe for everyone, including pregnant women, cats and beneficial insects!
pregnancy
by: Anonymous

I was just noticing that your website says that neem is "150 percent safe for pregnant women", but then the disclaimer at the bottom says that neem should not be taken by women who are pregnant. I don't know what to think, now, and feel a bit deceived. It makes it hard for me to feel like this is any different from a pharmaceutical website, though I want to hold you to a higher standard.
Please actually read the text you quote and refer to.
by: Birgit

Dear Anonymous,
Please do not misquote me or put words in my mouth. Nowhere do I say "neem is 150% safe for pregnant women".

Please read the website, the footer you refer to and this question and my answer, carefully.

Taking neem internally as a supplement and using neem around the house or garden are two totally different things. Using neem around the house or garden is safe, 150%, for everyone. Taking neem internally is a different story, and that is what the warnings talk about.
You do say it is safe for pregnant women
by: Anonymous

"Please rest assured, using neem in the house or the garden is totally, 150% safe for everyone, including pregnant women, cats and beneficial insects! "

Just saying..
Internal vs external use
by: Birgit

Sigh. Please, please, read what I actually wrote, and what the commenter said I wrote. And see my previous comment.

I am saying using neem around the house and garden is safe. That's not the same as saying neem is safe (which would imply it's safe whatever you do with it, including swallowing it).

Please people, I have stressed this and elaborated over and over and over again on this website, and especially in the sections about safety, pregnancy and contraception:
There is a difference between spraying a diluted solution or using skin care products that include neem (i.e. external use), and swigging the stuff (i.e. internal use)!
Schultz Neem Fungicide
by: Brenda

If neem oil is safe, why does the bottle of Garden Safe Brand by Schultz say to wear gloves and harmful if absorbed through the skin?
Please Read Carefully; The Labels Too
by: Birgit

Hi Brenda,
There are several reasons.
Firstly, clarified hydrophobic extract of neem oil is not the same as cold pressed raw neem oil. I wrote about that on other pages. I don't know what your mentioned brand includes.

Secondly, undilutled neem oil, even raw oil, can indeed cause sensitivity reactions on the skin. I wrote about that on other page, too, and always strongly advise against it.

And lastly, the warning not to use the undiluted oil as a skin treatment does not change the fact that normal use around the house and garden (which involves very much diluted watery solutions) is totally safe.
clarified hydrophobic neem oil
by: Laura

I came to this page to determine the difference between clarified hydrophobic neem oil and unseparated.

My understanding is that clarified hydrophobic neem oil has the pesticide (azadirachtin) component removed. How does this product stand up to cosmetic and medicinal usages of neem?
Neem and pregnancy
by: Laura

Note to Brigit:

Per my research, neem has historically been used internally or vaginally as an abortifactant.
Wow lol
by: Anonymous

Ok, I'll help out, here... DON'T DRINK NEEM! Sigh.... warnings are put there for everyone so they can understand INTERNAL vs. EXTERNAL exposure. Skin has PORES... leading to INTERNAL ABSORPTION. Use caution on your skin is all it is trying to say, lol... And DONT DRINK IT! Wow...
Chickens & Neem Oil
by: Anonymous

My chickens that free range have taken a liking to the leaves on my raspberry bushes. I would like to spray the leaves with a neem oil spray to deter leaf hoppers. Would the leaves still be OK for the chickens to eat?
Best Brand Neem Oil Concentrate? How To Use on Plant?
by: denise

I have a schefflera plant that has nasty little bugs. Heard Neem Oil Concentrate was best to get rid of these plant killers.

1) Do you recommend any brands of Neem Oil Concentrate?

2) What is the usual dilution -- with water?

3) Heard it was good to soak the soil of the affected plant when the infestation is bad (it's BAD). What would the dilution of Neem Oil Concentrate to water be for pouring into soil of the plant?

Thanks very much!
Neem oil spray around cat
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad I found your website. I recently had suffered an infestation (thanks to a filthy neighbor) of bedbugs!! I got some neem oil. I'm not so much worried about physical exposure to it as I am the potency of the oil itself on the senses. I'm looking to spray my furniture with a neem oil, but am worried the smell might be irritating to my little kitty. Do you recommend separating my animal completely or would putting a fan up and opening the windows suffice? Thanks!

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