Candle safety for cats and dogs

Keeping your pets safe around candles – Those curious cats or cute canines are more at risk than we realise when we burn candles in our home.

Some of my customers explained that they used candles in their home a lot to mask the scent of their incontinent ageing pet or feline litter box.

We all know cats are particularly cheeky, they simply can’t resist pulling at tassels that are attached to a long table runner or mantelpiece on which sits your gorgeous hand made candle that is gently scenting the room. An eagerly wagging tail or curios nose is equally at risk of catching fire from the innocent candle sat on your side table. No one wants a trip to the vet in the evening.

You should always make sure your candle is extinguished when you leave the room but even more care should be taken when pets are around.

Sense of smell

Your cuddly little critters are more sensitive than humans due to their size and metabolism. Dogs have 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose compare with 6 million in human* (Wikipedia) and 200 million in cats. Cats have been know to highly dislike the scent of Tea Tree and citrus fruit. So be choosy when selecting your scented candles. Completely unrelated but do you know the colour of your cats nose is related to the colour of their fur? #funfact

What is your candle made of

Another very important aspect regarding candles and pets are what the candle is made of. Candles made of Paraffin release carcinogens into the atmosphere which we are all potentially breathing in. Always leave an option of an open door for your pet to leave the room if it wishes.

Natural candle wax candles are best especially if they have a natural wick like cotton or linen and not the metal cored wicks that are found on the market.

How to spot a metal core wick

The soy candles that we make here at Candle Towers give a great ‘Cold scent throw’ – they scent the room when they are unlit and they are unbleached linen braided wicks. Great for pet safety and masking those unsavoury odours.

Keep your furry friends safe from candles

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