Tea Tree Oil, Pets & Kanberra
A fair question deserves a clear answer.
If you share your home with a pet, you may have seen warnings about Tea Tree Oil online. Those warnings are worth taking seriously.
But there's an important difference that can easily get lost.
Kanberra Gel isn't a bottle of concentrated Tea Tree Oil.
It's a finished, water based air care gel made with Kanberra's proprietary blend of essential oils, including ATTIA Certified Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. There's no added synthetic fragrance or perfume.
The Gel is designed to stay in its jar while normal airflow moves across it and gradually releases the natural oils into the surrounding air.
When it comes to Tea Tree Oil and pets, the details matter.
Not every Tea Tree Oil product is the same
Concentrated Tea Tree Oil should never be swallowed by a pet or applied directly to an animal.
Kanberra Gel is different.
It's a finished, water based gel formulation designed for air care. It stays in the jar. Air moves naturally across the Gel. And it's used according to the directions on the product.
Concentration matters
A bottle of concentrated essential oil and a finished air care formulation aren't the same thing.
Formulation matters
Kanberra Gel isn't pure Tea Tree Oil sitting in a jar.
It's a water based gel made with Kanberra's proprietary blend of essential oils.
Exposure matters
Swallowing concentrated oil, putting it directly onto an animal and using a finished air care product in a room are very different things.
How you use it matters
Kanberra products should always be used for the purpose they were designed for.
Two different products
Two different ways to use them
Kanberra Gel and Kanberra Tea Tree Oil are not the same product, and they should not be used the same way.
Kanberra Gel
Water based air care gel
- Designed to sit in an open jar
- Air moves naturally across the Gel
- No added synthetic fragrance or perfume
- Keep the Gel out of reach of pets
- Don't let pets lick or eat it
- Don't apply it directly to an animal
Kanberra Tea Tree Oil
A concentrated product
- For specific uses, including diffuser use
- Follow the product directions carefully
- Keep the bottle out of reach
- Never let a pet swallow it
- Never apply it directly to an animal
- Speak with your veterinarian if unsure
Clear product differences make safe, confident use easier.
Not every animal is the same
Dogs aren't cats. Cats aren't birds. And birds, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles and other small animals can have very different sensitivities.
That's why we don't make one sweeping promise for every animal and every situation.
If you have a bird, a very small pet, an animal with breathing problems or a pet with an unusual medical condition, talk to your veterinarian if you're unsure.
Knowing what you're using matters.
Knowing your pet does too.
Kanberra Gel
in a home with pets
Keep it simple.
Do
Use Kanberra Gel as directed.Open the jar and place it somewhere with good natural airflow.
Keep it out of reach.Choose a spot where your pet can't lick, eat or knock over the Gel.
Use the right amount for your space.Follow Kanberra's recommended Gel sizing and placement guidance.
Know your pet.If your pet has breathing problems, unusual sensitivities or another medical condition, speak with your veterinarian if you have concerns.
Don't
Don't let your pet eat or lick the Gel.Kanberra Gel isn't made to be eaten.
Don't put Kanberra Gel directly on your pet.It's an air care product.
Don't put concentrated Tea Tree Oil directly on an animal.Concentrated essential oils need to be handled differently.
Don't assume natural means edible.Natural ingredients still need to be used properly.
Simple product guidance helps confident everyday use.
From seed to drum
We don't simply buy something labelled “Tea Tree Oil.”
If Tea Tree Oil is going into Kanberra, we want to know exactly what we're starting with.
Kanberra uses ATTIA Certified Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil. ATTIA is the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association.
Its Code of Practice follows Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil from “seed to drum and beyond.”
That includes how it's:
- 01Grown
- 02Harvested
- 03Distilled
- 04Handled
- 05Stored
- 06Supplied
- 07Traced
Why does that matter to us?
Because not everything labelled Tea Tree Oil is the same when it comes to quality, purity and where it came from.
What ATTIA certification means to Kanberra
- Quality.
- Purity.
- Authenticity.
- Traceability.
- Consistency.
ATTIA certification isn't a pet safety certification.
It doesn't mean concentrated Tea Tree Oil should be swallowed by an animal or put directly onto one.
It means we know much more about the Tea Tree Oil we choose to put into Kanberra. Where it came from. How it was produced. And what we're starting with.
The Kanberra Standard starts long before the Gel reaches the jar.
Air care is where we came from
Built from experience. Not trend.
Kanberra didn't start because Tea Tree Oil or fragrance free living became popular. It started with real air problems.
-
1993
Indoor Air Professionals began working in homes, HVAC systems, businesses and other enclosed spaces. They dealt with stale air, stubborn odors and spaces that needed something better.
-
2008
That experience helped lead to Kanberra. A different way to care for the air using the natural power of Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil.
-
Today
Kanberra has grown into a complete air care system for real life.
Homes · Boats · RVs · Cars · Laundry rooms · Closets · Pet spaces
Spaces that close up. Spaces that hold odors. Spaces where you simply want the air to feel fresh again.
Born from real air work.
Yes, Tea Tree Oil has an aroma
Fragrance free doesn't mean the ingredients have no natural smell.
When you first open Kanberra Gel, you may notice a clean, crisp, slightly lemony aroma. That comes naturally from the oils in Kanberra's proprietary blend.
We don't add synthetic fragrance or perfume to make your room smell like something else.
As the Gel works, that initial aroma softens. Because Kanberra isn't here to replace one smell with another.
The scent isn't the point.
Clean air should smell like nothing.
Tea Tree Oil and pets, answered
Is Kanberra Gel safe to use around pets?
Kanberra's guidance is that Kanberra Gel can be used in homes with pets when used as directed.
Kanberra Gel is a finished, water based air care formulation. It isn't concentrated Tea Tree Oil.
Keep the Gel itself out of reach of pets. Don't let your pet lick or eat it. And don't apply Kanberra Gel directly to an animal.
If your pet has breathing problems, unusual sensitivities or another medical condition, speak with your veterinarian if you have concerns.
Is Kanberra Gel safe around cats?
Kanberra Gel is a finished, water based air care formulation. It isn't used in the same way as concentrated Tea Tree Oil.
Warnings you may see about Tea Tree Oil and cats often involve concentrated oil being swallowed or applied directly to an animal. That isn't how Kanberra Gel is designed to be used.
You should still keep the Gel somewhere your cat can't lick it, eat it or knock it over.
If your cat has breathing problems or unusual medical sensitivities, speak with your veterinarian if you're unsure.
Is Kanberra Gel safe around dogs?
Kanberra Gel is designed to be used as air care and should always be used according to its directions.
Keep the Gel itself out of your dog's reach. Don't let your dog lick or eat it. And don't apply the Gel directly to your dog.
If your dog has breathing problems or unusual sensitivities, speak with your veterinarian if you have concerns.
Isn't Tea Tree Oil toxic to cats and dogs?
Concentrated Tea Tree Oil can be harmful to animals, especially if it's swallowed or applied directly. We don't disagree with that.
The important thing is understanding what product you're actually using. A bottle of concentrated Tea Tree Oil isn't the same thing as Kanberra Gel.
Kanberra Gel is a finished, water based air care formulation designed to stay in its container and be used in a space.
We never recommend giving concentrated Tea Tree Oil to a pet or applying it directly to an animal.
The product matters. The formulation matters. And how you use it matters.
Can my pet eat or lick Kanberra Gel?
No. Kanberra Gel isn't made to be eaten.
Keep the jar somewhere your pet can't lick, eat or otherwise get into the Gel.
If you think your pet has swallowed the product, contact your veterinarian.
Can I put Kanberra Gel directly on my pet?
No. Kanberra Gel is made for air care. It shouldn't be applied directly to an animal.
Can I put Kanberra Tea Tree Oil directly on my pet?
No. Don't apply concentrated Tea Tree Oil directly to an animal.
Keep the bottle safely out of reach and use the product only as directed.
What about birds, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles and other small animals?
Different animals can have different sensitivities. We don't make blanket safety claims for every species.
If you have a bird, small mammal, reptile or an animal with breathing problems or another medical condition, speak with your veterinarian if you're unsure about using any essential oil product in its environment.
What does ATTIA Certified mean?
ATTIA is the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association. Its Code of Practice covers Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil from growing and harvesting through distillation, handling, storage and traceability.
For Kanberra, it helps us know more about the quality, authenticity, origin and consistency of the Tea Tree Oil we use.
It's not a pet safety certification. It's about knowing what we're starting with.
Why does Kanberra Gel smell when I first open it if it's fragrance free?
Because the natural oils themselves have an aroma. Kanberra Gel contains no added synthetic fragrance or perfume.
When you first open the jar, you may notice a clean, crisp, slightly lemony aroma from Kanberra's proprietary blend. That aroma softens as the Gel works.
Kanberra isn't designed to perfume your room. Clean air should smell like nothing.
Want to read more?
We think good information should be easy to check for yourself.
Australian Tea Tree Industry Association
Learn more about Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil and the ATTIA Code of Practice.
Visit ATTIA →Questions about your pet?
Every animal is different. If your pet has a medical condition, breathing problem or unusual sensitivity, your veterinarian is the best person to speak to about your individual pet.
Air care for real life
Kanberra was born from real indoor air work.
A discreet, refillable air care system for the spaces where life happens.
-
Made with ATTIA Certified Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil
-
Trusted since 2008
-
Backed by Indoor Air Professionals, founded in 1993
One Kanberra. Every Space.
