Many of us love cats and candles, but having both together is nothing more than a complete mess. Because sometimes cats burn themselves with a candle, and sometimes they eat them too!
And now you are here because your cat made a second mess which means your cat ate candle wax!
So as a responsible owner, here are some facts that you should know, if your cat also ate candle wax.
Some cats can eat candle wax, especially if the wax is made out of the smell that attracts your cat. And those smells can vary from cat to cat.
But the most common scents could be Olive, Roses, Basil, Valerian Root, Honeysuckle, and Cantaloupe. Cantaloupe scents seem a bit strange for cats to love, but some cats indeed love the smell of Cantaloupe, as well as like to eat that fruit too).
If you have candles with the same scents that your cats love to smell, then the possibilities are quite high that your cat will try to lick or eat the candle wax in your absence.
So it is good to closely observe your cat whether she is attracted to the scented candle or not! If she is, keep the candle out of your cat’s reach.
Can Candle Wax Kill A Cat?
The simple short answer is “No” candle wax can’t kill a cat if ingested. But Yes, it can make your cat sick for a period. Typically stomach upset like diarrhea and vomiting; however, that generally goes away in a day or two.
But if you see your cat has ingested too much candle wax (multiple bites). Then the best you can do is take your beloved one to the vet because that much candle wax can easily cause serious health issues.
If you don’t know how much candle wax she ingested. Then just closely monitor her for a couple of hours to see if she is following their routine or not means whether she is using a litter box and drinking & eating normally (“NO” diarrhea or vomiting), then she will be just fine.
(No wax is not typically poisonous to cats by any means!)
Cats Ate Candle Wax What To Do
If your cat has eaten candle wax, then the first thing you should do is consult your local vet ‘ASAP.’ Because the candle wax your cat has ingested might be made of harmful ingredients like paraffin, which might also contain essential oils that aren’t good for your cat.
If the candle wax is free from these ingredients, then you don’t have to worry; your cat will pass it out.
In case your cat has loose stool after ingesting candle wax, then it’s good to give her 1 tsp of yogurt. Particularly unflavoured yogurt) mixed into a small amount of his “favorite wet food” so she could eat it.
If she completely eats that food with yogurt, give her a small amount of food, just right after that again (no need to add yogurt this time).
But if you see any other unusual signs rather than “loose stool,” it’s better to take her to the vet immediately.
How Do I Keep My Cat From Eating My Candles?
Some cats are just born that way, meaning some cats can chew anything that fits in their mouth. If your cat is one of them, the best way to keep her from eating candle wax is to keep the candle out of your cat’s reach somewhere high on the shelves so your cat couldn’t climb.
And some other thing that prevents cats from eating candle wax is using a candle cage. Or you better use candles that are made with the scents of citrus fruit such as lime, lemons, orange, grape, etc.
Cats hate these scents, and if you use these candles, your cat will never go near the candles whether you light the candle up or not. Your cat will make a safer distance from these scents as much as possible.
And alternatively, you can use battery-operated candles, as they are completely safe, and your cat will also not burn themselves with these candles.
Why Does My Cat Lick Candles?
There can be many reasons why cats lick candles! But the most common reason is the smell of the candle. Yes’ smell, some cats love some scent, such as Rose, Honeysuckle, etc.
If the candle you are using has a scent that your cat has a deep interest in, then that’s the reason why she is licking the candle.
Another reason could be the curiosity of your cat; some cats are highly-curious, and due to that, cats nip or lick things whatever they want.
There can be some other reasons for cats why they lick candles! But those reasons will completely vary from cat to cat because not all cats are the same, nor do their environment.
What Happens If My Cat Licks Candle Wax?
Usually, there is no big deal if the cat just licks the candle because problems only begin when wax gets into the cat’s system. And commonly, most of the house candles are in solid shape. So there is less chance that licking solid candles can get into the cat’s system.
In case; you have a wax warmer, then the situation can be different here, as, in wax warmer, wax is completely in a liquefied state which your cat can easily ingest if it is not too hot.
If the melted wax is too hot, your cat can also burn her mouth with it, which can be very bad for her. However, if your cat has accidentally burned her tongue and nose with hot wax, then she will never go any closer to the melted wax again!
Is Wax Melts Toxic To Cats If Ingested?
It entirely depends on the wax you are using. Meaning, if the wax you are using in your wax melter is organic wax such as vegetable-based, soy wax, coconut wax, or beeswax, with no’ essential oils. Then it will not cause more harm than gastric upset for a couple of hours or a day.
However, if a cat eats too much organic wax, it can also cause interstitial blocking, which requires a vet visit.
And if the wax has harmful ingredients of any kind, then this is the time to worry because wax with toxic ingredients can cause some more serious harm than organic wax.
That’s why it’s always better to take vet help first. We know sometimes vet visits cost a lot. But still, it is worth the money because vets are experienced people who can make your cat free from any toxic elements more quickly than home remedies. As we all know, time is the main key to life or death.
So visiting the vet is best because it’s better to be safe than sorry!
What Candle Wax Is Safe For Cats?
Any candle with zero toxic ingredients can be safe for your cat. And the toxic ingredients we are talking about here are essential oils of all kinds and paraffin. (Paraffin is the most common petroleum waste product used to make candles).
If the candles are made out of “pet-safe ingredients” like beeswax, soy wax, vegetable wax, those candles are completely safe for cats. These candles aren’t toxic to cats at all because the wax used in making these candles doesn’t contain harmful pollutants.
So, if you want to use candles around your cat, it’s better to use these candles. Because these candles wouldn’t cause any serious harm if ingested by your cat and not only the cat’s also by any of your pets, whether it is a dog or hamster, etc.
These candles can only cause gastric upset for a couple of hours.
What Animal Eats Candles?
Candle wax isn’t a good source of nutrients by any means for any animal. But still, there are few animals out there; who can eat candle wax, “especially organic wax,” when they get desperate for hunger, such as mice, rats, wild hamsters, etc.
And you probably have noticed some of them in your home as well. For example, if you have candles and you see any sign of claws on them, it’s probably the rats who are trying to eat your candle during your absence.
Rodents can eat anything when food is short, and that time they don’t mind cannibalizing either. So eating candle wax isn’t new for them!
Can Animals Digest Wax?
Beeswax and paraffin are basically indigestible to mammals. So there is no chance that animals can digest any type of wax except vegetable wax. Vegetable wax can be easily digestible to most animals, however.
But beeswax and paraffin aren’t the wax that can be completely digested, so the worst it can do to animals is give it oily feces (poop) for sure, which is not good if left untreated for a long time as it can cause more harm as time goes on.
Final Thought
No matter which pet you have, whether you have a dog, cat, hamster, bird, etc. Just make sure you keep all the wax products out of their reach. Or better use any sort of sealed box or candle cage so that none of your pets can ever reach the candle wax, as it’s always better to keep your pets safe from the harmful stuff before things get out of your hand.
