Do Cats Like Peppermint

All mint plants have notes of the same fruity and aromatic fragrance that cats love. However, there are some mint plants that cats do not enjoy the smell of. Most cats dislike the smell of peppermint. This is because peppermint contains a chemical called salicylate which is harmful to cats.

Can the smell of peppermint hurt cats?

Peppermint oil, like many essential oils, contains phenols and phenolic compounds. Cats are very sensitive to phenols, whether exposure comes via inhalation or ingestion. … If your cat ingests peppermint oil, it can upset her stomach, cause liver damage, and adversely affect her nervous system.

Do cats like the taste of peppermint?

Cats really don’t like citrus, whether oranges, lemon, grapefruit, etc. … Mint – This one’s a toss-up, but cats who really dislike mint are demonstrating good sense: from peppermint to the wintergreen herb, these mints contain salicylate, a substance toxic to cats.