Coconut oil?

[bobbys girl]

Is coconut oil toxic to cats?

I've just been reading that coconut oil is being used to treat allergies, skin problems, ear infections and pancreatitis in dogs!

[Lilith]

It's edible and widely used as a cooking oil.

A couple of years ago in that heatwave we had, a local child got badly sunburned and 'Lil's magic oil' was better than Savlon. I swear by it for healing skin inflammation/dryness, hair conditioner.

An acquaintance whose cat's first kittening it was used it to rub on to the cat's nipples instead of the traditional olive oil before birth (to soften the nipples.) I was a bit taken aback; I'd used it for myself but never thought of it in relation to cats. Those kittens all thrived.

Btw, if anyone wants to try this, for humans or cats, don't buy some overpriced health food store offering. Go to your local Asian grocery, where you'll find a bottleful costing you less than £2. This looks like lard and impossible to get out of the bottle. Leave it in a warmish place until it goes pale golden and liquid, pour it into an empty jamjar or whatever and though it solidifies again, you can scoop a bit out and it will melt on your skin. Lasts for ever and is totally odourless. You will not smell like a Bounty Bar.

[bobbys girl]

I take it that it is safe then, and I don't have to worry if Willow decides to lick it off my hands.

No Asian stores around here so we have to buy it at a wholefood store. Still a jar at £7.00 lasts a long time. We use it in stir frys and I've just started using it on my hands and feet. My poor, beat up nails have never been so good. Bloomin' good stuff and yummy too!

[MarkB]

I have tried it for various things as my sister is a huge fan. I have seen lots of stuff on the internet about it, but this article seems credible. It says that it can worsen symptoms of pancreatitis in pets given orally due to increased lipids in the bloodstream. It also warns against giving it to animals that are overweight, which also makes sense. Some real positives though.

http://www.thedrakecenter.com/blogs/ris ... l-for-pets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PS - Not sure about the stuff from Asian shops, but my sister says cold-pressed oil is best, ideally organic. She used to buy a brand called Coconoil, but now buys one sold in Holland and Barrett - she usually gets it when they have their 'buy one, get one half price'

I got some from a local (across the road! ) wholefood type store for £3.50

A couple of years ago, my sister's youngest son was diagnosed with GERD. Their GP wanted to start him on proton pump inhibitors. My sister didn't want him on them and asked if she could try coconut oil for a week. It worked. He has a desert spoonful before bed. I have tried eating it. It doesn't taste bad, but feels like eating a spoonful of lard

[Lilith]

All I can say is that the 'stuff' I bought from my local Asian grocery is damn good stuff and I'd buy it again.

[bobbys girl]

Thanks Mark, that's an interesting article.

I read that in the 1940's a group of American farmers tried feeding coconut oil to their cattle to fatten them up. It did the opposite - they lost weight. Pass me that jar.

[Sue Goddard]

I buy coconut oil on line 3 jars at a time and it's called Biona Organic Cold Pressed Virgin Oil (raw) and I swear by it for all sorts of things..jars are 200 gms but if used sparingly thay last for ages...
but like anything, good oil isn't cheap.
This jar has a little label saying "great taste gold award 2012.
Doesn't smell too much of coconut, it's just as if you cracked open a real coconut..not the overpowering synthetic smell used for most coconut products.
btw it's fab in curries.

Sue G