Fall and winter are the times of year when we start to turn our focus inward. The days get shorter and darker and the weather cooler. We're cocooning ourselves inside and enjoying all things cozy and comforting—and filling our homes with seasonal scents (think: pumpkin spice, vanilla, apples and pine) via scented fall pet-safe candles is a vital part of creating that ambiance.

But pet owners need to think twice before bringing those candles home because, as it turns out, some pets may develop respiratory ailments and other health problems when they're used around the house. (You can read more about the dangers of traditional candles below.)

No need to worry, though: You don’t have to sacrifice the scents of your favorite fall candles for the health of your furry family. There are some pet-safe candles that can give you the homey atmosphere you desire while keeping your pets safe and healthy.

When shopping for pet-safe candles, look for...

• products that are specifically marketed as being safe for pets,
• candles that use natural soy wax, coconut wax, beeswax or vegetable-based wax over paraffin wax (which can contain more respiratory irritants), and
• candles that use an unbleached 100 percent cotton wick (lead wicks can be toxic).

As a rule of thumb, always keep an eye on your pet for respiratory irritation symptoms, like sneezing; and always keep lit candles and other home fragrance products well out of reach of pets.

Ready to stock up on candles? Here are some of our favorite pet-safe candles in some of our favorite fall and winter scents, from pumpkin spice to teakwood.

Learn more about each candle below. Or, jump to our favorite winter candles.

Learn more about each candle below.

While scented candles may smell amazing to us humans, some can be irritating and downright dangerous to our pets.

Traditionally-made scented candles, as well as scented aerosols and wall plug-ins, rely on synthetic compounds to create their fragrance. These compounds often contain harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are then released into the air when the product is burned, heated up or sprayed. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some VOCs may have short- and long-term adverse health effects, and concentrations are up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. For pets who spend most of their lives indoors, that can be dangerous.

"The smaller the pet, the more dangerous some of these chemical inhalants can be," explains Dr. Jason Palm, DVM, owner of Hiawassee Veterinary Clinic in Orlando, Florida.

"Cats, in particular, are susceptible to respiratory illness stemming from indoor fragrances, like candles and wall-plug-ins. They have smaller airways and are typically inside 24/7, so they’re constantly exposed to this irritant."

This can lead to a condition called feline asthma, an allergic reaction to inhaled allergens, explains Dr. Palm, who notes that the symptoms of coughing and sneezing are classic signs of an exaggerated immune system response.

"If a culture doesn't show a bacterial infection, we have to suspect it's an immune system response, and the best treatment for that is to get rid of the offending odor, which in many cases are home fragrance candles or plug-ins," he says.

It's easy to overlook the way scents affect our pets, particularly if we are unaffected by the odor. What we must remember is that animals' noses are much more sensitive than our human noses, so they can be more easily overwhelmed by irritants than we are.

So what’s a concerned pet parent to do? Look for pet-friendly alternatives, of course, like the candles we listed above.