Can Cats Eat Salt? | Waldo's Friends

Home / Blog / Can Cats Eat Salt?

Blog

Blog Hero

Cat Food

Can Cats Eat Salt?

Can Cats Eat Salt?

The short answer: No.

The long answer: Salt is a mineral that is commonly used for cooking and adding flavour to dishes. Just a small amount (4 grams of salt per 2 pounds of your cat’s weight) can cause harm to your kitten friend. Eating salt may lead to her manifesting any or all of these symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy, incoordination, and excessive thirst or urination. In extreme cases, your cat may even have tremors, seizures, or fall into a coma.  

Aside from food seasoned with salt, the mineral may also be found in other items such as homemade play/salt dough, rock salt, paintballs, enema solutions, and salt lamps. To prevent accidents, keep these and table salt safely stored from your wandering cat at all times. 

What to do if your cat accidentally eats salt: Do not try to force your cat to vomit, nor should you try to treat the cat by yourself. Call your veterinarian immediately. Try to determine how much salt she consumed, and inform her doctor about it. The vet clinic may administer fluids intravenously or by mouth, as well as monitor your cat’s sodium levels closely over the next few days. 

In summary: Salt should never be kept lying around the kitchen and dining area, especially if you own cats (and even dogs!). This mineral is highly poisonous for them, and can lead to severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, stomach inflammation, and death. Prevention is better than a visit to the vet. 

Discover which human food cats can safely consume in our “can cats eat” category.

References:

Salt

Salt Toxicity

Foods Your Cat Should Never Eat

What Should I Feed My Cat?

Poisoning in Cats



Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.

Check out related posts

Can Cats Eat Cooked Mince?

Can Cats Eat Cooked Mince?

It depends. Beef is the main ingredient of cooked mince or ground meat. It becomes finely minced with the help of a meat grinder, or chopped by hand. Minced meat is a versatile ingredient. It can be turned into meatballs or hamburger patties. It can also be added to pasta sauce. Aside from beef, chicken,… Continue reading Can Cats Eat Cooked Mince?

Can Cats Eat Chicken Nuggets?

Can Cats Eat Chicken Nuggets?

It is not advisable for cats to eat chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets consist of deboned chicken meat in a breaded casing. These matchbox-sized pieces are deep fried. As an obligate carnivore, cats can benefit from eating plainly cooked chicken as it provides them with amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, in the case of chicken… Continue reading Can Cats Eat Chicken Nuggets?

Can Cats Eat Pepperoni?

Can Cats Eat Pepperoni?

It is not advisable for cats to eat pepperoni because of the way it is prepared. Pepperoni is a type of cured meat consisting of beef, pork, or a combination of the two. Technically speaking, your cat can eat both plainly cooked beef and pork with some conditions. However, when it comes to making pepperoni,… Continue reading Can Cats Eat Pepperoni?