How Does Drinking Saltwater Affect a Cat?

When your kitty drinks saltwater, it can poison her, especially if she doesn't have any fresh water around to dilute its effects. While our feline friends require sodium and chloride in their diets, both of which are contained in saltwater, too much of these chemicals can be dangerous to them. If you suspect Fluffy has been drinking saltwater, get her to the vet immediately for treatment.

  1. Salt Poisoning

    • When a cat ingests a large amount of salt, whether in salty foods or in saltwater, it can cause a potentially fatal condition called hypernatremia. Hypernatremia occurs when your kitty's blood sodium level becomes excessively high, according to petMD. Your kitty's body needs sodium to support a variety of bodily functions, including maintaining his blood pressure and blood volume and sending nerve impulses throughout the body. Unfortunately, too much of this vital electrolyte is poisonous to cats and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, lack of appetite, confusion, coma and even death, warns the Pet Poison Helpline. It also can lead to kidney damage and brain swelling.

    Treatment

    • If you suspect your cat has been poisoned by drinking saltwater, get her to the vet immediately. While there is no antidote for this type of poisoning, your vet can provide your kitty with intravenous fluids to help balance her electrolyte levels. He'll monitor her blood sodium level and administer medications to help with symptoms such as tremors or seizures. The fluids will rehydrate your kitty without causing other conditions like water intoxication by shifting her bodily fluids too quickly, advises an article published in the January 2013 issue of "Journal of Veterinary Emergency of Critical Care." This condition can occur if she drinks lots of water quickly to counteract the sodium in her body.

    Potential Dangers

    • Although most cats dislike getting wet, Fluffy may accidentally get saltwater on her body if you bring her to the beach or allow her to roam unsupervised near a body of saltwater. Our feline friends will lick any saltwater off of their bodies when grooming, ingesting this potentially toxic substance. Melted snow is another potential source of saltwater if the sidewalks or roads in your area have been treated with rock salt to de-ice them, warns the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. If Fluffy walks through the water and salt mixture that results, she'll get it all over her paws.

    Considerations

    • Provide your cat with a bowl of fresh water, available to her at all times, to discourage her from drinking saltwater. Keep her indoors to prevent her from accessing saltwater. If you bring her to the beach, bathe her afterward to remove any saltwater from her body. Avoid giving your kitty any salty broths and feed your cat a diet that follows the guidelines of the Association of American Feed Control Officials, which contains the proper balance of sodium and chloride for your feline companion. Never use salt or saltwater to induce vomiting in your cat if you suspect she's ingested something poisonous, as it isn't effective and could worsen her condition, warns the Feline Advisory Bureau.