Can cats eat salt?
No, not as a food or treat. A cat's digestive system is not designed to handle large amounts of salt, and too much can cause salt poisoning. Keep table salt, rock salt and very salty foods away from your cat, and call your vet if she eats a lot.
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Why
Too much salt causes thirst and frequent urination and, in serious cases, tremors and seizures. Salt sources at home include table salt used in cooking and rock salt used as a de-icer in winter.
Signs to watch for
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Reduced appetite
- Lethargy
- Wobbly walking
- Excessive thirst or urination
- Tremors or seizures
What to do
Contact your vet or a pet poison helpline right away if your cat ate salt or a very salty food or licked rock salt. Note what she ate, how much and when. Don't wait for signs to appear, and don't try to make your cat sick at home.
24-hour help by country →Questions and answers
Is winter road salt a danger for cats?
It can be. Pet Poison Helpline lists rock salt used as a de-icer in winter among the salt sources that can harm cats, so keep bags of it out of reach.
Related foods
All foods: What can cats eat?Sources
- Can Cats Eat Salt? — Pet Poison Helpline (A. Benzow, May 2023)
- Sodium Poisoning Symptoms in Dogs and Cats — Pet Poison Helpline
- People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Clinical assistant professor advises against allowing cats to eat ham — UGA Today, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine (18 Apr 2025)
- Common cat poisons and toxins — Blue Cross
General information from the sources below, not reviewed by a vet and not a substitute for veterinary advice. When in doubt, call your vet.
How kids practise this in PetPrep
In PetPrep a child looks after a realistic cat: meals at the right times, water, walks and care. Knowing what is safe to share is part of being ready for a real pet.