Why it is poisonous to cats
In winter, pavements, steps and yards are spread with salt or other de-icers. They stick to the paws of a cat that goes outdoors: salt dries and irritates the paw pads, which can turn red and crack. Some de-icers contain other substances that irritate even more.
Back home, the cat grooms and swallows the salt. It irritates the stomach: the cat may drool, vomit, have diarrhoea and drink more. Too much salt can upset the body's salt balance: the cat becomes dull, wobbles and trembles.
Contact a vet if your cat keeps vomiting or having diarrhoea, drinks a lot, becomes dull or wobbles, or if its paws are cracked, bleeding and it limps.
What to watch out for
- Salt dries and irritates the paw pads: they can turn red and crack, and the cat may limp.
- Licked-off salt irritates the stomach: the cat may drool, vomit or have diarrhoea.
- Too much salt can cause strong thirst, dullness, wobbliness and trembling.
- A cat licks off any salt left on its paws, so it is worth wiping them with a damp cloth after it has been outside.
- Keep the bag of salt closed and out of your cat's reach.
What it can cause
Signs that can appear after eating it. Each page explains what to look out for and when to hurry to a vet.