How likely are pets (cats) to suffer salt poisoning?

[DeptOfMeteors]

My cat's been drinking from the pool. I think she's doing it because the salinity is low right now (1400ppm). I just had an ominous conversation w/the vet about the danger of salt poisoning. She wouldn't commit to a safe level, so I'm having to play it safe by cutting it short. Tomorrow I'm going to be calling around other vets to get their input, but until then, does anyone here know anything about this? I've tried Googling it, but most of the material I'm finding is about dogs and it seems like dogs aren't quite so threatened by salt.
The reason my salt is low is that I'm nearing the end of the season, so I was just going to get by on chlorine until the fall. But now I'm wondering if I should crank up the salt to the 3000ppm range, so the cat will be warded off by the taste. Obviously, increasing the amount of poison seems like a backwards way of handling this, so I just want to be very careful.

 

[Mdragger88]

A little drink here & there isn’t enough to harm. Large quantities would be a problem.
My dog laps up a little every time I open my hot tub but I am generally outside if its open so I just shoo her away. She cannot get into the pool area.
Perhaps some sort of loud noise would deter the cat? Like a motion sensor that dings. Cats are smart & don’t like being uncomfortable, anything that make the pool unpleasant should do the trick

 

[MSchutzer]

My cat drank out of the pool for 15 years with no ill effects. While I don’t have a SWG my salt levels from using LC are in the range of 2000 to 2400 ppm depending on the time of year.

I think your vet is making a much bigger deal of it than it actually is.

 

[JamesW]

I just had an ominous conversation w/the vet about the danger of salt poisoning.

You seem to like to be overly dramatic.

This isn't a veterinary advice forum, so we really can't advise you about your cat issues.

It seems to me that cats would generally avoid water that would be too salty for them.

Maybe get a second and third opinion from a few different veterinarians to see if you can get a consensus.

Maybe put out some fresh water for any pets who need water.

 

[Bperry]

Interestingly if I did the math right, a 20oz bottle of Gatorade with 270mg of sodium comes out to about 456ppm. Can’t imagine the cat drinks enough to cause any trouble. Salt is a necessary nutrient for humans and animals. Like anything, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing but I’d imagine the cat would have to consume quite a bit of the relatively low sodium pool water to be harmful.

 

[markayash]

You can call pet poison control at 888-426-4436.
My dog ate some crackers this weekend that had poppy seeds and the vet said call the ASPC if we are concerned. He was booked and couldn't see him
He was fine, think it was more related to eating too many crackers

 

[DeptOfMeteors]

Actually, it's 888-426-4435. I was just talking to them and half a dozen other vet offices. Unfortunately, I don't think I spoke to any vets, just receptionists (I'm told I can call 2 vets back this afternoon). The tone was one of mild discomfort, but it seems that my own vet (the one I spoke to first) was the most alarmist. She was trying to get me into to do 220+$ of bloodwork. Considering the complete absence of symptoms and muted concerns of most sources, it looks like I will just watch for problems, but otherwise let it be for now.
Thanks for your responses.

 

[JamesW]

She was trying to get me into to do 220+$ of bloodwork.

Probably her primary motivation.

A brief Google search seems to indicate that cats are fairly tolerant of salty water even more than people.

What tests did she recommend?

What was the conversation that was so "ominous"?

Was your cat in for a specific problem or routine checkup?

Are you providing fresh water for your cat?

Is the cat drinking a lot of pool water?

If you're providing enough fresh water, the cat should not be going to the pool for water/

 

[Bperry]

Probably her primary motivation.

A brief Google search seems to indicate that cats are fairly tolerant of salty water even more than people.

What tests did she recommend?

What was the conversation that was so "ominous"?

Was your cat in for a specific problem or routine checkup?

Are you providing fresh water for your cat?

Is the cat drinking a lot of pool water?

If you're providing enough fresh water, the cat should not be going to the pool for water/

You don’t have a cat do you? Cats don’t follow any kind of rules of what cats are supposed to do.

The cat will be fine, at least from drinking mildly salty pool water, just like the squirrels, turtles, etc that drink from mine even though there’s a giant retention pond ~100ft away. Even animals like clean pool water.

 

[markayash]

Actually, it's 888-426-4435. I was just talking to them and half a dozen other vet offices. Unfortunately, I don't think I spoke to any vets, just receptionists (I'm told I can call 2 vets back this afternoon). The tone was one of mild discomfort, but it seems that my own vet (the one I spoke to first) was the most alarmist. She was trying to get me into to do 220+$ of bloodwork. Considering the complete absence of symptoms and muted concerns of most sources, it looks like I will just watch for problems, but otherwise let it be for now.
Thanks for your responses.

Thanks, she must have given us the wrong number. Luckily we didn't have to call

 

[markayash]

You don’t have a cat do you? Cats don’t follow any kind of rules of what cats are supposed to do.

The cat will be fine, at least from drinking mildly salty pool water, just like the squirrels, turtles, etc that drink from mine even though there’s a giant retention pond ~100ft away. Even animals like clean pool water.

Heard a joke in Church.

Dogs view : he feeds me takes care of me and loves me so he must be God
Cats View : he feeds me takes care of me and loves me so I must be God

 

[Newdude]

Probably her primary motivation.

I disagree. My vet is wonderful. But the patient doesn't answer her questions.

Cat : meow
Vet : I KNOW but where ?????

So she wants to run every test in the book everytime to prove what she can. I don't fault her for being thorough. But if we ok'd every test the Vet ever suggested, we'd be living under a bridge somewhere.

 

[JamesW]

 

[markayash]

We have a guy who is probably 70 years old and doesn’t push stuff you don’t need. More commune sense. Dread it when he retires or sells his practice.

Last time we tried a new vet we came out spending $450 on stuff we really didn’t need. Kind of like a pool store

 

[DeptOfMeteors]

Thanks, she must have given us the wrong number. Luckily we didn't have to call

Maybe it has something to do w/being in Canada.

Probably her primary motivation.

Not sure. The bloodwork option didn't come up right away.

What tests did she recommend?

"220$ to start depending on the profile you want." At that point I knew all I needed to know about the procedure.

What was the conversation that was so "ominous"?

Compared to what I've been hearing from everyone else, she was talking about how serious salt poisoning could be, wasn't interested in knowing the concentration because there's no safe level... it sounded like she was dealing w/something that isn't well understood (by her) and in medicine, and many other disciplines, not well understood == dangerous.

Was your cat in for a specific problem or routine checkup?

She wasn't in at all. It just occurred to me that I should ask about that, so I called the office. My other cat's already cost me 4 digits in medical problems in a year!

Are you providing fresh water for your cat?

Not outside, but I've been hearing a lot about why I should.

Is the cat drinking a lot of pool water?

Hard to say, I don't spend that much time outside w/her. My feeling (and hope) is that the current chlorine levels dissuade her from drinking at the moment.

If you're providing enough fresh water, the cat should not be going to the pool for water/

Cats are quirky. If you provide them w/something, whether it's drink, food or something to play w/, they always go for something else. Fortunately, they are usually pretty smart about not ingesting anything unhealthy... usually!

 

[Toxophilite]

Compared to what I've been hearing from everyone else, she was talking about how serious salt poisoning could be, wasn't interested in knowing the concentration because there's no safe level... it sounded like she was dealing w/something that isn't well understood (by her) and in medicine, and many other disciplines, not well understood == dangerous.

But, there is a safe level, and it's in daily allowance, not in concentration levels. Cat foods can contain up to 1% salt, and such level is healthy and necessary. Your pool will never be close to 1%. What's the difference the vet is glossing over or ignoring, when some pet food in her practice may contain levels of up to 1%, it's called a daily consumption allowance. Without salt we all die, cats included. I think the cat would die of water poisoning before salt poisoning if consumption levels were at play.

 

[duraleigh]

It's difficult for me to be empathetic. Any cat or dog should understand the many advantages of slurping from the commode......mine certainly do and gleefully resist my wife's attempts to stop them

 

[JamesW]

She wasn't in at all. It just occurred to me that I should ask about that, so I called the office.

Recommending expensive tests with no real reason seems excessive to me.

No exam or symptoms or any real reason to indicate the need for bloodwork.

Maybe they are partly worried about liability, so they always recommend a battery of tests if anyone calls.

I’m surprised they didn’t recommend a CAT scan.

Now, that would make sense.

 

[proavia]

I’m surprised they didn’t recommend a CAT scan.

Now that was funny!!!

 

[JamesW]

About 5 years ago, I took my cat to the veterinarian and he told me that the treatment would be $425.00.

I almost paid it until I realized that I could get a new cat for free.

Luckily, my neighbor, Mr. Chang, said that he would send Mr. Whiskers upstate to his friend who ran a cat rescue and rehabilitation center.

Every Christmas, I get a card from Mr. Whiskers telling me how happy he is at his new home.

So, it seems that all's well that ends well.