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Can Cats Eat Shrimp? Is Shrimp Consumption Safe For Your Feline?

A lot of cat owners are in a doubt about the question can cats eat shrimp? For those of you who don’t know, cats are actually crazy about shrimp. I have a Persian cat and she loves to eat seafood. She just can’t have enough of it but I refrain to serve shrimp to her on a regular basis. So, if you are in a doubt whether you should feed shrimp to your cats, then read the article below and find the answer to your question.

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Can Cats Eat Shrimp?

The answer is a yes, cats can certainly eat shrimp. Cats are generally very fond of seafood and shrimp is one of the most prominent items of seafood. If you are wondering whether you should serve shrimp to your cat or not, then yes, you can certainly feed shrimp to your cat on an occasional basis but not on a regular basis.

can cats eat shrimp

Cats instantly dig in whenever they are served a shrimp for eating. One thing that must be taken care of is the amount of shrimp that you give to your feline friend. If it is a small shrimp, then the entire piece can be served but if it is a jumbo one, then only a morsel should be given. Watch this video and find out about the parts of the shrimp that a feline likes the most.

What Are The Benefits Of Shrimp For Cats?

A shrimp has anti-inflammatory astaxanthin content as well as antioxidants. According to the animal studies, they offer a high amount of antioxidants to both nervous as well as musculoskeletal system. Moreover, animal studies have also proved that eating shrimp can reduce the risk of diabetes to a large extent. Additionally, shrimp consumption reduces the colon cancer’s risk that is related to the intake of astaxanthin.

benefits of shrimp for cats

Shrimp consumption is great for cats as it is a natural means of obtaining anti-oxidants. It also helps in increasing the blood circulation. The shrimps contain Omega 3 acids. Plus, it has fish oils that is great for the health of brain and heart. It is also considered great for skin coating. The proteins present in shrimps don’t contain many calories.

Shrimp- Raw or Cooked?

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Cats generally don’t like eating shrimps if they are cooked. Cats find raw shrimps more appealing as compared to the cooked ones. Humans like the crispy taste of the fried shrimps whereas a cat has more liking for a smelly, moist and raw shrimp.

Cats which stay outdoors can hunt their prey but the ones who stay indoors are incapable of catching their prey like the outdoor ones. Serving a piece of shrimp to your feline friend can give her a feeling of hunting meat on her own. The fresh smell of a raw shrimp is a great way to ploy a cat and making him or her think that he or she is the best hunter. You may not like a raw shrimp but your cat is totally in love with it.

Can Cats Eat Cooked Shrimp?

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Cats should be allowed to eat cooked shrimps if they are plain. Please ensure that the shrimp that your feline eats is not flavored with garlic and onions.

Never feed shrimps that are cooked in a restaurant to your feline as the chefs add a lot of seasonings and spices on the shrimp. They may also fry it with garlic salt, garlic, and onions. Such shrimps are highly toxic and can cause harm to your cat.

Moreover, you need to ensure that the shrimp is cooled before serving it to your furry friend as it can burn their throat, tongue, or mouth.

Shrimp- Fresh vs Frozen

It may be a very difficult job to find a fresh shrimp as it is very much dependent on your location. If you serve fresh shrimp to your cat, then that is healthy as compared to feeding a packed and frozen shrimp. Generally, the packed and frozen shrimps that are available in the grocery stores are the ones that have salt water on them.

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This is done by soaking the shrimp before they are packed so that it does not freeze together. If you are not able to give a fresh shrimp to your four-legged friend, then you should feed her a frozen shrimp. Prepare them properly before actually serving it to your cat. Wash the shrimp properly and ensure that it is defrosted and take out the digestive tract, which will help your feline in devouring it. Some of the best fresh shrimps that I usually use for my felines are Key West Pink Shrimp and Fresh Jumbo Shrimp.

How Long Can A Shrimp Be Stored?

how long can a shrimp be stored

Whenever you go to a store in order to buy a shrimp, you should make sure that you feed it to your cat within a period of 3 days. There are some cats that only eat fresh shrimp. Both fish, as well as meat for a few days outside, have a greater risk of passing food borne diseases to your pets.

Always remember, the freshness of a shrimp is indicated through its smell. A shrimp, which is fresh has the smell of saltwater in it. If you want you can also buy a frozen shrimp and keep it in your refrigerator for some weeks. Felines love both fresh and frozen shrimps. You can also feed shrimp to your furry friend prior to defrosting it if the weather is hot. If you feed frozen shrimp to your cat, then the frost on it will help her in staying hydrated.

Is It Important To Clean The Shrimp Properly?

If your feline friend is going to eat the shrimp for the very first time, then it is very necessary for you to clean the shrimp’s digestive tract before serving it to your cat. That portion has all the contents that the shrimp ate during the period it was alive. So, you should remove the digestive tract of the shrimp before washing and cooking it.

Doing so is necessary for maintaining the health and well being of your feline. Although you are not required to remove the parts like tail and head of the shrimp as your feline friend likes to eat such portions.

clean the shrimp properly

What If A Cat Dislikes A Real Shrimp?

If your cat dislikes a real shrimp, then you can make use of an alternative. In such a case, you can feed imitation shrimps to your feline friend. These imitation shrimps are actually made from white fish, so you can feed this to your four-legged friend. You can continue offering imitation shrimp to your cat but the quantity should be limited.

Top 4 Best Cat Foods

Below, you'll find the comparison table of top 4 best cat foods which gives you the best choice for your cats easily and quickly:

When Should You Give Shrimps To Your Cats?

You should offer shrimps to your feline as a treat but don’t feed her a shrimp on a regular basis. The quantity in which you offer shrimp to your cat must be either medium or less as it consists of large amount of cholesterol, protein, and sodium that can create a negative impact on the digestive system of your feline.

can cats eat shrimp

Never compare the digestive tract of your feline with yours as it can lead to severe health problems. Felines are insanely in love with seafood and shrimp is one of those food items. Nevertheless, the quantity should be limited at the time of feeding it to your feline friends.

Shrimp is a food item that has high amounts of protein and less number of calories. Shrimps are safe for cats. It has a lot of antioxidants and nutrients like omega-3, selenium, and B-12. If shrimp is given to cats in high amounts, then it can lead to problems like bloating and weight gain.

How Frequently Can You Give Shrimps To Your Cat?

It is advisable to feed shrimp to your feline friend as a treat on an occasional basis rather than giving it to him or her regularly. The quantity, which you are going to offer it should be medium or less than medium because it has loads of sodium, cholesterol, and protein, which can affect your feline’s digestive system. Your feline’s digestive system is not the same as yours, so offering her shrimps in high amounts can cause severe health problems to your cat.

If you are feeding shrimps to your feline, then you should offer it to them only once a week. Also, observe your feline’s reaction whenever you feed her this salty treat. Check whether she is suffering from any unusual reaction or digestive problems. If after eating a shrimp, your cat has an increased heart rate, it starts to swell, becomes bloated, or breathing issues, then you should immediately take your furry friend to the animal hospital

can cats eat shrimp
  • If you wish to know how a cat eats shrimp, then have a look at this video:

Can Felines Eat Shrimps In Large Quantities?

The smell of seafood allures a feline. It is an amazing as well as a healthy item of food but it should be served in moderate quantities to your feline friend. Another reason why shrimp or other human food should be offered in moderate quantities is because of the fussy and finicky behavior of cats. Cats tend to become addicted to something they are offered various times.

can cats eat shrimp

This should be avoided at any costs because if cats get addicted to something, which is not their regular food, then they will develop a habit of rejecting everything that you offer them except what they wish to have. Therefore, shrimp should be offered in moderate quantities to felines.

At the time of feeding shrimp to your four-legged friend, you need to ensure that you feed them a small part only. A cat that weighs 15 pounds can consume a whole shrimp of jumbo size but there are some mid-sized as well as small breeds can only eat shrimps of regular size.

Conclusion

So, this was all about cats and their eating habits. This article has answers to all the questions related to the topic can cats eat shrimp. If you like this article, then don’t forget to share it on your social media accounts.


If you like this article, then please share it with your friends and family. Moreover, if you have any doubts, queries, or any opinions or suggestions that you would like to share with us on this topic, then leave your comments below in the comments section.

Luna Tran
 

My name is Luna and I am a great cat lover and a cat owner of three lovely cats. I have owned many cats till now and have dedicated many years to nurturing and caring cats. Through this blog, I am here to share my knowledge and experience about cats.

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