Can cats eat shrimp and how to give them correctly?

Today, shrimp, like other seafood “delights,” are no longer in short supply. The tasty and nutritious meat of these crustaceans is deservedly popular among housewives. But cats love shrimp no less than people. The question is: can cats eat shrimp, because not everything that people give their pets from their table is good for them. Even experts cannot give a definite answer to this question. They are divided approximately equally into 2 camps - “for” and “against”, and each gives well-founded arguments.

Crustacean consumption rate

The volume of seafood allowed for one-time consumption is measured not in grams, but in pieces. 2 shrimp are enough for your pet to get a portion of nutrients. And you shouldn’t give crustaceans every day - 2-3 times a week will be enough. The owners note that it is difficult for cats to stop, and they beg for treats again and again. You should not give in to requests, since too much shrimp will only do harm.

Manufacturers are happy to introduce dry and wet mixtures containing shrimp into their premium food lines, and the food has undergone numerous trials and testing. These are, for example, Shiny Cat from Gimpet with tuna and shrimp, Delicious Dinner from Butcher's with salmon and shrimp, Home Food - dry food with chicken (turkey) and shrimp.

What kind of shrimp are suitable for a cat?

Frozen shrimp from the supermarket, are they suitable for a pet? This is a question many cat owners ask. Unfortunately no. Since it is a perishable product, manufacturers and traders treat shrimp with various chemicals.

Fungicides are used as a preservative - these are chemicals that are used to combat fungi and mold. Antibiotics are also added, which can remain in the human or animal body for a long time, negatively affecting it. Therefore, there is practically no benefit from such shrimp.

Manufacturers claim that when cooked, these chemical additives break down into components that are safe for human health. If you trust this information, you can eat frozen seafood. However, you should not give your cat shrimp from a cheap supermarket, since cats are very sensitive to various types of chemicals.

Fresh shrimp are the best for animals. However, they can only be purchased at fish markets in sea cities and towns.

Frozen shrimp are suitable only of high quality from those manufacturers that are well known throughout the world.

A good option for those who do not have access to this healthy seafood product is canned food for cats with shrimp. Here we can hope that the animal will receive adequate nutrition in a balanced form .

Cooking features

Since animals only need a few crustaceans at a time, they can be prepared for future use.

Cooked shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. It is not recommended to transfer the product to polyethylene - this will speed up spoilage. Glass containers are considered best for storage in the refrigerator, and shrimp are placed in the freezer wrapped in paper or cloth. If crustaceans are caught independently, they should be immediately covered with ice. Without refrigeration, they are stored for only 2 hours.

Treatment

Most of the shrimp on the shelves are already pre-cooked. This simplifies the feeding process, because the cat can only be given boiled or steamed shrimp. Raw crustaceans may contain pathogenic bacteria

There is no need to add salt, spices or sauces during cooking. The product already contains enough sodium, and various flavor enhancers can cause allergies.

How to stop a cat from eating cucumbers in the garden?

Noble gardeners are trying in every way to keep the cat away from the garden, so options for solving the problem are offered. Each housewife chooses the more preferable and convenient one from the list:

Dense planting of vegetables. This reduces the area where the animal can move. This method is also useful in weaning your pet from defecating in the garden. Spraying the crop with sprays that are unpleasant to the cat's sense of smell. Options for treating plants with liquids that are contrary to the pet’s taste preferences cannot be ruled out. Often, summer residents also water the soil next to the vegetables that the pet is encroaching on. Using agrofilm or mesh. Fence the beds or cover the plants separately. Sometimes even a low fence is enough; it needs to be made at a level slightly higher than the cat’s height. Electrical animal repellers

When choosing, it is important to consider the area of action of the ultrasonic repeller. Irrigation systems

Thus, the garden is always wet, and the cat will never succumb to water procedures due to temptation. Citrus repellers

Pieces or citrus peels placed next to cucumbers do a great job of scaring away cats. You can replace them with napkins or rags sprinkled with vinegar or ammonia. If not available, it is recommended to use water infused with onions, hot peppers or garlic.

By paying attention to the problem in a timely manner by replenishing the lack of vitamins with special complexes or changing the feed, many owners manage to eliminate the problem without using additional measures to protect the garden bed. Good nutrition will help prevent your cat from wanting to eat fresh cucumbers, especially looking for them in the garden away from her plate.

Shrimp shells and heads for cats: pros and cons

After eating shrimp, waste remains in the form of heads and chitinous shells, which attract the attention of mustachioed pets. It’s not a pity to put such treats in a bowl for an animal, but the question is whether all this can be given to cats. It turns out that eating heads covered with a dense chitinous shell can injure the mucous membranes of the animal; in addition, they are not absorbed by the body, causing digestive upset.

The opinions of veterinarians are clear as to whether cats can eat shrimp shells - absolutely not. Unpeeled crustaceans have a tough shell, which makes it difficult for cats to eat. The composition of the shell is not dangerous. It contains chitin, which is useful for fur, teeth, and claws, but the edges of the shell are very thin and sharp. They can easily injure an animal's mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Therefore, only peeled shrimp can be given to your cat.

Chitin is a polysaccharide, the composition of which is close to plant fiber. Fiber is almost indigestible. It cleanses the body like a brush. The chitinous shell of crustaceans is the same as a brush, only sharp, dangerous for the walls of the stomach, so eating the shells is prohibited.

Summary

Cats can and should be given shrimp, but subject to the following conditions:

They must be fresh and of good quality.
They need to be boiled, but without adding spices and salt, to prevent infection by parasites.
Do not give animals canned shrimp or meat seasoned with sauce.
Thoroughly clean the shell and intestines to remove hazardous substances that have entered the digestive tract or are deposited in the outer integument.
Limit shrimp consumption – for an adult cat, a few shrimp every 2 weeks are fine. But there are various recommendations on this matter. Some claim that their pet eats a bowl of small shrimp every day with a huge appetite and feels great.

Expert advice. Veterinarians who are part of the “pro-shrimp” group nevertheless advise giving them to your cat as a rare treat. It is better if your pet receives all the beneficial substances that these crustaceans contain from premium or super-premium ready-made food. They are developed taking into account the needs of the animal's body, have a balanced composition and will bring more benefits than frozen Chinese shrimp from the supermarket.

Do babies need shrimp?

Don't risk your kittens' health by giving them shrimp too early.

Kittens still have a very sensitive stomach, and crustaceans take a long time to digest, which can cause intestinal problems and stool upset. Also, kittens have an underdeveloped immune system and there is a high risk of provoking an allergic reaction. Even industrial feeds that contain shrimp are designed for adult animals.

If the owner has the funds to buy shrimp for the cat and the time to find a quality product, then the pet can be pampered with crustaceans from time to time. But it’s worth considering that for many furry pets, shrimp become a kind of “drug”, and they will in every possible way demand the adored product during the day, evening and morning. You shouldn’t follow their lead - everything is good in moderation, including shrimp.

Seafood is not only delicious, but also very healthy. Most seafood or ocean products are considered delicacies, which include shrimp.

Domestic cats are not averse to eating this product. Shrimp are not only tasty, but they are also an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The benefits of seafood

The selection of nutritious foods to replenish the diet of your beloved pet should be carried out taking into account their usefulness. Shrimp are so rich in trace elements and minerals that they should be considered not as a main source of nutrition, but as a vitamin supplement. 100 g of shrimp contains a number of substances necessary for growth and strengthening the immune system:

potassium - 264 mg;
calcium - 64 mg;
magnesium - 35 mg;
sodium - 119 mg;
sulfur - 201 mg;
phosphorus - 214 mg;
copper - 391 mcg;
iron, manganese, copper, zinc;
fatty acid;
sterols;
saturated fatty acids;
mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including Omega-3, Omega-6.

Shrimp have a high content of phosphorus, which takes part in the body's energy metabolism and restoration of acid-base balance. It is necessary for the formation and mineralization of bone tissue, including teeth. The usefulness of shrimp for a pet removes the question of whether it is possible to feed a cat shrimp. Seafood contributes to the proper development of the animal and is definitely healthy.

The product contains taurine, which strengthens the heart muscle and blood vessel walls; a set of vitamins helps normalize the functioning of the thyroid gland and harmonize metabolic processes in the body.

Crustaceans are valuable sources of protein. Per 100 g of product there are 21 g of proteins and only 1 g of fat. For comparison, 100 g of beef, which is deservedly considered a valuable source of proteins, contains 19 g of protein and 16 g of fat. The high protein content imposes additional restrictions on the amount of consumption, since if the norm is increased, protein poisoning can occur, which is dangerous to the life of the animal. The minimum amount of fat, on the contrary, indicates that the product is dietary, which is why shrimp are useful for animals prone to obesity.

A small amount will have a positive effect on your pet’s health:

vitamin E will improve the process of tissue regeneration;
B vitamins will increase the shine of the coat, improve the condition of the skin, give the pet more vital energy, normalize fat metabolism and kidney function;
Retinol will improve twilight vision.

All the substances contained in crustacean meat help your pet look better and healthier.

How to properly plan your pet's diet

It is better to entrust such a troublesome task to professionals and opt for high-quality ready-made cat food. In them, manufacturers monitor the balance of all components. Four-legged pets need not only meat rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats on their menu, but also vegetables, vitamins and microelements.

If breeders prefer home-produced food, then you need to know some subtleties:

Only dietary meat or offal can be given.
Fish, such as halibut, must be cooked; You can pour boiling water over the chicken.
It is not recommended to give pasteurized milk to small kittens. High lactose content will cause indigestion. But natural goat milk is very healthy.
Cabbage, carrots, and pumpkin are desirable in the diet in raw form. But eggplants can lead to death.
It is strictly forbidden to feed cats potatoes. The starch contained in the culture will lead to serious illnesses.

Monitoring your pet's diet is not at all difficult. Cats quickly get used to a certain menu and will happily eat the same foods. Fresh water must be constantly available.

Contraindications, possible risks

In rare cases, cats may have an allergic reaction to seafood. To find out if your pet has an allergy, you need to give a small piece of shrimp and wait a few days before taking the next portion of the treat. The most common signs of an allergic reaction:

severe itching in the head and neck area;
partial baldness of skin areas;
formation of nodules on the skin, redness;
vomiting, diarrhea.

If within 2-3 days after ingesting crustaceans the animal does not experience any negative reactions, you can give the animal a treat again.

In addition to allergies, there are other risks associated with eating shrimp:

Risk of product spoilage. If the rules for storing seafood are not followed, they quickly become toxic to the body.
Risk of developing urolithiasis. Despite the high content of microelements, there is an imbalance in the amount of phosphorus, sodium, and calcium. As a result, an excess of sodium salts occurs and the level of calcium in the urine increases. This imbalance significantly increases the likelihood of stone formation.
The risk of growth stimulants, antibiotics, and preservatives entering the body. In pursuit of profit, owners of shrimp farms forget about usefulness and strive to increase production volumes by filling pools with crustaceans with antibiotics, steroids, and dyes. After catching, products are not stored for long, and the only way to maximize the shelf life without using ice is to use preservatives. All this makes the shrimp look healthy and attractive, but the composition is harmful to the body.

Regarding pets, a lot of questions arise: can cats have unpeeled, raw shrimp, with heads or shells? It is necessary to be guided only by common sense and understand that not all products are natural gifts of nature, but may contain heavy metal ions and antibiotics. You can give your pet only fresh and cleaned seafood, strictly monitoring the amount of shrimp in your pet’s bowl. If you follow the cooking rules, shrimp will benefit the animal.

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Can cats eat beef jerky? Can cats eat boiled squid? Can cats eat jelly?

It's a good idea to boil shrimp before feeding your cat to kill any potentially harmful bacteria and ensure you get it out of your cat's digestive tract.

Many also say to remove the head, shell, legs and tail, but many cats can handle these parts if they get their hands on a whole shrimp, so don't worry too much. (The only concern is that the tail or shell may pose a choking hazard, but many cats like to crunch on these parts, so keep an eye on your pet to be safe). The shrimp should also be deveined.

Mistakes in feeding your pet

Even experienced breeders and veterinarians have not found a common opinion on the topic of the dangers of shrimp in the diet of pets. Therefore, the owners are confused in their decisions. But we can say with confidence that there will be no benefit from such nutrition. In order to understand the correctness of the choice, it is necessary to clarify what breeders are definitely doing wrong in relation to their pets:

You can't give a cat everything it wants on demand. If you want to pamper an animal, you can poison it.
Heavy feeding is much worse than mild malnutrition. Obesity in a cat is quite difficult.
You should not think that if a pet actively asks for something, it means that it feels a lack of certain vitamins in the body.
There should be no variety in the menu of furry friends. A cat is not a gourmet, as commercials try to instill. She easily gets used to a certain correct diet.

You can often hear the opinion of “Old Believers” that cats in villages used to eat everything, but they were healthy and lived long. It is not difficult to guess that village meat and milk did not contain preservatives. The pets grew up free-range; they had access to the necessary herbs and organic products. Now you should carefully monitor your diet.

In addition, modern pets have long forgotten how to choose the “right” food on their own. Unfortunately, especially purebred pets are susceptible to various diseases. Basically, such cats are a product of selective breeding. From their ancestors they took not only positive qualities, but also a whole bunch of predispositions to genetic diseases. Is it worth risking your pet's health?