Do you enjoy having crabs? Some people really love crab meat! Along with humans, cats also love many types of sea food. But if you’re having crab, is it OK to share some with your cat? Is crab toxic for cats?
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Crabs & Crab Meat
Did you know that crabs are one of the most commonly caught sea animals? What’s more, there are thousands of different crab species. Even so, only a few are used as food. In most cases, the crab that you enjoyed is probably the Portunus triuberculatus, which is the most commonly caught crab.
Naturally low in fat, crab meat has plenty of nutritional value. For instance, it’s packed with 16.45 grams of protein, which is a complete protein. It also packs in 9.78 micrograms of vitamin B12, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, and more. So, this is a very healthy food, depending on what you put on it.
But is crab safe for cats?
Is Crab Meat Safe for Cats?
The answer is yes! Crab meat is completely safe and non-toxic for cats! However, it’s necessary to completely remove the crab meat from the shell, and then make sure it’s completely plain. The meat should not contain sauce, spices, fat, etc. The reason is that these can be bad for cats. But plain, cooked crab meat is completely safe for cats. It’s also very healthy for cats.
Many of the nutrients found in crab meat are beneficial for your cat’s health. While that’s true, it should never be the only food your cat eats. Cats require a varied diet to be healthy. So, they will need a diet based on a commercially prepared or homemade cat food. Your cat can have crab meat as an occasional treat, though.
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Ask a Vet Live NowCan Cats Eat Crab Legs?
Yes, your cat can enjoy the meat from crab legs, too. But you must remove the shell from the legs before sharing the meat with your cat. And as we said before, the meat should be cooked, not raw.
Can Crab Meat Make Cats Sick?
Yes, in some circumstances. The main issue is if a cat eats raw crab. She could become sick from the numerous microbes that are carried by crabs.
Another issue is that some cats do have allergies to seafood. While rare, it could be that your cat has a seafood allergy, and you don’t even know. An allergic reaction may be mild, or it would be life-threatening. There’s really no way to tell. So, if your fur baby’s never had crab in the past, you may want to only give her a very small piece to see if she’s OK with it.
If your cat has an allergy to crab meat, you may notice that she starts sneezing, itching her face/mouth, she may break out in hives, start coughing, or even have breathing difficulties. If she has an allergic reaction, it’s important to get her to the vet as soon as possible, especially if she’s having trouble breathing.
In most case, however, your cat should be just fine and happy if you share crab meat with her!
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Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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