Food safety

Can Cats Eat Shrimp?

Safe in small amounts — Shrimp for cats.

Safe in small amounts

Why: Plain cooked shrimp is a lean protein cats usually love. Serve it peeled, deveined and unseasoned. Raw shrimp can carry bacteria, and fried or buttered shrimp adds fat a cat does not need.

Safe serving: One or two small plain cooked shrimp as an occasional treat.

If your cat ate shrimp: No action needed for plain cooked shrimp. If it was raw, watch for an upset stomach.

Related: Scallops, Salmon, Sardines

Why this verdict

Plain cooked shrimp is a lean protein cats usually love. Serve it peeled, deveined and unseasoned. Raw shrimp can carry bacteria, and fried or buttered shrimp adds fat a cat does not need.

Safe serving

One or two small plain cooked shrimp as an occasional treat.

If your cat ate shrimp

No action needed for plain cooked shrimp. If it was raw, watch for an upset stomach.

Related foods

Scallops, Salmon, Sardines

Check another food

Back to the Food-Safety Checker to check all 90 foods, or see the beginner feeding guide and the feeding estimator.

Before you use the result

Use the result as a starting point for observation and planning. Cats vary by age, body condition, temperament, medical history, and household setup.

Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and the Cornell Feline Health Center — Feeding Your Cat. Chocolate toxicity figures are approximate values from the Merck Veterinary Manual. If your cat ate something on the toxic list, call your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.