Can Cats Eat Imitation Crab? Vet-Approved Facts & FAQ

You’ve most likely seen an old cartoon where someone tosses a bit of seafood out to a cat. Typically, this seafood is a fish, but if you’re a cat owner, you know the smell of any seafood can attract your kitty. This leaves you wondering which types of seafood your cat can eat. One question seafood and cat lovers often ask is, can cats eat imitation crab?

The answer to that question is a bit two-sided. The ingredients in imitation crab aren’t toxic to cats, but they aren’t what you’d call beneficial or healthy for your kitty. For this reason, it’s best to only allow your interested kitty a few bites here and there as a treat. Imitation crab shouldn’t be a part of your cat’s routine diet. Let’s learn more about your cat and imitation crab so you can better understand why your cat should only eat this meat occasionally.

What Is Imitation Crab?

Imitation crab is a cheap version of crab meat. Oddly enough, it’s not crab meat, though. It’s actually processed fish flesh called surimi. This fish is deboned and minced into a paste. Once that’s finished, other ingredients are added in. You’ll find imitation crab used in several seafood dishes such as sushi rolls, crab cakes, seafood salads, and even crab rolls. Lots of times, when you think you’re eating real crab, you’re eating imitation crab instead.

Where you’ll really notice the difference with imitation crab is when you compare the nutrients inside it to real crab meat. Real crab meat has more protein and zero carbs but more fat. You’ll also find that imitation crab has far fewer vitamins, minerals, and even fatty acids than real crab, making it nutritionally deficient in several ways. You will find that both types of crab are high in sodium. Imitation crab often has salt added to it, but so does real crab. Imitation crab also has lots of added ingredients not found in real crab. This can include sugar, starch, and vegetable oil.

Imitation Crab Risks

As we’ve said, imitation crab isn’t toxic for your cat, but it isn’t the best option for your kitty, either. This is thanks to several ingredients that aren’t beneficial for your cat nutritionally. Here, we’ll take a look at those ingredients so you’ll better understand the situation.

Salt

The cat food you feed your cat provides them with the sodium requirements they need to stay healthy. Offering foods and treats that are high in salt repeatedly can lead to issues such as dehydration. There is lots of sodium added to imitation crab to give it the crab-like taste people love. This salty taste isn’t great for your kitty, however.

Carbs

Imitation crab is high in starch, which is a carbohydrate. This starch is used to make the surimi firmer to give it the crab look everyone expects. Lots of starch or other carbs can cause weight gain in cats and cases of high blood sugar. When your kitty’s pancreas works overtime to regulate these levels, your pet can be at risk of becoming diabetic.

Phosphorus

There has been a study conducted that potentially found that high phosphorus levels can cause kidney issues in cats. Unfortunately, imitation crab is quite high in phosphorus; therefore, care should be taken to only allow your cat a few bites here and there.

Additives

Additives aren’t good for humans or animals. Inside imitation crab meat, you’ll find a lot of additives. Preservatives are used to help extend shelf-life, MSGs enhance the flavor, and even colorants are used. None of these are great for your cat and should be avoided as much as possible.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, imitation crab isn’t the greatest treat to offer your cat. While it isn’t toxic, it isn’t what you’d call healthy and beneficial. If you and your cat are fans of imitation crab, don’t worry. You can share a few bites of this meat occasionally with your kitty. Just remember to do this in moderation, as many of the ingredients inside aren’t good for your feline friend.

Featured Image Credit: Alp Aksoy, Shutterstock