It’s no secret that felines are seafood lovers. Crawfish might seem like an automatic safe food for your cat, so you’re considering giving them a sample. While a small taste of cooked, properly prepared crawfish won’t hurt your cat, it’s not an ideal snack for them.

Crawfish can pose several problems for our cats, and is best avoided to eliminate the risk of negative reactions. In this article, we will explore what exactly it is about crawfish that is undesirable for your cat and the consequences it could have on their body.

Cats Shouldn’t Eat Crawfish

Crawfish, also known as crayfish or crawdads, are small crustaceans similar to lobsters. Cats shouldn’t have crawfish much, or at all, in their diet. It doesn’t provide sufficient nutrients necessary to keep your cat healthy. Plus, the potential consequences usually outweigh the benefits.

Raw crawfish can carry lung flukes and bacteria that can make your cat extremely sick. Even cooked crawfish can carry risks of transmitting certain bacteria and the shells can pose a serious hazard to the digestive tract.

Even though crawfish will be aromatic and appealing to most cats, they should stay away from it. If they have already consumed a large amount of crawfish, or you notice any unusual signs after they ate a small amount, call your veterinarian for further guidance. They might have you monitor your cat for several hours or days, or request you come in.

Risks of Eating Crawfish

Crawfish might sound cat-friendly, but it has plenty of risk factors that should convince you otherwise. Here are some to consider before letting your cat sample your crawfish boil.

1. Food Poisoning

Raw or spoiled crawfish is the most risky for transmitting harmful bacteria, but consuming it hours after it’s been sitting out can also lead to problems.

Crawfish, like many meat selections, can carry the risk of foodborne bacteria, such as E. coli, listeria, salmonella and vibrio. This is very rare for processed crawfish, but it can occur. Your cat can get extremely sick from these infections.

2. Choking Hazards

Because many parts of the crawfish can be sharp, rough, and indigestible, it can easily lodge in your cat’s throat. If it blocks their airway, it can be life-threatening.

If a piece of crawfish is stuck, get them to the vet as quickly as possible.

3. Intestinal Blockages

Crawfish have very tough exteriors that serve as protective armor in the wild. When cooked, this layer still stays very firm and will not break down easily. If your cat swallows these pieces, they can cause an obstruction in the intestines.

Gastrointestinal obstruction is an emergency and requires immediate intervention and usually surgery.

4. Cats Consuming Dead Crawfish

If you live in an area where cats have access to wild crawfish, they can be washed up by creeks from time to time. If your cat gets ahold of a dead, raw crawfish, they run the risk of developing some serious problems.

As well as digestive upset and stomach pains, dead crawfish increase the risk of bacterial infection including botulism. Although cats are more resistant to the botulism toxin, when ingested it can cause paralysis.

Most cats recover from botulism with supportive care. An antitoxin is available but it is unfortunately not effective once the signs of paralysis have developed. In very severe cases the toxin can affect a cat’s ability to breath and can even be fatal.

5. Seafood Allergies in Cats

Cats can suffer from food allergies, usually to more common protein sources such as chicken and beef.  Seafood allergies, while rare, are possible. The signs of seafood allergies are similar to any other food allergy.

Speak to your vet if you are concerned your cat may be showing signs of a food allergy. They may discuss an elimination diet trial with you, in the meantime remove seafood from your cats menu.

Health Benefits of Crawfish for Cats

Now that you know all the potential risks of crawfish consumption for cats, are there any positives? Your cat can get nothing from crawfish meat that they cannot get from their standard diet. However, they might enjoy the taste and it has a few perks.

Crawfish contains a substantial amount of protein, omega fatty acids, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. So, if they have a small amount of crawfish meat, it will carry certain nutrients, but none that outweigh the potential for problems.

If you want to give your cat a cooked meat source to amp up the protein content in their diet, try boiled, unseasoned meat selections like chicken, turkey, and beef.

Do Cats Like Crawfish?

Because crawfish is a source of animal protein, your cats will probably be very attracted to it overall. If you’re eating crawfish, they might come around to see if they can sample a few bites.

If they are in nature, they are much less likely to bother a live crawfish, as it isn’t something they would normally scout out. They may curiously paw at a crawfish, but these animals can easily get away if they are near a water source.

Naturally, there will be occasional cats that don’t show much of an interest in it. But overall, it is an appetizing dish that will get most cats’ attention.

Throwing Away Crawfish Leftovers

If you just had a meal with crawfish, it is important to dispose of it properly. Your cat might be tempted to dive in the trash if you throw away crawfish shells.

If you plan to be away for the day, it’s best to take the trash out shortly after pitching the leftovers. If your cat gets ahold of the crawfish, they may very likely ingest pieces of the shell, causing choking and blockages, as we mentioned above.

Meat sitting out can also spoil quickly, leading to foodborne illness. These issues can easily be avoided by properly disposing of the contents. The best way to prevent your cat from getting into this is to remove it from the home or make it inaccessible overnight to avoid the situation altogether.

Conclusion

Due to the potential risks, crawfish is far from an ideal treat for your cat. However, if you choose to give your cat a small taste, make sure all exoskeleton pieces are fully removed and that the crawfish is completely cooked.

Your cat can get most of their nutrients from other food sources and crawfish, while an animal protein, is not a natural part of a feline’s diet. There are plenty of other alternatives that can provide health for your feline companion.

Featured Image Credit: Si Vo, Shutterstock