We all know that the variety of food is never going to end because there are more and more options depending upon which part and which area of the Earth you live in. Cats can eat almost all kinds of foods that are in their range but when it comes to seafood, they only get a chance to enjoy the taste if their owner feeds them. One such food that is quite popular among humans is the scallops.
When you enter into this conversation, you may ask questions like, can cats eat scallops? Is eating scallops safe for cats? Do scallops bring any health benefits to cats? Well, all these are valid questions and you should have authentic answers so that you don’t end up throwing your cat’s health at risk. This article will bring you a bunch of information that will be useful when you are going to feed scallops to your cats.
Table of Contents
Do cats eat scallops?
As far as eating is concerned, cats do eat scallops and mostly they enjoy it as well. However, this is not cat food and you need to take care of the quantity and frequency as your top priority.
We all know that scallops are cooked by adding various kinds of preservatives in species to enhance their taste but when it is supposed to be fed to cats, spices and preservatives should be avoided. However, cooking the scallops is good practice even for cats.
Can cats eat raw scallops?
No, it has never been a good practice to feed raw scallops to your cats. The claim is that seawater is not always pure and if you have extracted scallops from a part of the sea with dirty water, there are huge chances that scallops will have salmonella, bacteria, parasites, and various other metals. These things can lead to various health issues or may cause long-term sickness as well.
Can cats eat cooked scallops?
Cats love eating cooked scallops or we can say that it is probably the only way suggested by experts to feed scallops to your cats.
You may cook scallops, boil them, or steam them, but going through any one of these steps is essential to make scallops get rid of parasites, bacteria, salmonella, and other harmful things.
It has also been proven that feeding cooked scallops mitigates the chances of health complications to almost zero.
Are scallops good for cats to eat?
Scallops are categorized as a healthy food for cats as it includes almost all the necessary nutrients that are required by the cats to grow, develop, and stay healthy in their best form.
Scallops are considered good because they include very little fat while having a huge amount of potassium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and many more nutrients.
All these nutrients are handy when it comes to cats’ health and feeding scallops will bring nutritional benefits if given in moderation.
Are scallops safe for cats to eat?
Yes, scallops are safe for cats to eat as long as you are feeding them in moderation. Scallops should be treated as a snack and should only be given once in a while, in small quantities.
The type of nutrient that composes the scallops gives a clear indication that your cats will most probably not face any kind of health issue after eating scallops.
Are scallops toxic to cats?
Scallops can only be toxic to cats if given in their raw form. As long as you are cooking the scallops thoroughly and to the fullest, they are safe and non-toxic for cats to eat.
For humans, people pass scallops through different cooking techniques like grilling, frying, etc.
But for cats, it is better to either boil or just steam the scallops before feeding them to cats as it makes scallops quite safe to chew and digest.
How many scallops can I feed to my cat?
WebMD has a great reputation among diet-related industries and they claim that scallops include about 80% protein along with a very little amount of fat.
This makes it a healthy choice to be fed cats. As far as “how many” is concerned, it is recommended to feed a very small portion of scallops once or twice a week.
This proportion is suggested as it is not only safe for cats to eat in such a way but maximizes the chances of getting health benefits as well.
How to cook scallops for cats?
There are no hard-to-follow rules when it comes to cooking scallops or cats. You can do just like you do for yourself but there are a few things to consider.
You should never add any kind of spices, sauces, garlic, and onions as they can upset the stomach or may cause digestive issues as well.
Apart from this, you may go for grilling or frying the scallops but it is better to simply boil or steam them as it is more appreciated by the cats and health experts as well.
Benefits of feeding scallops to cats?
- Vitamin B12 helps the digestive system work better.
- Vitamin B12 keeps the cognitive system healthy.
- Omega-3 cures dry skin problems.
- Omega-3 reduces allergic reactions.
- Potassium helps in building strong nerves and muscles.
- Potassium maintains proper balance and prevents potassium deficiency which can lead to the death of the cats as well.
Drawbacks of feeding scallops to cats?
- Can increase the sodium level in cats’ bodies especially if you add seasoning or spices.
- Restlessness.
- Heavy breathing.
- May cause food poisoning as well.
Do keep this fact in mind that all these things can be avoided simply by cooking scallops without adding any additional species, seasoning, or greens such as garlic and onions.
Nutrition Facts about Scallops:
Scallops are filled with different kinds of nutrients and they are quite beneficial for your cats as well. Below is the detailed table mentioning every little nutrient, mineral, or vitamin that comes along with scallops.
By taking a look at nutrition facts, you will get an idea that there is almost not a single nutrient that can lead your cats to some sort of sickness or health issues.
| Cooked, Steamed, Scallops (100 grams) | Nutrition Facts |
| Calories | 111 |
| Saturated fat | 0.2g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.1g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.2g |
| Cholesterol | 41mg |
| Sodium | 667mg |
| Potassium | 314 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 5.4g |
| Net carbs | 5.4g |
| Protein | 20.5g |
| Vitamin A | 2μg |
| Vitamin A IU | 5IU |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.2μg |
| Vitamin D IU | 2IU |
| Calcium | 10mg |
| Iron | 0.6mg |
| Magnesium | 37 mg |
| Phosphorus | 426mg |
| Zinc | 1.6mg |
| Selenium | 21.7μg |
| Retinol | 2μg |
| Niacin | 1.1mg |
| Folate | 20μg |
| Choline | 110.7mg |
| Water | 70.3g |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do scallops cause allergies to cats?
The allergic conditions are different in cats but if your cat is allergic to protein from seafood which is quite common, there are possibilities that your cat may show allergic reactions after eating scallops. The allergic reactions will be the same just as any other allergy which means that your cat may have an immediate reaction on the skin which can be treated immediately as well.
What seafood can cats eat?
First thing is that the seafood should only be given to cats if it is baked, grilled, boiled, steamed, or cooked. Below are some of the best foods that do not only feed cats but bring various kinds of nutritional and health benefits as well:
- Sardines
- Cod
- Halibut
- Flounder
The unique literary talents of Dr. A. Barton are well known throughout the veterinary profession. He is a regular contributor to the New York City Veterinarian and his professional articles have also appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal of Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Veterinarian and Philadelphia Medicine. He is the only veterinarian ever to have had an article published in the human medical publication, What’s New.
