Crab Meal

Crab meal is the dried, ground by-products of crab processing: shell, organs and part or all of the meat. The shell part makes it a rich natural source of calcium.

Crab meal is made from what is left after crab processing, including shell, organs and some meat, which is dried and ground. The FDA lists crab among its best choices for low mercury in its fish advice for people. Crab is a shellfish, and any animal protein can trigger a food allergy in some cats. For a cat with a medical condition or known allergy, ask your veterinarian.

Source: fda.gov

Crab meal adds protein, calcium and a seafood taste. The ground shell is a strong natural source of calcium, and the flavor is one that cats tend to accept. It is low in fat, so it does not add much omega-3. It usually appears in seafood-themed dry foods rather than as the main protein.

No, crab is a crustacean, a shellfish with a hard outer shell, not a fish. In cat food, crab meal is often grouped with fish ingredients because it comes from the sea and gives a seafood flavor. The shell makes crab meal much higher in minerals than a fish fillet. Crab meal is usually a minor ingredient in seafood recipes.

No, crab is on the low end for mercury. In its advice about eating fish, the FDA places crab in its best choices group, the category with the lowest mercury levels. That advice was written for people, not cats, but it shows how crab compares with other seafood. Large predatory fish sit at the high end of the same chart.

Source: fda.gov

Pettings gives crab meal 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 2 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The score rates only the ingredient. Each food's page shows how it scores overall, since crab meal is usually a minor part of the recipe.