Shrimp Meal

Shrimp meal is shrimp that has been cooked, dried and ground into a powder. AAFCO explains that rendering removes most of the water and fat from meals, leaving mainly protein and minerals. It shows up in a few seafood-flavored dry foods. If your cat has a food allergy or another medical condition, ask your veterinarian about shellfish ingredients.

Source: aafco.org

Shrimp meal is a dry protein made from shrimp, and it can include the heads and shells left over from shrimp processing. Drying concentrates it, so a small amount adds protein and a strong seafood flavor. The shell parts carry minerals. Cat food makers usually add it in small amounts to fish recipes rather than as the main protein.

Shrimp is the whole animal or its meat with water still in it, while shrimp meal has been cooked, dried and ground. Since AAFCO requires ingredients to be listed by weight, fresh shrimp counts its water toward its spot on the label. Shrimp meal is already dry, so its weight is mostly protein and minerals. Pettings gives each its own page.

Source: aafco.org

Mostly for taste. Shrimp has a strong seafood flavor that cats tend to accept, and a small amount can make a fish recipe more appealing. It also adds some protein and minerals. Since shrimp meal costs more per pound than common fish meals, manufacturers usually use it as a supporting ingredient instead of the main protein.

Pettings gives shrimp meal 5 out of 5 and lists it as a named animal protein. It appears on 3 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It earns the top score as a named animal protein. Each food's page shows how the whole recipe scores overall.