<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000899681-03-000438
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031029
<FILING-DATE>20031030
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WIDOWSKI STUART H
<CIK>0001210438
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-31817
<FILM-NUMBER>03966730
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>44 SOUTH BAYLES AVENUE
<CITY>PORT WASHINGTON
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11050
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CEDAR SHOPPING CENTERS INC
<CIK>0000761648
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>421241468
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>44 SOUTH BAYLES AVENUE
<CITY>PORT WASHINGTON
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11050
<PHONE>5167676492
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>44 SOUTH BAYLES AVENUE
<CITY>PORT WASHINGTON
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11050
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CEDAR INCOME FUND LTD /MD/
<DATE-CHANGED>20001128
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>UNI INVEST USA LTD
<DATE-CHANGED>20000407
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CEDAR INCOME FUND LTD
<DATE-CHANGED>19920703
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000761648</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CEDAR SHOPPING CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001210438</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WIDOWSKI STUART H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>44 S. BAYLES AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORT WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11050</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>37681</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.50</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>37847</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The shares of Common Stock become payable pursuant to the Cedar Shopping Centers Senior Executive Deferred Compensation Plan. </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Stuart H. Widowski</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
