<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000899681-05-000287
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050406
<FILING-DATE>20050407
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050407
<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>
<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>05739371
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>44 SOUTH BAYLES AVENUE
<CITY>PORT WASHINGTON
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11050
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-04-06</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>2005-04-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>734</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.86</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>38581</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></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></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stuart H. Widowski</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-04-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
