<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-04-27</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2010-04-29</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000761648</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CEDAR SHOPPING CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001341621</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>RIOCAN YONGE EGLINTON CTR.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2300 YONGE ST., #500, POB 2386</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TORONTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A6</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>M4P 1E4</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001476018</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RioCan Holdings USA Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>RIOCAN YONGE EGLINTON CTR.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2300 YONGE ST., #500, POB 2386</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TORONTO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A6</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>M4P 1E4</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>ONTARIO, CANADA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1428570</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9445236</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By subsidiary - see footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrant</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-10-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-10-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1428570</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By subsidiary - see footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust indirectly beneficially owns the reported common stock in the issuer through its subsidiary RioCan Holdings USA Inc.  This Form 4 is being jointly filed by RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust and RioCan Holdings USA Inc. to report shares of common stock that are indirectly and directly beneficially owned by such reporting persons, respectively.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust indirectly beneficially owned the reported warrant to purchase common stock in the issuer through its subsidiary RioCan Holdings USA Inc.  This Form 4 is being jointly filed by RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust and RioCan Holdings USA Inc. to report the exercise of the warrant to purchase shares of common stock that was indirectly and directly beneficially owned by such reporting persons, respectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, By: /s/ Raghunath Davloor</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>RIOCAN HOLDINGS USA INC., By /s/ Raghunath Davloor</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
