Can Cat Dry Food Go Bad
Dry food won’t spoil as soon as wet food, but the longer it sits out, the more its nutritional value will decline. A cat won’t like dry food as much if it has been stored for an extended period of time. Dry cat food won’t deteriorate if left out for a few days.
Yes, dry cat food does indeed spoil, as does other types of food and supplies, and is unsuitable for consumption by your cats past the specified dates. Dry cat food also goes bad and may become stale when it is not stored correctly and consumed within six months. Dry cat food really goes bad as soon as it goes past its expiration date, and when opened, should be consumed within 14 days to three weeks. Cats may be fed opened dry cat food up to three months, since it might not go bad, but it will lose nutrients and is not worth the risk.
Some people say that dry cat food lasts anywhere between three months to 3 years, and it becomes less fresh and less nutritious the longer the period of time that passes from the “best by” date stamped on your cats food box. Unopened wet cat food can last between four months to three years, but once opened, it needs to be sealed up and kept refrigerated, used within five to seven days. Once opened, you should keep the cat wet food in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If your cat does not eat the entire serving of the wet food in one sitting, you should cover the food and store it refrigerated. I highly suggest that you do not give your cat any wet food past its best-by date, or any treats with a softer texture.
As I mentioned earlier, it is always best to exercise caution and avoid feeding your cat foods that you are unsure of. If you are feeding a kitten, older or sick cat, it is best to err on the side of caution and serve canned food only if it is fresh.
The freshness of the food is extremely important for cat (and dog) health, so you should never replace old food with new. Keep in mind, dried food goes stale in just one day, and it might not be so appealing to your cat after it does. Even dry food has a certain level of moisture; if it becomes spoiled, the dry food will leave wet spots on the cats bowl. You might not realise how much gunk dried food leaves behind, but left too long, it can actually lead to health problems in your cat.
Feeding your cat from grimy containers, or containers with rancid food, can cause health problems in the long run. Your pet has no way of telling you if food has gone bad, so it is up to you to take care of what you feed your fur child. If your cat gets sick after eating the food, or shows any sort of discomfort, chances are that food has gone bad.
If this food was consumed past its expiration date, it will probably have adverse effects on your cat, potentially leading to serious health problems. If food is consumed past the given date, the food quality will decrease, and will not be as good as it was when your cat consumed it for the first time. In this case, there is a chance the cat food is now going through decay, and you should probably toss out the whole lot, because this could be an issue if you keep feeding your pet the cat food.
It is true that dried cat food is relatively easy to store and does not give you a lot of problems, however, if you are not properly storing it, you are going to be harming the quality of the food, especially once the bags are opened. The best way to store dry cat food is to package it in its original packaging, seal it using rubber bands or a packet cutter, and store it in your freezer, but be sure to keep it below 80 degrees F. To make sure that your cats dry food stays fresh, always keep it dry with a cool temperature, ideally below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The best timeframe for you to store your cats dry food is 6 months, as this is when it is still fresh and completely nutritional. First, you have to keep in mind that even once you reach its expiration date, there is some eating time left for your cats dry food before it finally goes bad. After the “use-by” date is stamped on the bag, which is typically six months, your cats dry food becomes less fresh and may spoil very quickly.
Cat snacks and treats have similar expiration dates as well, from four months to three years in the dry category, to 1-5 years in the wet category. It is generally agreed that feeding an opened dried food to a pet is fine three months past the expiration date — but you have to remember they are likely not getting as many nutrients as the food normally has. You may even want to try and avoid this problem entirely by buying smaller bags of pet food more often, making sure that your pets are finished with their food by their best by date.
For instance, if you decide that your cat needs to be fed at certain times every day, leaving food outside overnight is likely not the best option. While I disagree with those optimal times, since it could become extremely costly, there are alternatives that you could adopt, like freezing the food, or just changing what kind of food you feed your cat. Even if you do store the food under a safe time-frame, it just might not be as tasty after several hours.
You can leave dried cat food outside for several days without harm, but you are better off throwing away the leftovers and washing out the bowl every day, so that Fluffys food stays as fresh as possible. If you keep dried food out at a cool temperature, at least 120degF (48degC), for longer than 2 days, this could greatly increase the normal decomposition, or vitamin breakdown, of the food. After your cats shelf life, dry food; food may have reduced its nutritional value, flavor, color degradation, etc.
How can you tell if dry cat food is bad?
Other indicators include a distinct rotting or sour smell, the development of mold or insects, moisture or humidity exposure, or your pet exhibiting symptoms of pain or disease after consuming the food. No tinned cat food that has passed its use-by date, regardless of whether it is spoilt, may be served.
How long does dry cat food keep?
Choose your bag sizes wisely because dry food should ideally be digested within 6 weeks of opening the bag. Kibble can be kept out in trays for about a day, but don’t give your pet more than they should eat in a day.
What happens if a cat eats expired dry cat food?
But it’s not a good idea to give cats any food that has gone bad. Your cat will be at danger of developing ailments like diarrhea, motion sickness, and digestive distress as the nutritional quality declines. If there are any decaying indicators, such as mold, bugs, worms, or bad odors, don’t feed your cat.