How Long Is Wet Cat Food Good For In The Fridge
No longer than three days, wet cat food should be stored in a refrigerator. It should be sealed properly in an air-tight container in a refrigerator. If it smells bad or any moisture is present then throw it immediately. It can be stored at any period of time but it can be spoiled.
You can store moist cat food in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but be sure to check labels for any special instructions. The short answer is 1 – 2 hours (according to FDA), but let us dig in a little bit deeper to learn why you should not keep wet cat food outside longer than this, what could happen if you do, and what you can do to store your cat food safely. You cannot leave wet cat food outside overnight, because it spoils within a period of one to four hours depending on temperature. If your cat eats just a portion of a bag/tin of wet food, return leftovers to the refrigerator right after you open it.
If the opened can of wet food has been sitting out in the sun for more than a half-hour on a hot summer day, you should probably think about throwing it out. Even if a wet dog food can has not been opened beyond its best-by date, you are better off throwing away the food anyway.
When opening the can of pet food, you ideally want to serve up a serving of the amount your dog or cat would finish in a sitting. When you open a can of pet food, offer a quantity that is big enough to allow your cat to finish in one sitting.
Just add hot water, and you have got a delicious, nutritious food meal for your dog or cat, and you will not have that opened container of uneaten food to deal with. Keep in mind when serving food to a pet from an open can, most pets will prefer if you heat refrigerated food to just warm it up to room temperature. Use the Pet Food Can Cover on cans that you are refrigerating so you can store the leftovers securely, and then remember to heat up the food before serving.
| Storage Places | Shelf Life |
| Room Temperature | 1-2 hours |
| Fridge | 5-7 days |
| Freezer | 6 months |
If you have leftover canned food from a feed, place a can cover over the top of the food and keep it refrigerated no longer than five to seven days. You can keep refrigerated cat food in the fridge for up to five days once opened. Even with the cover on canned cat food and the refrigeration, you should not expect to keep food fresh much longer than five days.
The food is still safe for consumption, but some cats will still decide to avoid eating it because it is not fresh enough for their tastes. Eating the food right out of the fridge does your cat no harm, but since cats are known for being picky, it is best for them to avoid doing so.
This will make your cat more likely to eat his or her dinner and receive the nutrients they need. Eating it will remind cats of the warmer temperature of the prey, so they are more attracted to eating it. Cats already have a strong sense of smell, but having a hot meal really draws them in, making sure that every last morsel is eaten.
Cold food does not have as much smell appeal, and cats instinctively prefer to eat hotter food, which is at the same temperature as their prey. Keep in mind, however, that heating up your cats food in the microwave is not a great idea, as it does not heat evenly, and there may be some areas in which the food is extremely hot. Avoid keeping your cat food at temperatures above 120 for a long period of time, because keeping food at high temperatures for long periods of time may increase loss of vitamins and minerals.
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If ambient temperatures are higher than 50F, you should empty the pet food bowls with wet food or canned food that has not been eaten by the cat or dog within 4 hours. If there is food that your cat has not eaten after 4+ hours since feeding time, you need to throw it out. If your cat is unable to finish a meal you placed in his bowl, you should take him out 4 hours later and throw him out because it might be already contaminated with bacteria.
Check the quality of food before serving it to your cat to make sure that you are giving her the best possible nutrition. It is best to serve small portions to your cat, especially if you are feeding a new diet to your pet, or she is feeling sick. This way, you can make sure that your pet is getting the best food quality and nutrients that it needs to develop optimally.
If feeding a kitten, older or sick cat, it is best to err on the side of caution and only feed canned food if fresh. Even dried food left outside for your cat to free-feed needs to be fresh, so make sure you are providing fresh food every day.
The best way to keep your cats food fresh once served is to keep it dry in the bowl all day, but wet food will quickly become dried and unpalatable to your pet. Keep in mind that dry food can go stale in just one day, and it might not be so appealing to your cat after it does. Dry food can get stale in one or two days, and your cat may not find it as appealing once this happens. Even if you do store food under a safe time limit, it just might not be as tasty after several hours.
To learn about Can Dog Dry Food Go Bad In Heat, check out my other article where I cover things in detail.
Depending on what kind of moist food you have just opened, how fresh it is, and the temperature in the room where you are leaving it, it could be as little as 1 hour before it goes bad, or it could be totally fine to serve 4 hours later. You can leave dry cat food outside safely for a few days and it will not spoil, but you are best off throwing away the leftovers and washing out the dishes on a daily basis, so that Fluffys food stays as fresh as possible. Top dog food maker Purina suggests taking away uneaten wet food after an hour, and Hills says that leaving the food outside at room temperature for up to four hours is safe. You can liven things up even more by giving your cat lots of varying-flavored canned foods, which can help him or her completely clean the plate.
How long is Wet Cat food good for after best by- date?
Three months beyond the “best by” date, it is typically acceptable to offer unsealed dry food to your pets; however, you should be aware that they may not be receiving all of the nutrients that the food would normally have. Use up any opened canned food that is kept in the refrigerator within five to seven days.
Do you refrigerate leftover wet cat food?
After opening your feline’s wet cat food, refrigerate it immediately to preserve its freshness. If you do this, you will be able to be assured that your pet will get the highest quality food and nutrition that she needs for her to develop to her full potential.
How long can you keep wet cat food in a bowl?
Wet food should not be left out for your cat all day, even if they seem to enjoy eating their food in small amounts in one sitting, as this will increase the risk of disease-causing bacteria developing in the food. The old food should be thrown away after four hours, and the bowl should be thoroughly washed with soap and water before it is refilled with new food.