[tiggs]

Hello,
How long does a can of wet food stay fresh once it is opened? I usually give my cat a bit of wet food every 1 or 2 and then cover the can and stick it back in the fridge. Often a can ends up lasting a week. Is this ok? Is there a guideline for when the leftovers should be discarded? It always smells fine and everything but I'm a vegetarian so I don't have a real concept for how long meat products last!
Thanks!

 

[Annissa]

My mom always taught me to never store things in the cans they come in. Something about the leftovers growing more bacteria if left in the can. I don't know how true it is, but I always remove the contents and put them into a tupperware container. That seems to keep it all fresher, longer and I wouldn't think twice about giving my cat something that was sealed in a container in the fridge for about a week, but probably not any longer than that. But then, my cat's food never spends more than 12 hours in the fridge.

 

[Bean]

The vet told me this:

Wet food will stay 3-5 days refridgerated. However, I typically don't let it last more than 2. I mother always told me not to leave stuff in tin cans in the fridge (fruit and apple juice and such), but I think that cat food containers are made of aluminum. Could be wrong though, and that could be a wives tale for all I know.

As for leaving wet food out in the environment - only leave out enough that you are sure they'll finish. If you leave it out too long (starts to dry) it can foster bacteria.

 

[Zalensia]

and from experince from whem i use to feed wet food, outside esp in the summer it goes off after a day.

 

[Strawberries]

I would never leave anything in the fridge in a can, no matter what food it was. I always transfer it to a glass or earthenware sealed container.

I never put pet food in the fridge, I am too scared of anything happening to them. Have you considered using the pouches instead of the cans?

 

[Zalensia]

The only downside to the pouches i found it THEY ARE TOO DAMMED SMALL! my cats when thru a box of 24 a day, and they still cried for more food, never again!

 

[Strawberries]

Same for me Zalensia but I was thinking that if Tiggs can lasts for a full week the smaller amount may be ideal.

 

[tiggs]

Thanks everyone! That's a good idea about the puches, I'll have to see what brands have those. I like to give my kitty some wet food at night (she gets dry Chicken Soup otherwise) but she doesn't eat more than a tablespoon-full, that's why it lasts so long. I guess never gave much of a thought to leaving it in the can because I bought of those plastic can covers from my vet's office!

 

[TAsunder]

My cats are on an all-wet diet now and it is just wayyyy too expensive to feed the small can sizes. Thus, I get the big ones and put the leftovers in tupperware. The $ savings is quite amazing. You get almost 3x as much food for 20% more money.

 

[drjean]

If you want her to eat more wet food (and it would be better for her to do so!), don't leave the dry food out all the time. That's a bad way to feed cats anyway. They aren't designed to nibble, and eating 24 hours a day has a way of putting a lot of weight on a cat, not to mention other health problems. Try feeding in meals, 30-60 minutes at a time, and put the wet food down first so she eats it all.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean