Does Wet Cat Food Need To Be Refrigerated After Opening?

However, the shelf life of canned cat food depends on many factors, and even refrigerated food has its expiration date. You should be mindful of the manufacturer’s guidelines and know the signs cat food has gone bad.

If your cat eats spoiled food, it can become severely sick, so it’s best to be safe than sorry. If you’re unsure about the food’s freshness, throw it in the trash.

Refrigerating might extend cat food’s lifespan, but it affects its flavor, so you will also benefit from learning how to heat cat food properly.

How Fast Does Opened Wet Food Go Bad?

Most foods go bad quickly if you store them in the open unrefrigerated, and canned cat food isn’t an exception. As a rule of thumb, the higher the temperature, the faster the cat food will go bad.

For example, if your room temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit, canned cat food can last for a day, while if temperatures exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit, it will go bad in a couple of hours.

However, professionals recommend discarding canned cat food if it has stayed open out of the fridge for over four hours at temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Direct sunlight and moisture speed up deterioration because they create a beneficial environment for thriving bacteria.

How fast canned cat food goes bad also depends on its ingredients. Natural canned food made of meat, vegetables, and other non-chemical additives goes bad faster than canned cat food with preservatives.

Because so many factors affect cat food’s shelf life, you should know how to tell if canned cat food has gone bad. Sometimes, cat food can spoil sooner or later than expected.

The most apparent sign cat food has gone bad is your pet refusing to eat it. But some cats are picky eaters, so this tip doesn’t work. In that case, pay attention to the smell – it shouldn’t be sour or rotten.

If you notice any mold growth, throw the food away immediately. You should also be concerned if the food has lost its color or appears darker than usual.

Because unrefrigerated cat food goes bad so quickly, always store it refrigerated.

How Fast Does Opened Wet Food Go Bad If Refrigerated?

How fast canned cat food goes bad when refrigerated depends on several factors, including its brand, ingredients, whether it is sealed, and the temperature inside your fridge.

Most canned cat food manufacturers recommend storing their products for no more than 5-7 days at temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature in your fridge is higher, food can go bad faster.

Food might last longer if the temperature in your fridge is lower, but it isn’t recommended because a too low temperature can cause food to lose its flavor or change texture.

Never freeze canned cat food because extra water in the food will cause it to become flavorless, and your cat might refuse to eat it. However, food will last much longer.

Some canned cat food brands can last longer in the fridge. They contain a lot of preservatives, whereas others will go bad faster because they are completely natural.

The canned cat food storage time in the fridge also depends on whether it is raw or cooked. Usually, cat food is cooked, and heat kills all bacteria, prolonging the product’s shelf life.

However, there can be exceptions. If your cat eats raw food, refer to the information on the packaging.

Typically, raw cat food’s lifespan equals its ingredients’ lifespan – for example, raw chicken lasts for one or two days in the fridge.

Note that the above-mentioned shelf life refers to canned food stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic. Canned food exposed to air will go bad faster, even if refrigerated.

How Long Can Wet Food Stay Out in a Bowl?

Sometimes, cats cannot finish their serving and leave some food in the bowl, causing owners to wonder – how long does uneaten wet cat food last?

The general recommendation is to throw the food away after four hours because it can be already contaminated with bacteria from the cat’s saliva, bowl, and air.

The higher the temperature, the faster the food goes bad, so you might have to get rid of it earlier if the air temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Feed your pet in smaller servings to prevent wasting its food. Alternatively, take any uneaten food, wrap it in plastic or put it in a lidded container, and store it in the fridge until your cat becomes hungry again.

Adverse Effects of a Cat Eating Spoiled Food

Sometimes, cat food goes bad faster than expected, even with seemingly correct storage. Maybe the humidity is too high, or the fridge thermostat is broken. Either way, incidents occur, and any cat is at risk of eating spoiled food.

Usually, if a cat has eaten spoiled food, it will become unwell rapidly, in approximately an hour, because feline metabolism is fast. The food poisoning symptoms depend on the case severity.

If the food has gone bad recently, a healthy adult cat might not experience any symptoms apart from flatulence, vomiting, or mild diarrhea. The symptoms in mild cases resolve without veterinary help, but supervision is crucial.

If the food has gone bad a while ago or the cat’s gastroenteric tract is extra sensitive, diarrhea and vomiting can be so severe that the cat will need urgent veterinary help.

Food poisoning in cats can cause severe dehydration, so the vet will need to administer the cat intravenous fluids to compensate for the loss. Some cats might experience tremors, agitation, fever, panting, and convulsions.

The symptoms sometimes last for several days and can end lethally. Rarely, cats might develop botulism, a disease affecting their nervous system and making them paralyzed.

Another potential food poisoning consequence is listeriosis. The bacteria are usually found in raw meat, so cats eating cooked food are at a lower risk. Like botulism, it can lead to facial paralysis and death.

The good news is that cats have a strong sense of smell and tend to be picky with food, so they are unlikely to eat spoiled food. However, sometimes, the food has too many artificial flavorings that mask the rotting smell.

The older the cat, the more likely it is to experience severe poisoning from spoiled food. Pregnant, very young, and immunocompromised felines are also at high risk.

If you notice any food poisoning signs in your cat, don’t leave it alone, even for short periods. Call the vet as soon as possible and consult about the treatment.

Refer To Instructions on The Can

Because cat food’s shelf life depends on many factors, the best thing to do is to refer to the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Pay attention to the recommended storage temperature and “use by” date.

Cat food manufacturers recommend storing their products in original packaging for two reasons. Firstly, owners can find the expiration date and storage guidelines on the label anytime.

Secondly, the original packaging is sealed following hygiene best practices, while reusable storage containers might be contaminated with bacteria.

If you make cat food at home, label the container to remember when you’ve prepared the food. This way, you significantly reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Do You Need to Warm Up Refrigerated Wet Food?

Buying wet cat food in large cans is usually cheaper. The problem with big cans is that leftovers need to be refrigerated, and many cats are picky.

If your cat refuses to eat cold food, you may wonder whether you should warm up wet cat food. Warming cat food has both pros and cons.

On the one hand, warming cat food enhances its flavor, making it more appealing to cats. Plus, warm food is softer, so it’s better for the digestive tract and teeth.

On the other hand, heating the food reduces its moisture content, preventing your cat from consuming enough water. It can also decrease the product’s nutritional value.

Don’t go overboard if you decide to heat your cat’s food. Only warm it for a few moments – it doesn’t need to be hot but rather room temperature. Plus, heat breaks down microelements essential for your cat’s health.

The best way to warm up cat food is under hot water. Place the food in a zip lock bag, seal it carefully, and keep it under running hot water for a few moments.

Alternatively, you can warm it up in the microwave at a low heat setting for up to eight seconds. A ceramic saucer will also do the job – heat a bit of water and place wet cat food in it. Stir for one or two minutes.

You can also take the food out of the fridge and let it warm up at room temperature for some time.

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