So how long does wet cat food last? Sitting out in a bowl, wet cat food can last from 4-6 hours. When stored in the fridge, opened wet cat food can last from 5-7 days. Unopened cat food can last from 6 months to one year. Use your best judgement, though, with these recommendations; throw away any wet cat food that smells or looks spoiled.
How Long Can you Leave Out Wet Cat Food?
Wet cat food can last from 4-6 hours when left out at room temperature. This is why a lot of cat owners feed their cats wet food twice per day. Cats are frequent feeders, meaning they won’t eat all their food in one sitting, but instead nibble on it here and there. Because of this, their wet food is more likely to go bad if you put out too much at once. It’s also important to know exactly how much wet food to feed your cat each day, so you don’t put out too much and waste it.
Keep in mind the temperature of the room will affect how long wet cat food lasts. Colder rooms will actually help preserve the food a little longer. Hotter rooms can make the wet food spoil faster.
Humidity can also play a factor here. More humid environments create a better breeding ground for bacteria, so cat food will go bad sooner.
Also, the brand and flavor of cat food you buy will affect how long you can leave it out. Some brands add a lot of preservatives, so even though it allows the food to last longer it’s also not as healthy for your cat. Additionally, the flavor and type of meat matter. Seafood-based wet food (e.g. shrimp or tuna) usually won’t last as long as meat (steak or chicken).
So there’s not really one answer to the question “how long does wet cat food last?”. It all depends on the room temperature and the brand/flavor of the wet food.
How Long Does Wet Cat Food Last in the Fridge?
Wet cat food can last in the fridge between 5-7 days. Again, this number will change based on several factors.
How cold you keep your fridge can extend or decrease the number of days it will last. Warmer fridges won’t keep the wet food good as long as colder fridges.
At the end of the day, your best bet is to always smell and visually check the wet food before feeding it to your cat. Any food that smells bad or rotten or looks congealed is probably bad and should be thrown out.
How Long Does Cat Food Last Unopened?
Unopened wet cat food can last from 6 months to a year. Always refer to the expiration date printed on the label as the manufacturer will best know the shelf life of the food. Cans are a great way to keep cat food fresh for long periods of time, allowing you to save money by stocking up.
Even though it might be tempting to use expired cat food, do not do this. Even if it smells and looks fine, canned wet food or food in plastic wrapping can become contaminated by the material it’s stored in. For example, over time aluminum from cans will break down and get absorbed in the cat food. You don’t want your cat ingesting aluminum or plastic, which can be toxic to cats, so just throw out expired cat food.
How Do You Tell if Wet Cat Food Has Gone Bad?
You should always inspect wet cat food before feeding it to your cat. Here are a few signs the wet cat food has gone bad and should be tossed:
- Noticeable sour or rotten smell
- Growth of mold or bugs
- If your pet shows signs of discomfort or illness after eating the food
