Many cat owners stock up on dry food, trusting it to stay fresh for months. But over time, even the best-quality kibble loses its nutritional value and flavor. Exposure to air, moisture, and heat can cause the fats in the food to go bad, leading to an unappealing taste and potential health risks for your cat.
Understanding how long dry cat food stays fresh and how to store it properly ensures your feline friend gets the nourishment they need without compromise.
What Does the “Best By” Date Mean?
The manufacturer's best estimate of when the product will no longer be at its best is known as the "best by" date. The date also means that the producer can no longer guarantee all of the nutrients in the pet food. Nutritionists formulate pet food to give your pet the nutrients they need, and their calculations about how long vitamins, ingredients, and minerals last before they degrade go into the estimate of when the food will no longer be able to provide all the nutrients they claim it will.
The majority of pet foods, including dry cat food, have a "best by" date, but it doesn't mean the food will go bad after that time.
How Can You Tell When Dry Cat Food Has Expired?
A change in appearance, texture, or fragrance when the food's oils start to degrade and become softer are warning signs that the cat food has expired. Examine the packaging to determine whether it is biodegradable and whether there is any mold or even insects within.
Lastly, keep an eye on your pet. It may be a sign that the food has gone rotten if your cat isn't eating.
Can I Feed My Cat Expired Food?
You may be tempted to give your cat dry food that is past its expiration date if there are no signs that the cat food has gone bad. But this is not recommended. In addition to depriving your cat of vital nutrients, the risk to their health is not worth it.
Consuming expired food can result in diarrhea, nausea, and upset stomach in addition to nutrient deficits and other health issues. Keeping your cat's food up to date and discarding those that have gone bad is safer.
Does Dry Cat Food Expire?
Even though dry cat food has a longer shelf life than wet cat food, it can expire. You need to make sure you check the expiration date on the packaging to make sure it’s still fresh. When the food gets close to the expiration date, make sure you check for mold or texture changes every time you give your furry friend food.
How Can I Keep Dry Cat Food Fresh?
There are many different things you can do to keep your cat’s dry food fresh and safe. The first thing is to make sure the food bag is sealed properly and not torn or in poor condition.
The original food package can be kept in an airtight container, like a metal or glass jar. If you’re going to use plastic containers, make sure you use one that is BPA-free, as others will run the risk of chemicals affecting the cat food.
Secondly, store the food container somewhere cool and dry. If the temperatures where you store the food get too warm, after two days, the degradation process will speed up significantly, as heat can break down nutrients and cause bacteria to grow.
Wash the container you use to store the cat food between uses so that there is no contamination with oils from the previous pack of food.
The Importance Of Cat Food Expiration Dates
It's important to know when cat food expires for a variety of reasons. The most important reason is that if the food is bad after its expiration date, it’s no longer safe for your cat to eat. Your cat may become ill if you feed them expired food.
Even if food is not spoiled, its nutrients gradually begin to degrade. Cat food that is past its expiration date may not provide your cat with the proper nutrition. Finally, because food that has passed its best by, use by, or expiration date may be stale or not taste as good as it should, cats may get picky and refuse to eat it.
