Cats are finicky creatures. They need to eat fresh food, so you are going to have to find a way to keep it as fresh as possible. It can be tough to find the right storage containers for cat food! This how-to guide will teach you how to store cat food so that it is safe and sound until your furry friend needs a snack or mealtime comes around again.

When purchasing your cat food, there are some things to look out for to ensure you are getting the best possible quality. 

• Check that your pet food supplier is properly storing the cat food.  Are the products in direct sunshine?  Are they on a wet surface?  Etc.  There is no point in purchasing a product that may already be compromised.
• Check the due date on the product.  Some of the larger bags of cat food may last several months.  If your product expires in a couple of weeks, it may not be enough time for your cat to consume it.
• Check the packaging condition.  You don’t want any packaging that is damaged and has introduced air into the packaging.  For dry food, a good way to test this is to gently squeeze the bag.  If you can hear or feel exiting the packaging it probably means that the bag is damaged.
• For wet cat food, examine the can to ensure there are no punctures.  If you see any stains on the can, it could be an indication that it is leaking and the seal has been compromised.

Now that you have purchased your cat food, it is time to store it correctly to make sure it lasts as long as possible.  In the case of canned cat food, it can last for several years if stored correctly.  Dry cat food will not last as long as canned food but you can maximise its life if stored correctly.

Storage Location

This is probably the most important factor in keeping your cat food fresh.  Before we even start talking about what type of container you need, we need to find the best place in the house.  There are two main reasons why your cat food will go bad, heat and humidity.

Heat

A rise in temperature will start to break down the vitamins and other nutrients in cat food.  This will shorten the life of the product as well accelerate the oxidation process which is one of the things that makes cat food go off.  This applies both to dry and wet food.

Humidity

Humidity mostly affects dry cat food.  Because it is dry, the product acts like a sponge soaking up moisture.  This results in soggy dry food that your pet will not enjoy or even eat.   In some cases, cat food is formulated to be crunchy to help with cleaning their teeth.  Humidity can soften the makeup of the product so that it no longer provides the scratchy effect on their teeth.

Storing Dry Cat Food

Dry cat food is much more sensitive to the elements and will start to go off much faster than canned food.  The main enemies of dry cat food are light, air, humidity and heat.  Any of these can start to break down the food which will affect the nutritional value.

Dry cat food needs to be kept in a cool, dry and dark place.  Ideally, the food should also be kept in an airtight container.  Some packaging for dry cat food will come in a resealable bag which can help in keeping the product fresh for longer.  Typically, these can work ok for smaller bags but they will let in light, air, heat and humidity every time you open the bag to feed your pet.  If it takes more than a couple of weeks for your pet to finish one of these bags, consider putting a week’s worth of cat food into a plastic reliable container.  This way the rest of the food in the bag will not be exposed to the elements every time you feed your pet.

In some cases, cat food suppliers will offer larger bags that represent better value.  These bags often contain enough food for at least two months and so it is recommended to split the bag so that you are not opening the main bag every time you feed your pet.  Doing so will result in a stale product that your cat may reject.

You may also want to consider using a vacuum bag sealer to  split the larger bag into smaller bags.  By doing so, you remove the air from the product which will maximise the life of the product.

It is recommended that dry cat food be consumed within six weeks of opening the product.  By splitting the bag into smaller bags and using a vacuum sealer, you’ll be able to extend this period.

Storing Canned Cat Food

Properly stored and unopened cans of cat food can stay fresh for a number of years.  The key to storing canned cat food is to hold them in a cool and dry place.  Because the cans are sealed, you don’t have air to contaminate the food.  Heat however, can compromise the product and can result in a breakdown of the nutritional value of the food.

It is important to remember that just because the can is sealed, it doesn’t mean that the food can’t be compromised.  Always examine the cans to make sure they are not swelling that can be caused by gases that have formed inside the can.  This is an indication of fermentation which means that the product has gone off.   If you also notice a fizzing sound from the can when you open it, it may also be a sign that the food has gone off.  Food that has gone bad will also have a very unpleasant smell.

Once you open a can of cat food, the refrigerator is the best place to store it.  The can should be kept in a container so that other odours and flavours do not contaminate the product.  If you cannot fit the cans into a plastic container, then use an airtight bag or wrap them tightly with aluminium foil before putting them in the fridge.  Wet cat food should be consumed within six days.  For larger cans of food, you can freeze cat food using an ice cube tray.  Remember to let the food thaw naturally and NOT use a microwave oven.

Conclusion

Good quality cat food can be expensive so don’t waste money by letting the food go bad.  Follow the advice above and it will ensure that your cat is always able to enjoy the freshest food possible.  If you have any tips on keeping cat food fresh make sure you leave them in the comment section below.