Buying dry and wet cat food must be done by shopping at appropriate stores, reading product codes and examining the package. Storing cat food at home, on the other hand, will involve proper food handling without compromising its freshness and nutritional content.
Cat food consumers should purchase their kitty kibble at stores with a high turnover of merchandise, according to Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM. "When there's a high volume of pet food sold, you can be assured that the food is rotated often and is as fresh as possible," said Crosby.
Similarly to not buying milk past its sell date, cat food should not have gone beyond its best-used-by date, according to The Daily Cat. Purchase bags of dates that go as far in the future as possible to ensure buying the freshest food on the shelf.
If the packaging has been compromised, food may go bad sooner than expected. "Look for indicators such as tears, surface mold, dampness marks or debris in the bag," according to Crosby.
However, handling cat food at home will make a huge difference in not only how long it will maintain fresh but also its ideal nutritional profile. Foods may degrade when exposed to air, light, hot temperatures and humidity.
Dry cat food should be kept in their original packaging as high-quality cat food bags are designed to keep elements out. Resealing the packaging may be done by rolling the bag and keeping it closed with a clip.
If the dry cat food does not come in ideal packaging, plastic, glass or metal bins can help protect the food from elements including insects, rodents and vermin. Some specialty pet stores will sell air and watertight "vittles vaults" to make dry food storage a lot simpler.
It is best advised to keep the food in its original bag to be placed inside the container instead of pouring the kibble directly. Dry cat food must also be consumed within six weeks of opening the packaging.
While dry cat food can be opened without losing its nutrients, not the same can be said for wet cat food. An unopened can of cat food may remain fresh for years when stored in a cold and dry place. Once opened, however, cat food may be stored in the refrigerator for no more than seven days.
Some cat owners prefer freezing single-serve portions and thawing the portion on an as-needed basis, according to Pet MD. Canned food that has been opened and left at room temperature must be thrown out after four hours.
