Can Dry Cat Food Go Bad? The fact is, yes, Dry cat food can go bad like any other food product to feed, although many believe it is not so. The answer to this dilemma is that whether the food is dry or wet, it will go bad unless you take care of it and keep it fresh. The cat food to serve to a cat must stay in an environment that will keep it fresh and save it from going rancid. If you don’t know that the food has gone bad and feed it to the pet cat, it will draw unfavorable consequences out of it.
Dry Cat Food Goes Bad
You must wonder if dry cat food can go bad, and the answer to your query is in the affirmative. Being a pet owner, you should be aware of the fact that any food that you have to serve to your cat can go bad like any other food product, whether it is for humans or animals. Although dry cat food stays longer than wet food to serve to pet cats, it still goes bad and is stale if you do not make a little effort to save it.
What Are The Reasons for The Dry Cat Food To Go Bad?
There are multiple reasons for cat food in the dry form to go bad, knowing them can help you save the life of your dear pet cat. The reasons for the cat food to go bad are the following:
Expiry date of food:
Sometimes it happens to most people that they have kept the food for so long in the cupboard and get to thinking if it is still safe to feed it to the cat. It would be a great idea not to do that because the food kept for a long time can also go bad, even if you have yet to open it.
The food for serving your cat has to be fully safe before you feed it to the cat. If you have packed food that has not been used for too long, you must only provide it to the cat if you have checked the expiry date. If the expiry date tells you the food is bad, then it is the case.
Unsuitable temperature:
The long-kept cat food in the dried form can also spoil if you do not keep it in a cool and dark place where there are fewer chances for it to spoil or go bad. The unsuitable temperature for the food can make it go bad. If the cat food is still unused and in the packet, you can still observe it well. If the texture differs from what it mostly looks like, you should not feed it to the cat.
The food, whether packed or opened, is prone to go bad due to the hot temperature that accelerates the growth of bacteria in the food, and you must refrain from serving it to the pet cat.
Uncovered food:
Can Dry Cat Food Go Bad? Sometimes the open or leftover food can go bad only if you have not covered it well, even after keeping it in a cool place like a fridge. Although it helps save the food when you keep it in the fridge but keeping it there without covering it, the bacteria from the air will get into it and spoil it.
Whether the food is leftover or unopened, you must store it in a cool place to avoid it getting bad. You must use plastic bags or airtight jars to keep the food fresh and save it from getting rotten.
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How Do You Know The Dry Cat Food Has Gone Bad?
As mentioned earlier, any food product can become stale and go bad; here are a few things to know to confirm that cat food in dry form is no longer usable.
- If the food packet tells you the expiry date that has passed or just arrived, you need to know that the food is bad now.
- If the food has a funky-looking texture that is quite different from the original, then the food could be better.
- If the cat food is giving a sour or foul smell, it is to ensure that it has already gone bad, and you can let your cat feed on it.
- If your cat is not interested in the food and keeps avoiding eating it or seems reluctant, it is because the food is stale or bad.
Steps to keep the dry cat food from going bad
Here are a few steps to keep dry cat food safe from going bad. They are as follows:
- You can keep the cat food in a dark and cold place to save it from getting spoiled.
- Keeping the food in the fridge is better to enhance its longevity, as the hot temperature will affect it negatively.
- It would be best to keep it in an airtight jar or plastic bag to save it from bacteria that enter the food as quickly as possible so it does not spoil.
You can keep the packed food in the refrigerator to keep it fresh as long as you want.
Conclusion:
Can Dry Cat Food Go Bad? Any form of food product can indeed go bad. Cat food can go bad for certain reasons, such as when you do not keep the food in a dark or cold place, keep it in the open to let bacteria enter it, or let the expiry date go by.
There are a few necessary steps to keep the food from going bad, such as keeping the cat food in the fridge and airtight containers. If the food smells foul and gives a funky texture, you should not feed it to the cat.
