keep in the fridge

how long can you keep an open can of wet cat food in the refrigerator for??

Well the small cans are only in fridge for one meal as they eat 1/2 can, so the other 1/2 is given at the next meal.

The larger cans last me about 4 feedings

I guess the rule of thumb would be the same as for any other cooked meat. It should be good for at least a week, but probably will last two.

The max would be 72 hours. In other words no more than 3 days but it would be best to use it within 48 hours, 2 days. Think of it like a pack of hamburger meat or chicken. How long would you store meat in the fridge before you decide it's no longer ok for your family to eat. If you have large quantities of canned food althought most people don't buy cans that large you can freeze wet food and thaw it out just as you would with meat.

Hamburger meat is good in the fridge for at least a week. I think there are some issues that come with freezing and defrosting meat; sometimes that increases the risk rather than decreases it.

Personally I would try to use it up in 3 days although I think it would keep longer than that. I don't think that 4-5 days would be a problem.

One thing to remember is that the cat food is cooked. Cooked meat can be kept safely in the fridge longer than raw meat.

Originally Posted by emmylou

Hamburger meat is good in the fridge for at least a week. I think there are some issues that come with freezing and defrosting meat; sometimes that increases the risk rather than decreases it.

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Since canned food is cooked, I don't think there would be issues with freezing and defrosting it. Also, if you're going to store the canned food for more than a day or two, I'd definitely remove it from the can and put it in some plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

I was curious about this asd well, as just as of today I started putting Zoe on wet food as well as dry.
We keep hamburger or something in the fridge for about 8-9 days before we decide we don't want it. I think a week is a safe bet. Just buy one of those plastric canned food lids that come in the canned food isle so that the can is tightly lidded and keeps fresh longer.

With one of the plastic can lids - 2 to 3 days, though some cats seem to dislike it after a day or two. The boys really don't like it any older then a day.

technically 7 days with a lid at fridge temp... but that would mean the can never sat out for more than 5 minutes at a time .... so in reality 4 days is the max ... I always aim for 2 days

Originally Posted by strange_wings

With one of the plastic can lids - 2 to 3 days, though some cats seem to dislike it after a day or two. The boys really don't like it any older then a day.

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I wouldn't keep it more than 3 days anyway, but I find my picky little charges don't want to eat it if it's been open more than a day (even if I warm it up). I think it may dry out or acquire some refrigerator smells...anyway even though it kills me to buy the smaller cans, I do for this reason.

Not cat related, but the people hamburger issue.

When you buy the package of hamburger, you should break it down to serving sizes and put in a ziplock bag and freeze what you don't need at the time. I know if we don't freeze right away, the meat will start turning a little brown sitting in the fridge. We repackage and freeze same day or next day. Plus you don't waste any hamburger and you just pull a package to use the next day - and unfreeze it.

I know it was mentioned in the thread, but I wanted to add the fact that any leftover canned food should be removed from the can and stored in an air-tight plastic or glass container. This goes for pet and human food.

(The general idea is correct, just don't quote me on this. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
When cans are sealed, a substance containing lead is used to help form the seal. Once the can is opened (the seal is broken) the lead has a chance of getting into the food, that is unless the food is immediately removed from the can. Now, the FDA has been working for many years now to reduce the use of lead in canned food but it has not been eliminated.

Just for safety, you should not store any open cans in your refrigerator - that goes for your food and your pets' food.

Sorry, sometimes I just go on...

As for my cans, I buy the 5.5 oz cans, which last 2 days for my two cats b/c that's not the only food they get. If any lasts past 2 days, they just don't eat it...

Originally Posted by JellyBella

I think it may dry out or acquire some refrigerator smells...anyway even though it kills me to buy the smaller cans, I do for this reason.

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Well, luckily for me 5.5 oz cans = 4 servings = 2 meals, with two cats. So I can use them up in a day.


Little suggestion to those that do use cans, many cat food cans are aluminium. Recycle them.