Left canned food out.

I made a mistake and left a can of food out for about three hours and it was opened but covered. I put it right back into the fridge but now wondering if its okay to feed my kittens it or do I have to throw it out? Also on a different topic how long can it stay in the can? I was told a week but I read a lot that it should be transferred to a separate container after opening ?

3 hours at room temp should be fine.

I don't think I'd refrigerate opened canned food for a week! It usually starts to smell/look a bit "off" after 3-4 days, so then the dogs get to eat it . If you think the opened can will take longer than 3-4 days to use up, you can freeze some of it so it'll last longer. Metal taste and the plastic lining used in the cans will leach into the food after a while of it being opened. That's why it's recommended to put it into a glass or food-quality plastic container after opening.

Okay, thanks, good to know. I didn't know it could be frozen!

Before I leave for work in the morning I leave food in my cats' bowls. They eat a little and snack on it during the day and finish it before I get home. I believe as long as it isn't in the heat of the day; in an air conditioned house, it should be fine. I've never had my kitties have a bad reaction. If they haven't eaten all of it, I replace it with fresh.