For how long last the packages of open dry food?

Hi!  I have a picky eater and I have two types of dry food opened at the same time, plus trying to feed the wet food once daily.  The smallest packages of the only dry food that he WANTS to eat are 3.5 and 6 pounds correspondingly.  I'm thinking that the expiration date on the package is related to not opened package and the soon it is open, the different rules apply.  The how to know if the dry food is starting to lose its nutritional value?  Is there the specific time frame when it is still good if properly stored: there is nothing indicated on the package, how long to store it after the opening.  Or there should be some noticeable for human senses changes in quality.  That is 9.5 pounds of dry food, plus wet food and treats and milk for one cat.  Any thoughts?  I want to my cat get good quality nutrition.

Hi, I don't know if this will be helpful but I will share my experience with dry food. I have never bothered to check the expiration date on bags of dry food.  I usually buy big bags of dry food which takes my cat quite a while to get through, at least several months.  I've never noticed the kibble looking or smelling different at all.  My 8 year old cat just saw the vet last week and was given a clean bill of health, other than being a little overweight from free feeding.  Anyways, I wouldn't worry if I were you, but do your own research and do what you're comfortable with.  I do try to keep the opened bags closed well though. 

Maybe you can mix a bit of the food that he doesn't want to eat with the food that he likes, just to get him to eat some of it?  And cut back on treats if you want him to eat more kibble?

Also, not sure if you know this but cats are actually lactose intolerant.  Milk might be giving him a tummy ache.  Good luck with everything!

I can't remember where I heard this; but, I believe an OPENED bag of dry food is good for about one month. The food can and does get stale.

If someone else has different information than this, please share!

I have a number of large (1/2 gal. & 1 gal.) glass jars with metal lids. As soon as I open a bag of dry food I put it in the jars instead of leaving it in the original bag. I used to put it in plastic containers but I believe the glass jars keep it fresher.

I also would suggest putting the food in glass jars (mason jars, old pickle jars, ect) if it's taking a while to get through the food. Ideally you'd want to use it within a month of opening but that isn't always an option for people. I'd say as long as it's being kept in a dark, dry and cool area (and wrapped tightly with the air pressed out after each use) then I wouldn't worry if it went 3 or so months. If you do the jar method then I wouldn't worry about the food going bad prior to expiration. It's mostly opening and closing the bag, introducing air, that causes it to go stale.

Good point from @Ruaryx  about the lactose intolerance so if you are giving cow's milk it might be an idea to swap for commercially available cat milk or try goat milk instead.

I feed all dry for Mouse and he shows no interest in wet food or cat / goat milk at all, even for treats.  He usually gets through a bag of his biscuits in about 6 weeks and I feel as long as I keep the bag well sealed this should be OK.  I think the idea of using glass storage jars to improve the seal and recuce the amount of opening and exposure to air the stored biscuits get is a great idea.   Because of the higher carbohydrate ratio in dry food I avoid all snacks other than small numbers of 100% freeze dried fish / poultry for Mouse as the snacks are to up his protien intake.

Thank you the very much, everybody!  I have learned a lot today from there, from your posts.  And I don't think there would be the problem now with my kitty dry food.  Thank you again! I'm so really glad that there are so many nice people at this forum who are ready to help to me and my cat!  The my cat prefers dry food: to those who had advised the wet; I have tried the different and even the most expensive options with no big success.  And I was using the special milk for cats: CatSip, he doesn't drink the other.  Thank you!

That was a very good question, Malish.  I have also wondered the same thing as I get a big bag of food for my one kitty.  I keep it in a big tub with a lid to keep it covered, but I keep the food in the bag itself and don't dump it in the tub itself.  I've never noticed it smelling or looking any different, but have almost considered in just going to start getting the small bag after I'm done with this one.  I did get the smaller bag one time and it lasted her about a couple of months where the big like 18 lb bag lasts her a good 6 months or so.

My vet said it was ok to keep dry food in the freezer. She said sometimes mites can invade the dry food and cause irritation in the gums which my cat was having. If you are worried about spoilage you can put it in the freezer.

Wow.  Have never heard about doing that before.  I've got like the big 18lb bag (yeah I went overboard for one cat!  Yes she's spoiled!!), but just don't have anything to put the food in to be able to put in the freezers.  

When I buy a big bag like that I just use large ziploc freezer bags and put 3/4 of
the bag in the freezer and leave the rest out in the bag the food came in and secure it with a food clip.

Dear FLmikey90, I just wanted to say that the dry food get spoiled.  I have bought the "Almo-Nature" and I have ordered it from UK as it does not sells in US.  I got the few bags of it.  It is supposed to be the very natural food: nothing artificial and almost organic. I have opened it and is smelled funny: not fresh.  I have compared it later to the other bag I got: and the other bag was fine.  So, I guess, there was the hole somewhere in the first bag and the air was getting in. And the expiration date on that bag was 11/2015.  But I did not knew the manufacture date; it smelled rancid compare to the newer bag. This first bag of dry cat food could be laying around with this hole in a bag for the some time.  And the rancid -- it is spoiled: I through away that dry food.  The how easy it gets spoiled also depends, probably, from the quality of dry food and, of course, the conditions you store it in.

Thanks for the info Malish. I don't leave the bag just sitting out and leave it in a big Rubbermade bin with a lid in it and keep it in our pantry so it's dark and dry place. Since getting my furbaby, my mom and I had been out of the loop of having a pet for such a long time ... like 26 years, so our brains are being refreshed and learning new things in the process. I've gotten a big bag for her before, and lasted well until she finished it.

I only have a small freezer compartment so storing more than a small amount of kibble that way isn't an option for me, but am really intereted in it as an idea:  is there any issue with food getting damp and altering when you take it out of the freezer, or do you only take out enough to put in to the feeding bowl?

I currently get Mouse's prescription dry in 5 Kilo zip lock bags but the seal isn't always that great on the bags and I tend to transfer some in to a plastic container which is easier to use day to day.  Certainly plan on looking for a better, air tight glass storage jar for the food I store the longest having read everyone's ideas here.  Great thread,  thanks for making me think about this @Malish  .  

I know several dog people who freeze food and never heard of it getting damp. You could always just pull out enough for one meal though to be safe. I still stand by the jar method though, really keeps it fresh and easier to store than in a freezer. Big pickle jars that have been cleaned and well dried work the best ime. But these days I go through food so fast that it's pointless to separate. (Or freeze...Not that I have space after I freeze the dogs homemade food anyways) I bought 68lb of cat food on Black Friday and have probably half that left....Plus I feed some canned too. :anon:

I used this when I fed dry food:

http://www.petco.com/product/13420/Gamma-Vittles-Vault-Plus.aspx