Break The Seal Of The Packaging
These meals maintain their freshness due to the way theyre packaged. Therefore, youre at higher risk of the food starting to go bad once opened.
Once you open a package, keep it stored in a cool and dry environment. You absolutely dont want to expose the food to any water, or it will turn into wet food quickly. This wont stay fresh and is likely to start building up bacterial contamination.
Metal Or Glass Containers Are Better Choices Than Plastic
Plastic containers might seem like an obvious choice for storing dry cat food, but actually, metal or glass containers are both better options. Plastic can give off an odor that can affect the taste of the food. If your cat is fussy, they may notice this. Plastic can also get scratched, leaving areas where bacteria can collect.
Metal bins are available in many different sizes and are a good choice for storing opened or sealed bags of food. If possible, keep the cat food within the original packaging and then place it in the metal bin. Glass containers are also a good option for keeping smaller quantities of your cat food in the kitchen, for example.
Very Little Chance Of It Going Off So You Can Buy In Bulk
Another reason that cat owners may choose to freeze their cat food pouches is so that they can buy their cat food pouches in bulk.
The chances of your cat food pouches going off in the freezer are very slim, and because of this, some owners choose to buy their cat food pouches in bulk, as it may work out cheaper.
They then freeze all of their cat food pouches and take out a weeks worth of pouches at a time. This ends up being cheaper and more convenient for the cat owners who can do this.
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How Can You Tell If Dry Cat Food Is Bad
Some other ways to tell are a noticeable sour or rotten smell, growth of mold or bugs, if the food has been exposed to moisture or humidity, or if your pet shows signs of discomfort or illness after eating the food. You must not serve any canned cat food thats past its expiry date, whether its spoiled or not.
Freeze Dried Chicken Cat Food
Ingredients:Chicken, Chicken Hearts, Chicken Livers, Chicken Gizzards, Yams, Apples, Kale, Collards, Fish Bone Meal, Dried Kelp, Vitamin E supplement, Zinc amino acids chelate, Manganese amino acids chelate, Copper amino acids chelate, Thiamin mononitrate, Vitamin D3 supplement.
Each 8 oz bag is approximately 2 lb of raw pet food once moisture is added and contains anywhere from 12 to 16 meals for the average adult housecat.
Feeding Instructions: Divide recommended daily amount into 2 portions for morning/evening feedings. Re-hydrate by pouring enough hot water over dry food to saturate. Let stand until cool. Let stand until cool. Always make sure your pet has access to fresh water to drink at all times.
Each bag is flushed with food grade nitrogen gas and vacuum sealed for ultimate freshness. Once opened, food can be stored unrefrigerated in original zipper bag for up to 1 week. To keep fresh longer, place food in an airtight container and store in refrigerator or freezer and use within 30 days of opening. .
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Frozen Cat Food Reviews And Testimonials
Read about the perks of frozen cat food from our customers!
Nova is a 3 year old tabby that I have raised since she was about four weeks old. I noticed when she was a kitten her mouth area would flare up and hot spots would appear behind her legs. I did a lot of research and tried all of the best cat kibble and wet food, but no matter what I tried her food allergies would persist. Despite giving her quality kibble and canned food, I was still weary because of the ingredients that I had no clue what benefit they had for cats. I decided to try raw food because it made perfect sense looking at a much smaller ingredient list that I could cut out what she was allergic to. It was not easy to transition her to a raw diet it took about two months of persistence! It paid off when I noticed no more flaring up or itchy skin, it was like night and day I had finally figured it out. She has tried Rad Cat, SmallBatch and Primal, but I know her favorite is Vital Essentials, because there are no fruits or veggies in any of their recipes. Recently, Vital Essentials was kind enough to send us a voucher so she could try the Vital Cat Frozen Rabbit Entrees, and she loved them! I mean seriously once she tried rabbit she was hooked, and any time I would open the fridge she was meowing at me to give her more! Thank you Vital Essentials for being such a great company, and giving Nova the best diet that I feel 100% positive feeding to her.
-Teresa
-Samantha
-Emmy
Chicken And Turkey Recipe
Poultry is the #1 ingredient of most cat food formulas from all the best cat food brands because its rich in proteins, so necessary for a feline to grow and stay healthy. Chicken breast and turkey breast are high in proteins and low in fats, preventing cats weight issues yet allowing them to remain satisfied.
The below homemade cat kibble recipe with chicken and turkey inside will reveal how to make dry cat food so that it would reflect a felines natural nutritional needs.
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Storing Canned Cat Food
How Do You Prepare Freeze
While freeze-dried, raw-coated kibble does not have to be rehydrated and is usually fed like normal dry cat food, many freeze-dried products do require rehydration with water or a pet-safe broth. If using a broth, it is best to check with your veterinarian first, as some broths may contain an unhealthy amount of sodium.
Some freeze-dried products recommend using raw goat or cow milk to rehydrate the food, but that is not advised, as dairy can cause significant gastrointestinal upset in cats, and raw milk also has a high risk of pathogen contamination.
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Recommended Brands For Freeze
If after learning the ins and outs of freeze-dried cat foods you believe that it is the best option for your cat, you may be wondering how to get started with this type of diet. If you want to try freeze-dried cat food for your cat, consider some of the following brands:
| Food |
Smalls for Smalls Freeze Dried Raw Turkey
Smalls for Smalls is a human-grade cat food delivery service. What does human-grade mean? Human-grade cat food means that the ingredients used in the recipe would be fit for human consumption. Smalls for Smalls believes that if the food isnt good enough for you, it isnt good enough for your cat. Smalls for Smalls Freeze-Dried Raw Turkey recipe has the nutritional benefits of a raw, high-protein diet, but with the added crunch sometimes preferred by cats. This recipe is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, giving your cat optimum nutrition at every meal.
Wysong Archetype Freeze-Dried Chicken Formula
Only Use Air Tight Containers
When it comes to freezing any food, you should only be using airtight containers.
This is essentially something that can be sealed.
Ziploc bags, which you can , are a common and popular choice due to how easy they are to use and how economical they are.
Glass food storage containers are a little bit more expensive upfront, but they avoid the use of plastic and unless you drop and smash them accidentally, should last you a lifetime.
With either option you choose, just be sure not to overpack them.
You need to leave plenty of space in the container, so that when the food naturally freezes and expands, it does not break or tear the container.
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Homemade Cat Ice Cream Recipes
Ice cream and popsicles are more than just a rich treat for humans on a hot day you might be surprised to learn that our cats also love a good catsicle or pate infused fro-yo on occasion. Here we have noted our favorite recipes brought to you by incredible cat owners each tried and true by their felines!
Learning how to make cat ice cream is easier than ever. So on a hot summer day, break out your finest cat baking molds or ice cube trays, stir up some of these ingredients , and pop them in the freezer to provide your cat with some instant relief from a hot sunny day.
Whats The Shelf Life Of Canned Cat Food
Dry cat food typically has a stable shelf life of somewhere between 4 months and 3 years. Unopened wet cat food tends to have a slightly longer shelf life due to the canning and preservation process. Once opened, you should store your cats wet food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Cat Food Will Last Longer
Some cats do not eat a lot of wet food in one go, which means that often one pouch of wet cat food can last a few days/a few meals, and to avoid the contents of the open bag going off in-between meals, sometimes owners will keep the open pouch in the freezer and squeeze out a little bit at a time to defrost and use.
Other cat owners do not feed their cats wet cat food every day and will feed them the wet cat food in the pouches every other day or two or three times a week. To ensure that the unopened packets they have purchased do not go off, sometimes owners will freeze any pouches not being used.
Whatever the reason may be, some owners simply do not go through their cat food pouches very quickly and run the risk of their wet cat food pouches going off before being used.
To avoid their cat food pouches from going off before having the chance to use them, these cat owners have chosen to start freezing their cat food pouches until they are needed.
How To Tell If Dry Cat Food Is Bad
There are a few ways you can tell if dry food has gone bad. Look for signs that:
- The food smells off
- Its not loose and hard when you shake the food
- There are signs of discoloration or mold when you look closely
- You cat has either had diarrhea, vomiting, or visible signs of an upset stomach after eating it
To be honest, in most cases its fairly obvious when you take a look at fresh cat food next to some thats off or a bit stale.
As I mentioned above, its always best to be cautious and not give your kitty food youre not sure about.
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For How Long Can I Freeze Dry Food
Originally Posted by turtlecatno idea.. however, I would assume that 3-6 months is approx. right Irrr.. longer if you can hermetically seal single servings with one of them vaccuum thingers…incidentally is ZsaZsa another cat? since when did you have another one tricia?
How Do You Store Freeze
Freeze-dried cat food should be shelf-stable at room temperature. While storage and shelf-life can differ from product to product, most should be refrigerated once opened and should not be left out for more than an hour due to the risk of food poisoning. Remember, when in doubt, throw it out for safety!
Any freeze-dried cat food product should have the expiration date and storage instructions clearly labeled.
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How To Store Dry Cat Food Long
If you see your cats favorite brand of dry food on a too-good-to-be-true offer, then it can be tempting to stock up on a few more bags than normal. As long as you have somewhere to store the extra food, this is a great idea! We all know our cats can be fussy, and theres nothing worse than coming home to find out that youve run out of their preferred brand.
Knowing how to correctly store dry cat food for a long time means you can keep a few extra bags in reserve, without having to worry about them going bad. If youre already stocking up on store-cupboard essentials for your family, then dont forget the pets! By knowing how to store their food correctly, you can include them in your prepping too.
Follow our seven smart tips for how to keep dry cat food fresh long term!
Follow Food Safety Guidelines
No matter how the cat food is prepared, it is extremely important to pay attention to food safety guidelines if you choose to feed your cat a raw diet. Wash your hands to avoid infection from Salmonella, E. Coli, or Listeria, which can be contracted simply by touching the raw food, or any surface that the raw food has touched.
All surfaces and objects that come in contact with the food should be cleaned and disinfected.
For more information on food-handling safety, check out the FDA recommendations.
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Risk Of Bacteria And Parasites
The biggest concern with raw cat food is bacterial contamination, with E. Coli, Listeria, and Salmonella being the most common contaminants. Certain meats can also contain parasites and Clostridium.
For example, a recent outbreak of tuberculosis in cats and their owners in the United Kingdom was traced back to a commercial raw cat food diet.
Freeze-drying does help to decrease the number of pathogens in raw food, but many of these pathogens can survive freeze-drying, so no raw diet is truly safe, although commercial diets that have been freeze-dried may have a lower contamination amount than non-processed raw foods.
It is also important to note that even if food producers are frequently testing ingredients for contamination, these foods can easily become contaminated after the testing process.
While cats can get sick from eating raw diets, the biggest risk is posed to family members in the household. Normal cat activities such as grooming, playing, and cheek rubbing could cause humans to come into contact with contaminated saliva, not to mention handling the food, food bowls, and feces, which are likely to be contaminated.
How Long Does Homemade Dog Food Last In The Freezer
Some pet parents prefer to make large batches of dog food and just store them in the freezer. This is actually a good idea as homemade dog food lasts for up to 6 months in the freezer if it is stored properly.
Here’s a tip for you. Follow your trusted dog food recipe. Then, put it in freezer bags or airtight containers according to the portions that you need per feeding. This will help you avoid wasting food because once thawed, it should be consumed right away.
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How To Begin Feeding Freeze Dried Food
You may be wondering, are freeze dried dog treats safe? Yes, they are safe for your pet to consume. The process of freeze drying begins with raw foods, which is what our meat-eating pets were used to eating long before grain-based pet foods became commonplace. All of the moisture is removed from the raw foods yet the nutritional value remains. This makes freeze-dried foods shelf-stable, so they can be stored for long periods of time and stay fresh. Theyre convenient, contain high-quality ingredients, and can be easily taken on the go.
To begin incorporating freeze dried foods into your pets diet, consider their weight and their typical activity level. You can replace a complete meal of dry or wet food with freeze dried food. To do so, simply replace the amount of cups of food per meal with the corresponding amount of grams of freeze dried food. Make the transition easier for your pet by doing a gradual replacement, starting with one meal per day for several days. From there, you can continue to increase the amount of freeze dried food that they eat. This can take place over a week to 10 days to avoid any digestive issues your pet may experience.
Your pets age is also a factor when feeding and making the switch to freeze dried food. For puppies and kittens, theyrequire more food than a full-grown pet and eat more frequently. You can give them 2-3 times the amount of an adult meal to meet their nutritional and developmental needs.