Evening, how long do you think wet food can be left out for?
I feed my cat some high-quality wet food, but she likes to keep coming back to her bowl – she never eats it all in one go. I’d say she goes back to it 3 or 4 times over a couple of hours. Do you think the food starts to 'go off' in 2 hours?
Thanks in advance.
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Hi and thanks for your replies! She has dry food out all the time and I give her wet food every evening. I think I'll try giving her half the wet food first and then the rest a bit later in the evening; I’m sure that’ll be better for her. I’m definitely reassured to know she can leave it and come back to it later without it going off, though.
Thanks again!!
Hi there,
Wet food doesn't go off in the space of two hours, but it can dry out and become less palatable, so your cat might turn their nose up at it. Ideally, you should give them half the tin, keep the rest in the fridge, and then give them the other half in the evening.
Furthermore, while wet food has the benefit of providing hydration, it shouldn't be the only or even the primary part of their diet. It's often quite high in fat and can lead to weight gain. Ideally, you should leave dry food out for them to graze on.
Have a lovely day.
Caroline – Vet student and consultant for a student veterinary association
I'd definitely agree with what Blue Cat said. In the summer, you can keep her wet food in the fridge and then just pop it in the microwave for about 5 seconds to take the chill off, as cats don't really like eating cold food. If you're out during the day, you can leave some dry food out for her to graze on; she'll just eat more of her wet food in the morning and evening. Cats are usually very good at regulating their own intake.
No, wet food won't go off in just two hours. It’s only in the height of summer that it spoils quickly, and the cat will usually just steer clear of it anyway. You could also leave some dry food out all the time to tide them over between fresh wet meals. I’d say that, on average, wet food left out stays fine for about 5 to 6 hours (except in the middle of summer).
