How long dry food lasts before getting a new bag?

[botolo]

George the Cat loves his Purina Pro Plan 7+ dry food (which he eats together with wet food every day). I noticed that after usually 12 to 14 days since I open one bag of dry food, he starts eating less. As soon as I open a new bag food, he goes back to eating the dry food with gusto.

While I am not happy throwing out half a bag every time (I get the smallest one), I am OK with it cost wise.

I am just curious to see if it’s normal for dry food to lose its flavor and smell after 12 to 14 days, if this is typical of this specific formula and if there are suggestions from fellow cat owners.

One final thing. The food is stored in its original bag in a dry and cool cabinet, closed as much as possible after opening the bag (I use a rubber band around the bag).

 

[catapault]

Have you considered repacking the dry food in a sturdy zip top plastic bag. Perhaps divide up and repack in several smaller sdturdy zip top plastic bags and refrigerating any extra than the current week's supply..

 

[botolo]

I have tried using sealed bags and air vacuum them but it did not work, I had the same issue of George slowing the eating after roughly a couple of weeks. I never tried freezing it because I read somewhere that this can create the perfect environment for mold growth.
Doing some research online, it looks like the suggested consumption time for opened bags is 14 days to 3 weeks.

How Long Does Kibble Last After Opening? - Two Crazy Cat Ladies

 

[catapault]

Have you reached out to the manufacturer of the dry cat food to see what they suggest. Could you partner with a rescue and donate the portion George finds less delicious.

Yes, refrigerated things can grow moldy (overlooked produce, bulk cheese, and similar) but I have never seen mold on items in freezer.

 

[Astragal14]

Storage mites develop in dry food after one week from being opened if the food isn't placed in another type of storage. It takes 3 months for storage mites to develop when dry food is kept in an airtight container. But dry food also begins to lose its flavor once exposed to air. Dry food left completely out (like in a bowl) begins to lose flavor after about 36-48 hours, so food in a bag could reasonably take a week or two to lose flavor.

...immediately empty the bags into sealed bags and place them in a freezer. Keep one bag out in an airtight container and feed the pet from that bag first. Take the food that is next to be fed to the animal out of the freezer and place it in an air-tight container to thaw.

FAQs about house dust mite and storage mite allergies

We use an airtight container to store a few week's worth of dry food and keep the rest of the food in the freezer. Our cats are allergic to storage mites and develop skin issues if their dry food isn't stored properly. We use a metal storage container and throughly clean it every three months. Plastic airtight bins also work well, like this one from Chewy: https://www.chewy.com/iris-usa-weatherpro-airtight-dog-cat/dp/133317

 

[botolo]

Oh wow I did not know about storage mites. Do they appear in the food even if the cabinet storage is super clean and I close the bag every single time after getting the food for the daily amount?

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I once had an older "expired" bag of dry food and did not have any problems. I don't feed dry very much — only as a snack.
Fresh is always best

 

[Alldara]

Oh wow I did not know about storage mites. Do they appear in the food even if the cabinet storage is super clean and I close the bag every single time after getting the food for the daily amount?

Not necessarily.

You should store the bag with a clip and in a sealed container to keep out pests such as grain mites. Try to push the air out before clipping the bag.

It can be dangerous to dump a bag into another container and isn't recommended. To use a container, place the bag inside the container and close it. If you use some Ziplock bags to store in the freezer, ensure that you save the bag until all is gone to make sure you have the expiry and lot numbers. THE DEADLY REALITY OF PET FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS - Planet Paws

will he eat it if you make him chase it across the floor?

also, is the storage cupboard the same as any sink pipes? Or is this potentially a seasonal issue? It could be humidity.

I have also not heard of feeding food causing mold. Things in the fridge mold, however.