Can leaving cat food tins in the fridge harm my cats?

Question

I buy my cats tinned wet cat food to add to their kibble, but I only give them about a fourth of the can per day... the rest I put in the fridge with a piece of saran wrap over the top of the tin. Someone told me that leaving food in the tins while refridgerating can cause botulism...

Is it true that can cause botulism, and if so... would botulism harm my cats or does it only affect humans?

Answer 1

That means it's in the fridge three days. That's fine. I would, though, go to the pet store and buy a cover that's made to fit over the can. That's going to keep it nicer than saran wrap. It's also usually advised to warm up the food a bit before giving it to them from the fridge, as the cold food can upset their stomachs. Honestly I don't usually bother, though.

Botulism grows in anaerobic conditions, so that's exactly what you DON'T have to worry about with an open can.

The advice about not leaving the food in cans probably comes from when lead solder was used to seal cans. The US banned the use of lead in cans in 1995.

If it really concerns you, just buy smaller cans.

Answer 2

I feed my cat Purina can food and grain food from Royal Canin, plus fresh water and fresh spinac or carrot. I only feed her half can a day. I keep unopened can in the kitchen, and opened can in the fridge.

If you leave them too long in the fridge, it may harm your cat, but if you use it up right away (at least within a day after opening the can) I don't think it will and my vet never says otherwise.
My vet suggested me to warm the can food in the microwave for 5 - 8 seconds before feeding. Not the whole can, just the part that I will use to feed her. The next morning, I will warm the rest of the can food from the fridge before feeding. This means the can food never experience big difference in temperature, just like you dont put warm or hot food in the fridge even after it cools down.

I have the cat for almost 2 yrs and my cat is as healthy as she was after her first vaccination and deworming. Good luck.

Answer 3

This is a very good question-& best answer I can give, is that my kitty eats 1/2 tin of moist food per day. The other half I keep in the fridge with those little cat canned food covers, but never for more than one day. I've done this for at least 20 years with no problems, but can't say for sure--think I'll ask my vet! Also put this on the Watch List in hopes someone else can give you solid advice.

Answer 4

No, it can not cause botulism. But there is concern since there is lead in the cans. Lead buildup does not show up in symptoms until sometime down the road, and it is normally too late to do anything by then. I play it safe and simply dump the leftover cat food in a glass container and cover it. That way, I feel better knowing that if anything is contaminating the food from the can, I don't even have to worry about it because it is not in the can.

A great web site for cat lovers is shown below. It's a great place for all kinds of info.

Answer 5

Food Tins

Answer 6

I had two cats for 16 years and always had food tins in the fridge for many days.

Answer 7

Clostridium botulinum, the oganism responsible for botulism, is an anaerobic bacterium. This means that it thrives only in the absence of oxygen. Therefore, it will not grow in leftover cat food in your refrigerator any more than it will grow in leftover human food in that refrigerator. The type of container that the food is in has no bearing on this.

So, in short, you have nothing to worry about. Botulism is the result of poisoning by a toxin secreted by a bacterium, and has nothing whatsoever to do with open tins.

Answer 8

Solution: At any supermarket, Walmart, or Target, you can get "can covers." I got 2 for 1 dollar at Walmart. Pretty sweet! Now the food is always fresh and no worries about bacteria, infection, etc.

The key to avoiding botulism is to make sure the can is securely covered. The can covers are better at doing this, than just saran wrap. Also, botulism generally occurs only in hotter temperatures, e.g. if you were to leave the food outside on the kitchen counter. Then, you would be worried about the proliferation about bacteria. Refrigerating the food, on the other hand, is not going to lead to botulism as long as it is properly sealed and covered.

Answer 9

No, I don't think any harm can come of placing semi-used cat food cans inside the refrigerator. I do this myself and my kitten seems perfectly happy with her food and shows no signs of sickness or other harm. Just keep it covered, and your cat will be fine.

Answer 10

1. I cover the cat food cans with plastic lids or foil, there is no harm in that.

2. Food or meat (not frozen) left out overnight - that has salad dressing, vinegar or mayonnaise in it or even plain; that if eaten or cooked the following day will cause Botulism (food poisoning).