# Does canned food go bad on the counter overnight?



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Until we figure out what's going on with Rocky's liver and why he hasn't had much appetite, the vet said I should make it a point to feed him what he'll eat. So I've been mixing his kibble and his medicine with canned food (Wellness Simple Solutions Venison/Rice. It was on sale for $1/can). 

If I refrigerate the open can overnight, in the morning the food is kind of hard and difficult to mix up with the kibble and pills. Can I leave the can of food out on the counter from, say, 8:30pm to 7:30am? Or will it go bad?


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

The can food needs to be refrigerated. I add a little can food to Woolf's food ( he can use the calories) and refrigerate the remainder. At the next meal, I take the amount I want out of the can and heat it in the microwave. Usually about 30 seconds. By the time it's mixed with the food, it's cooled enough to not burn.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

ooooOOOoOOOOOOooohhhhhh! The MICRO-wave! Never occurred to me to microwave the dog's food.  I'll do that, thanks!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I don't feed canned to the dogs since they'd eat old shoe leather and love it, so kibble is just fine by them, but I've accidentally left the canned cat food out overnight and haven't killed them yet.  But yeah - in your case the microwave is your friend.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

Yes microwave is a good trick. We used to have the fussiest cat ever and he would only eat it fresh out of the can and then not want to eat it if it had been in the fridge. Bit of a zap in the micro and he loved it....it actually makes it smellier so your dog may enjoy it even more.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

You are covering the can, right? If you don't have one of those can lids, get a baggie and stick over it.

And...if you're house is cool, like ours, I don't think it would go bad overnight but do cover it then, too. Put a plate over the bowl or something. Flies getting in it bothers me. LOL


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

msvette2u said:


> You are covering the can, right? If you don't have one of those can lids, get a baggie and stick over it.


Yup, I'm putting it in a ziplock quart bag in the fridge.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Once you get the first couple spoonfuls out of a new can, mix a little warm water with the canned food to make it into a mush and it'll make it MUCH easier to remove even after being refrigerated. (And make the cans last longer!)

Though a suggestion if you can get/afford it is By Nature canned food. I've only ever tried the Organics Chicken and Turkey formulas (I had coupons for B1G1F which brought them down to $1/can - It was for the organics line only. They wouldn't work for the cheaper regular formulas, even the 95% meat cans :/ So I haven't tried any others.) but they're the BEST canned foods I've tried!! They don't get hard in the fridge and they smell sooo delicious which will tempt even the pickiest eater!


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Emoore.....empty the can into one of those cheap plastic zip lock bowls.
Put it in the fridge. When you take it out in the morning...just add a little hot water to it and mix it up.
Or (if you choose to microwave)...you can do it in the container too.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

robinhuerta said:


> Emoore.....empty the can into one of those cheap plastic zip lock bowls.
> Put it in the fridge. When you take it out in the morning...just add a little hot water to it and mix it up.
> Or (if you choose to microwave)...you can do it in the container too.


Hey. . . . thanks for that. You must have read my mind. This morning I was bleary-eyed and stupid, hadn't had my coffee yet, and stood there like an idiot looking from the metal can, to the stainless steel bowl, and back again, trying to figure out how in the world to microwave it.  I'm worthless before coffee.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

I've never thought of the microwave either....must be a mental block with no coffee and metal bowls in microwave reaction. I always add a little warm water and mix it up.


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## SARAHSMITH (Sep 19, 2010)

I know canned food can't be left opened for days. How do I know? My 9 yr old daughter thought it was tuna and partially opened it, then realilzed it was not and put it back in the pantry. Ewwww! We could not figure out for days what that stink was in our pantry!


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

Am I the only one that thinks you can put a lid on it and leave it on the counter overnight, and it will be just fine the next morning???


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Mine get a 1/2 can per feeding divided between the 3 of them, plus their kibble of course. The other 1/2 I keep in the fridge with a plastic can lid on it untill the next feeding. Since I use the chopped variety it is not that hard to mix with the kibble.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

GSKnight said:


> Am I the only one that thinks you can put a lid on it and leave it on the counter overnight, and it will be just fine the next morning???


 
I agree. My vet strongly believes cats should only be fed wet food (well preferably raw, but no dry food) and that it should be warm. He told me to leave the other half of the can out until the next meal so that it's warm.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

GSKnight said:


> Am I the only one that thinks you can put a lid on it and leave it on the counter overnight, and it will be just fine the next morning???


I'm ok with it as long as the can will be used the next day. But if the can will last more than 24 hours, it needs to be put in the fridge.


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

My cats eat canned food, and I leave the food on the counter overnight (with one of those handy can covers). They absolutely will not eat the food cold, and I don't want to microwave the food.

Cats are pretty good at only eating "fresh" food and generally will turn their noses up at something if it's too rancid. I have found that leaving the can on the counter for 1 day (up to 24 hours) is fine, but anything longer than that and they refuse to eat it (which probably means it's bad).


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

GSKnight said:


> Am I the only one that thinks you can put a lid on it and leave it on the counter overnight, and it will be just fine the next morning???


Nope! I do it all the time and it is fine. All of my pets are still breathing. I put the can of food inside a baggie, & in a cool spot~ like not next to the stove where I will be cooking. On a rare occasion I forget that it is there, so space out feeding it and then it gets thrown out. Makes it an easy toss, being in a baggie.


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