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How to Properly Store Your Pet Food

dog staring food

We are what we eat. The same is true for our pets. While selecting quality pet food is important, storing pet food properly plays a vital role in maintaining the quality and freshness of the food your pet is eating.

In this article, we will offer you some tips on how to properly store your pet food.

Storage of Dry Food

Store at Optimal Temperature

According to the US Food & Drug Administration, pet food should be kept indoors at a cool temperature not more than 26.7°C with low humidity. When exposed to high temperatures or humidity, the fats in pet food may become rancid and the vitamins in the food may break down. In addition, high temperature and humidity would allow mold and bacteria to spread easily.

Moreover, freezing your pet food is not recommended as the moisture in the freezer may lead to mold growth.

Seal Pet Food Tightly

pet food container

Like all other food, pet food is prone to oxidation. The presence of oxygen deteriorates the quality of food, making it go rancid and ruining the flavor. It speeds up the chemical reactions in food, which results in browning and foul odors. If you are not attentive to the visual change of the kibbles, your pet may fall sick after eating it in the worst case.

Hence, after opening the package, you should try to squeeze out the air and seal it up to minimize the food’s contact with air.

Keep in Its Original Packaging

food packaging

One mistake a lot of pet parents make is to pour dry food out of its original packaging into a re-sealable plastic bag or an air-tight container for storage. Studies have shown that plastic bags or containers may pass on an odor to the kibbles that alters its taste.

Many dry food packaging comes with an oil-resistant liner that acts as a fat-barrier to retain the integrity of the food. On the contrary, plastic bags and containers may not be able to retain the fats inside the food. After a while, a yellow color stain is often observed in the plastic materials used to store pet food.

Another advantage of keeping pet food in its original packaging is that the UPC code, lot number, & best-by date are readily available in rare cases of a product recall.

If you prefer to keep your pet food in a container, put the entire bag into the container instead of pouring the content directly into it. The main purpose of the pet food storage containers are to keep the food securely from your pets, pests and adverse environmental conditions.

Clean the Container Regularly

If you keep your pet food in a container, clean it regularly. Constantly topping up the food by mixing the new batch with the old ones is not recommended. This is because failure to remove the leftover crumbs might lead to the build-up of bacteria and mold which may contaminate the food.

Furthermore, mixing food of different batches may lead to confusion over the expiry date.

Storage of Wet Food

Keeping It Cool

woman checking fridge

Before it is opened, canned food can be stored at a room temperature with low humidity. Once opened, it is recommended to keep the canned food inside the fridge. This preserves its moisture and reduces the transfer of odors to other food. Do not place canned food inside the freezer as it could change the texture and taste of the food.

Wrap It Up

wrapping food plastic

Once the can has been opened, it is recommended to wrap it up with a cling wrap or cover it with a lid before storing it in the fridge. This will help to minimize the exposure of the food to oxygen.

Always Double Check

As a final reminder, it is always important to check the condition of your pet food before feeding it to your pet. A change in color, texture, or smell of the food may be a telling sign that the food has gone bad.

Good pet food storage practice will help to retain the freshness and the nutrients of your pet’s every meal.

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The Psychological Benefits of Having a Cat

Have you ever wondered if cats can heal humans? While the independent nature of cats may not make them suitable for rescue missions, cats with loving personalities are great candidates to offer emotional support to humans.

With the increasing popularity of cat therapy, more cats are being trained to visit public places to help humans in need. The psychological benefits of having a cat are backed by science. As the “purr-fect” companion for humans, cats can be your personal form of emotional support.

1. Keep You Company & Reduce Your Loneliness

cat playing toy

Nothing beats returning home after a long day to see your cats waiting for you within the comforts of your home, hinting at you to give them the attention they needed while you were away.

This feeling of comfort gives people a sense of purpose, knowing that there is a living soul waiting at home yearning for their love and attention. Being accompanied by cats simply keeps the feeling of loneliness away.

2. Improve Mental Health

Recent studies have shown that cats could help people with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.

woman holding cat

Having cats around you also boosts your serotonin level. Serotonin is a chemical present within our bodies, which acts as a neurotransmitter. It serves as an important function by regulating our mood. With the boost, it essentially makes you feel much happier and less anxious.

Have you ever petted your cat and felt that sensational feeling in wanting to hug them a lot more? That is the serotonin boost effect working on your body.

As you get to understand your cat better, the bond that you have between each other becomes stronger. You may also get to pick up on your cat’s body language overtime, and make up tricks that only you and your cat understands.

In your spare time, you may want to play along with them. Making use of toys that they often chase or cuddle with is a great way to further that bond.

3. Reduce Stress Levels

Cats tend to purr because they feel happy and comfortable in their environment, a norm agreed upon by many. However, they may also do the same when experiencing pain or illness. When a cat purrs, they release endorphins, hormones that block out nerve cells from receiving the pain signals. In fact, cat purring shows the same effect on humans. The presence of cats simply helps humans deal with rejections and other negative emotions.

In nature, natural sounds at a low pitch have a calming effect as it is recognized by our brains as non-threatening noises. Cat purring, as a low-humming noise, tends to make people feel relaxed, reducing the fight-or-flight responses.

man bonding with cat

On top of that, the independent nature of cats enables them to care for themselves well. As low maintenance pets, cats usually have no problem keeping themselves well groomed. This simply means living with cats is simply less stressful as compared to caring for other animals.

4. Lower Risk In Heart Diseases

cat sleeping

In addition, the presence of cats helps reduce the risk of heart diseases. According to a study by researches from the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Institute in Minneapolis, persons with cats have a lower risk of mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases. This may be due to the fact that cats help humans cope with stress and encourage the production of serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone.

5. Promote Physical Healing

man playing with cat

On top of healing you mentally, cat purr can heal you physically as well. The frequency of cat purring is approximately between 25Hz and 140Hz. The same frequency has been used in vibration therapy to aid the healing of broken bones, wound, joint and tendon issues in humans.

6. Encourage a Healthier Lifestyle

Living with a pet means a list of pet-related chores has inevitably been added to your daily routine. While taking care of your cat, you must have subconsciously structured your timetable in such a way to ensure that your cat is well-fed and groomed. These routine activities help you to maintain an active and stable lifestyle.

Cats are wonderful feline creatures with a lot to offer. They may be hard to understand at times. However, if there’s anything that they really truly care about: it is you.

cat sleeping peacefully