Is Canned Cat Food OK in a Hot Car?

Canned cat food is a convenient and nutritious way to feed your feline, but it can be dangerous to leave it in a hot car. While unopened cans of cat food are usually safe to store at room temperature, the temperature inside a car can reach dangerous levels in just minutes. If the temperature inside your car reaches above 85° F, the food inside the can can become unsafe for your cat.

The danger posed by leaving canned cat food in hot cars is twofold. First, heat causes bacteria and parasites to grow more quickly on canned food than it does at cooler temperatures. The longer the can sits in a hot car, the more likely it is to contain bacteria and parasites that could make your cat sick.

Second, canned cat food contains fats and proteins that break down when heated. When these fats and proteins break down, they form compounds that are toxic to cats. If you feed your cat canned food that has been left in a hot car for too long, you could be unknowingly feeding them toxic compounds.

So Is Canned Cat Food OK in a Hot Car?

No! Canned cat food should not be left in a hot car for any length of time because of the risk of bacteria and parasites growing on the food or toxic compounds forming from heated fat and protein breakdowns.

For safety purposes, always keep your cans of cat food stored below 85°F.

Conclusion

Canned cat food should never be left in a hot car for extended periods of time because this can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria or parasites, as well as toxic compounds from heated fat and protein breakdowns. Keeping canned foods stored below 85°F is best practice to ensure safety when feeding your furry friend.