In online forums and social media, cat guardians wonder why their cats don’t clean their dishes. They also often ask how long their should leave their wet food out for consumption.

The answer to the first question is that cats, like humans, do not like stale food, especially wet food that loses moisture the longer it remains uneaten.

Canned food should not be left in a dish for more than two hours. (One hour is better.) Thereafter any uneaten canned food should be immediately put in the refrigerator. 

Experts say leaving out wet food increases the risk of disease-causing bacteria developing. If you think canned foods are expensive, you’ll not like the vet bill treating botulism.

Freya, our pedigreed Maine Coon, generally will not eat wet food, although she finds Fancy Feast Medleys somewhat irresistible. Siggy, our Maine Coon mix, prefers wet food to kibbles. (She also likes raw chicken and beef.)

We know wet food costs money, especially as Maine Coons grow and eat several cans per day. So if there are any leftovers, refrigerate them after one hour. Then re-serve that food. If still uneaten after 30 minutes, throw it out and clean the bowl.