Pet food doesn't have a long shelf life. We are stocking about six months. After that we will make their food (look up homemade pet food) or they will be getting table scraps.

 

You can pack it [DRY FOOD] in mylar bags and buckets will last at least a year. After that I may have to eat the dog lol. I HOPE HE DIDNT SEE ME TYPE THIS lol

 

No Jim I did not see you type that.....so no harm no foul. So just a 6 month storage life eh? Thanks for the info guys.

 

I just keep a few huge sacks of dry pet food in the storm locker and rotate them - each time I need a fresh bag, one comes out of storage and a new bag goes into storage.

 

Stocking up on cat food. The wet stuff in cans can last about 1 1/2- 2 years. Dry food, about 1- 1/2 years on average. As said above, Mylar bags with O2 absorbers for dry food should get you a longer shelf life.
Not sure if our cat will make much of a meal if we needed it. lol.

 

If you use oxygen absorber's for dry food, remember it will dry it out more and make the food harder. So always make sure your pet gets plenty of extra water at meal time to prevent intestinal backup. Remember when SHTF there will be no vets to run to.

Also smashed garlic once a week in their food is like a natural antibiotic to keep them healthy.

 

Seal the dry food up just as like it was wheat or flour, etc. It will infest with pantry moths, as will some of the chewy treats.

(Guess who just had very recent experiences!)

 

The oils in them is what goes bad. They will start turning white when they are getting there for most brands.

 

Dry dog food is a borderline dry food. That means it's just barely dry enough to not rot, but not so dry that the dogs won't eat it. As such, it's not uncommon to get some molding around O2 absorbers when it's stored in mylar with them. They give off moisture as they work, and it doesn't take much moisture to raise the dog food level high enough to support mold growth. Luckily it's only in the immediate area of the absorbers. You can remove that and the rest of the food should be safe.

Secondarily, the fats, even though preserved, will go rancid in time. I think 2 years is probably about the longest you could safely expect, even stored with O2 absorbers.

You might look into making your own. There are tons of recipes online and it really isn't that hard. It's a good way to use up table scraps too.

 

Our dog will eat what we eat. She's done it before when we didn't have the money to buy dog food.

The cats are on their own. They both know how to hunt.

 

I store dry pet food for my dogs and cats. I try to keep it on shelves of the floor and of course use the oldest bags first. Canned pet food stores similar to other canned food products for people.

Of course the dogs are also happy to eat table scraps whenever offered.

On a related topic, it is also important to store water for your pets. One thing I do if I have to evacuate an area is take along a supply of tap water from my home for my pets. This helps minimize tummy upsets especially when traveling which is often stressful for pets.

 

Running a year supply on this...



We are lucky to have storage. Comments are correct with respect to fats going bad over time. The key is a rigid policy of First In First Out inventory, replace as supply is used. It is also vital to include the pets in your water storage planning. We have.

 

Canned food will last for 50 years if stored in a cool dry place.

http://www.grandpappy.info/hshelff.htm

I see no reason canned dog or cat food wouldn't do the same. Buy big lots when it's on sale and store in a cool dry place and you should be good.

(Edit) Also, remember that dogs & cats were living off of table scraps for centauries before "pet food" was invented. Dogs & cats are good "mousers" and "ratters" especially if hungry.

 

Cats and dogs lived for millions of years before domestication by humans and the invention of Purina Puppy Chow and Friskies.

 

Fatten them up BEFORE the SHTF and they'll make a good stew. :

 

Like my oldest cat...

His name is Spassky, he's 10.5 years old and he's definitely "famine resistant".

 

Same as for people, prep what you use and use what you prep. For them, stock the food that they normally eat, and rotate as you buy.
I have about the same for the cats as for me, they are family.

 

Canned dog and cat food will last for years.(The only thing is you have to be careful that you don't store dented or punctured cans which can spoil and create a horrible odor.) I buy in large quantities when it is on sale and rotate it. I think most stores will special order the quantity you need. I have an arrangement with a store to special order the flavors I want and pick them up directly from the stockroom instead of the store shelves.

Look for online coupon sites where you can get lots of coupons. That will save you quite a bit. I save about $300 dollars monthly on pet food by using coupons.

Don't forget to stock up on vitamins, medications, antibiotics, flea medication, leashes, harnesses, muzzles, carriers, bedding, towels, puppy training pads, bandages, Elizabethan collars, pet first aid books, etc.

I recommend Pet Tinic, Nutrical, Pet Tabs as supplements for pets who are sick, stressed, or not eating properly. Pet Tinic, which comes in gallon containers, 4 oz. or 8 oz. bottles, can be stored long-term. Nutrical is a paste, which can become sugary if stored long term. Pet Tabs are available in both liquid and pill form.

As with people, it is helpful if you are on good terms with your vet and able to obtain some emergency medicines for your pets.

DAP is used for calming dogs and Feliway is used for calming cats. Natural herbals can also be used. If you have to leave your pet with someone else or at a kennel, it is a good idea to leave a scented article of your clothing with your pet to comfort them. (Place an unwashed t-shirt in their cage, or, if you don't have one, use a towel or blanket which you have rubbed on your inner wrists to pick up your scent.)

If you are in a cold climate, store straw and 100% wool blankets or wool sweaters in case the power is off.

Don't forget to store extra feed and bedding for farm animals as well as insulate the buildings they live in.

Have an emergency evacuation plan for your animals as well as defense plans to protect them from thieves.

 

I have about six months of food stocked for my two dogs.
After that, they will just have to develop a taste for Zombie looters.:

 

I store cases of Innova Evo 95% chicken/turkey canned food for my dogs. Evo 95% is a high quality all meat dogfood. I plan on mixing it with cooked rice and canned green beans to make it stretch further. I also keep several bags of Taste of the Wild dry food and rotate them each time I open a new bag. The canned food is mostly for long term storage. I stock canned and dry food for the cat, also.

I have Ivomec wormer for the dogs, which will also protect them from heartworms. I keep Pet tinic and Nutrical on hand at all times, too.

I have a two year supply of hay for my horse and have stocked wormer, Banomine and Bute, and a good supply of syringes, bandages and topical medicines. I don't have any grain stocked for him, but he is an easy keeper and stays fat on air! He should be fine with grass and hay to eat during the winter months. Fortunately we don't have many extremely cold days during winter.

 

I keep a few 50lb bags on the shelf, and when I open one, I dump most into buckets with gasket lids......I keep it rotated the best I can, The dog don't seem to complain about freshness, and I haven't seen anything alive in there.

I also keep her on a steady diet of decent table scraps on purpose.

She's happy, healthy, lean and muscular, must be doing okay.

 

If you are going to let your pets become mousers or ratters then PLEASE make sure they get their shots now. Mine didn't and died a horribly painful death. As for pet food it isn't worth much as far as nutrition. If you only knew what its REALLY made from you'd never feed it to your pets again. I slowly started learning how to make dog biscuits, cat treats and dried meats for them. All the meat you don't want from left overs that has no oil can be dehydrated and stored. Later mix it with rice for a good hardy, once a day meal during bad times. My dogs are for protection and my cats keep the rodent problems out here in the country down to nothing. They earn their keep plus are loyal, unlike many people. Just had to throw that in. If I become desperate for meat, I will eat my horrid neighbor first...lol :zombie

 

We have four medium size dogs and two cats. The cats a good hunters and the dog food runs around the paddock on four legs and goes 'baaa'. They'll also get left over 'moo' meat/offal and I'll be getting some bunnies to breed for pet food shortly.

All but one dog loves raw vegies and fruit, plus I keep extra hens to have spare eggs to give to the dogs.

 

My pets don't each much. One bag of food lasts a number of months. I keep meaning to get an extra bag, however my wife likes to feed them the 'good stuff'. One bag costs the same amount to supply a family member in wheat or oats for a year. Priorities.

 

My beautiful, evil cat gets one kind of food, one kind of treat (she thinks she deservers them) and one kind of litter. I keep seven to eight months of food and treats. I rotate according to expiration dates. I've got about two years of kitty litter. I keep some in the car during the winter in case I need a bit of traction on the ice.
Take care,
Moose

 

You're sic....any animal lover would never think like that!

 

We have a bunch of those "mousing" cats around town. Usually to be found dining in someones trash, eating bread crumbs from underneath the bird feeder, or scavenging cold mushy veggies that have been thrown to the garden. Pathetic, especially when there is several inches of snow on the ground.

 

I have canned dog food that I buy when it is on sale. Dry food we usually have 1 un-opened bag and 1 halfway used bag, both 35 lbs. That will last us about 3 weeks. If we somehow run out of dry I will go to can food supplemented with some rice. I don't plan for a total end of the world scenario, just more local disasters so what I have should be sufficient. The dogs also appreciate when I "rotate" supplies because they love the canned food.

1 thing to note is sick dogs. My bullmastiff has recently had a stomach issue so no dog food. He has been on a diet of rice with chicken broth, lean ground turkey and chopped carrots. A dog can eat a lot of rice!