A lot of commercially prepared frozen or freeze-dried raw foods for cats are now being offered as a very convenient alternative to homemade raw foods. Freeze-dried cat food is made from cooked fresh ingredients with almost all of the water is removed during a special process. When it is time to feed your cat, you can simply add water to have the food rehydrated. However, when giving your cat this food, be extra careful with the leftovers as spoilage can occur once it has been already rehydrated.
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Is freeze-dried food good for cats?
There is a lot of advantages to choosing freeze-dried food for your cats. It is easy to store, but freeze-dried cat food, often also is more natural and has great nutrient preservation. A freeze-dried food with high meat and grain free is a great choice.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Freeze-Dried Cat Food
Advantages
- The final result is airy and light. Due to its lightweight form, you may want to consider bringing it when you travel with your pet.
- Spoilage prevention. Bacteria need moisture in order to survive, however, in freeze-dried cat food, it can’t because there is no water content. But once you rehydrate it, make sure to feed it to your cat immediately and put any leftover in your fridge where they can last for 24 hours. Discard anything that you can’t put in your fridge immediately.
- Easy storage. The freeze-dried cat food’s packaging is small enough that it could fit almost anywhere in the house.
- All natural. The freeze-drying process demands very little work, thus, hormones and chemicals are minimal.
- Increased nutrient preservation. The freeze-drying process includes little heat, which means amino acids, enzymes, and nutrients are kept intact.
Disadvantage
- Cost. These products can be more expensive than regular cat food. However, some cat owners feel that it is outweighed by the high-nutrient content and convenience.
What is Freeze Dried Food for Cats?
Freeze-dried food for cats undergoes the same process that is used to make freeze-dried, shelf-stable meals for emergencies or camping. The raw ingredients are being cooled during the process to a very low temperature and then placed into the vacuum chamber. While in this low-pressure condition, the frozen liquid does not melt and is sublimated into gas instead.
This process extracts moisture as well as destroys pathogenic bacteria, which makes the food shelf-stable. As a matter of fact, people have safely consumed freeze-dried foods after thirty years sitting on the shelf. Foods that are freeze dried are also bone dry. In order to restore the natural texture of the food and make it a more hydrating meal, you just have to pour water over it and let the moisture soak in for a few minutes.
Is Freeze-Dried Food Better for Cats?
Freeze-dried cat food is only as great as the ingredients that are used in it since with just the exception of moisture, that is all freeze-dried cat food is. It’s important to note that the preservation process of this food has extremely little bearing on the nutritional value of the food.
According to experts, after rehydrating the freeze-dried cat food, it will be nutritionally the same as fresh cat food, and they call it the best way to preserve food. This makes it a very convenient and relatively safe option for those people who like to feed their feline friend raw or fresh food but do not want to deal with any potential disease transmission and contamination that come with handling raw meat.
That said, these types of cat food for cats also have some shortcomings. The process of rehydrating the food can take up to 2 to 3 minutes, which can take longer if you really want to commit to a proper cat food preparation. In addition, since freeze-drying food is slow, energy-intensive, and costly, it is considered as one of the expensive cat food varieties you can purchase.
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Common Questions About Freeze-Dried Foods for Cats
Is Freeze Dried Food Healthy?
Other nutrients like vitamins E and C and folic acid are depleted through the process of freeze-drying. But once it’s rehydrated, the freeze-dried food will be similar to fresh food’s nutritional value according to the experts in this field. Having said that, freeze-dried cat food is also healthy for your cat.
How Long Can You Leave Out Freeze Dried Cat Food?
If you want to save the uneaten portion of rehydrated or thawed freeze-dried cat food, immediately place it back into your refrigerator. Rehydrated freeze-dried cat foods or thawed raw frozen cat foods will maintain its natural freshness for up to five days if they are immediately put back to the refrigerator.
Why Is Freeze Dried Food So Expensive?
When you purchase freeze dried products, it’s already chopped and peeled for your convenience. Freeze dried meats are also drained and cooked. While this does not always make a product less expensive than what you could find at a supermarket, it does bring the price down, which makes them less than you may have originally thought.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s up to you as a cat owner what kind of food you’ll give to your cat. However, you should carefully think about it when you make your decision in order to make sure that the nutritional needs of your cat are being met. So, if you want to give your cat a high-quality product that has good nutritional integrity, then freeze-dried food is a really great option.
