Q: I know that if a cat food has passed its expiration date it’s best to throw it out, but what about a “best by” date? That doesn’t seem as bad.
Zena Peshkin
New York, New York
Dear Ms. Peshkin,
A: A cat food that has passed its “best by” date will not make your cat sick and may not smell or look bad, but its nutrients might have started to degrade. Thus, your cat may not be getting the levels of vitamins and minerals that the food is meant to provide. The safest bet is not to feed food that has passed either its expiration date or “best by” date.
