I am making cat treats with real chicken. How long will they last in the refrigerator?

by Laura
(Westland, Michigan)

Because I am making cat treats with real chicken in them, I did not see a specific answer on your website that said what the refrigerator life span would be. Normally, with regular people food, chicken would only be good for a couple of days. Do the same rules apply for cat treats? Or, can they be frozen and thawed out when needed, like other treats. Please let me know. Thank you.

Chef's Answer ~ Well, it depends, were the treats baked or dehydrated? These treats will last a lot longer in the refrigerator than a cooked chicken cat treat recipe. If they are rather dry treats (think crunchy) they should be fresh for at least one week in the fridge. If the chicken was cooked and they tossed with other ingredients to make a "wet" cat treat, then this should be served within a few days.

Almost all homemade baked pet treats can be frozen. I usually freeze mine for up to 4 months, but no longer than 6 months. Thaw then in the fridge overnight and wake up to a happy cat. :)

I hope this helps, Happy CAT Treat Baking! :)