Pet Food Storage for Emergencies: How Much to Keep, How to Store It and a Feeding Plan for Outages and Evacuations

Quick answer: keep at least several days of your pet’s regular food in an airtight, waterproof container ready to grab, as Ready.gov recommends, and aim for a larger home supply; the CDC’s Healthy Pets guidance suggests at least a two-week supply of food and water for each pet. Store dry food in its original bag inside a clean, lidded container in a cool, dry spot below 80°F, following FDA advice, and rotate it by feeding the oldest bag first. Keep canned or pouched food sealed until use, refrigerate leftovers promptly and add a manual can opener, collapsible bowls, any prescription diet or medication and copies of feeding instructions to your kit.

Pets depend on us completely during an emergency. When a storm knocks out power, a water main breaks or an evacuation order comes, they still need the same food, at the same times, in the same amounts. A sudden diet change can upset a pet’s stomach right when you least need extra problems, and stores near you may be closed or sold out.

Building a pet food reserve uses the same principles as building one for people: store what your household already eats, keep it in the right conditions and rotate it so nothing expires. This guide applies those principles to dogs, cats and other common pets in apartments and small homes. It is a spoke of our emergency food storage guide, which covers the full household pantry.

Sources: Ready.gov, “Prepare Your Pets for Disasters”; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats” and “Proper Storage of Pet Food and Treats”; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Pets, “Build a Pet Disaster Preparedness Kit”; American Veterinary Medical Association, safe handling of pet food and disaster preparedness resources; American Red Cross, pet disaster preparedness guidance. General information; ask your veterinarian about your own pet’s diet and medical needs. Checked October 2026.

How Much Pet Food to Keep on Hand

Authorities give slightly different targets, and that is fine. They are describing two different supplies.

The grab-and-go supply. Ready.gov recommends keeping several days’ supply of food in an airtight, waterproof container as part of a pet emergency kit, along with water and a bowl. This is the portion you take with you if you have to leave quickly.

The shelter-in-place supply. The CDC’s Healthy Pets preparedness kit list goes further and suggests at least two weeks of food and water for each pet. This is the larger stock you rely on if you stay home through a long outage or if stores are closed for days.

A practical way to set your own target:

1. Check the feeding amount your veterinarian recommends, or the amount you actually feed now if your vet has approved it.
2. Multiply by the number of days in each supply: a few days for the go bag, two weeks or more for home.
3. Repeat for each pet, since a household with a large dog and two cats has very different needs from a single cat.
4. Write the result on your pantry inventory so you know what “full” looks like.

Supply	Suggested minimum	Where it lives	Source of the guidance
Pet go bag	Several days	Near the door with carriers and leashes	Ready.gov
Home reserve	At least two weeks	Pantry, closet or under-bed storage	CDC Healthy Pets
Water for pets	Same number of days as food	Stored with your household water	Ready.gov, CDC

Water deserves its own plan. Our guide to emergency water for pets and babies explains how to calculate it.

Choosing the Right Food for an Emergency Reserve

The best emergency food for your pet is the food they eat every day. Veterinarians commonly warn that abrupt diet changes can cause digestive upset, and an emergency is a bad time to test a new brand.

Guidelines for building the reserve:

• Stock your pet’s current food, in the same formula and flavor.
• Prefer smaller bags or cans if your household is small. A big bag that stays open for weeks loses freshness, and small packages are easier to carry.
• Include some canned or pouched food if your pet eats it. It does not need refrigeration until opened, and it adds moisture if water is short.
• Set aside prescription diets separately and talk with your veterinarian about how much extra to keep. Some therapeutic diets are hard to replace quickly.
• Pack treats in moderation. They help with stress and handling but should not replace meals.

For small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and birds, the same rules apply: keep a reserve of their regular pellets, hay or seed, sealed and dry.

How to Store Dry Pet Food Safely

Dry kibble seems indestructible, but it can spoil. Fats in the food can go rancid when exposed to air, heat and light, and moisture invites mold and pests.

The FDA’s guidance on pet food storage includes these points:

• Keep dry food in its original bag. The bag is designed to protect the food, and it carries the lot number, best-by date and feeding instructions you may need in a recall.
• If you use a bin, put the whole bag inside it rather than pouring the food in loose. Close the bag tightly first.
• Store it in a cool, dry place. The FDA says the temperature should be below 80°F.
• Keep it out of reach of pets who may break into the bag.
• Wash and dry scoops and containers before refilling.

For city apartments that run warm, location matters. Avoid storing food next to radiators, ovens, sunny windows or inside a hot car. An interior closet usually stays cooler and more stable. Our guide to storing emergency food in hot climates and small apartments covers ways to find space and keep temperatures down.

Sealing for the go bag

For the portion that lives in your go bag, portion meals into zip bags or small food-safe containers labeled with the pet’s name, the amount and the date. Place them inside a larger waterproof container so a soaked bag in a flood does not ruin the food.

Canned and Pouched Food: Rules After Opening

Unopened cans and pouches are shelf-stable until the date on the package, which makes them useful in an outage. Problems begin after opening.

The FDA advises promptly refrigerating or discarding unused canned or pouched pet food, keeping refrigerators at 40°F or below and covering leftovers tightly. During a power outage, that refrigerator may not stay cold. Plan accordingly:

1. Buy can sizes your pet finishes in one meal so there are no leftovers.
2. Throw away uneaten wet food that has sat out rather than saving it when you cannot refrigerate.
3. Keep a manual can opener in the kit if any cans lack pull tabs.
4. Bring a spoon and a lid reserved for pet food, washed after each use.

The same food safety principles we use for people apply here. If your fridge has been without power for a long time, follow the timelines in our guide to fridge and freezer safety during outages before using any refrigerated leftovers.

Rotating Pet Food So It Never Expires

A reserve is only useful if it is still good when you need it. The simplest method is the same first in, first out system used for a human pantry.

• Write the purchase date on each bag or case with a marker.
• Put new food behind or under older food, so you always open the oldest first.
• Feed from the reserve and replace it on your normal shopping trips. That way, the emergency stock turns over naturally.
• Check best-by dates at the same time you check smoke alarm batteries or update your household inventory.
• Watch recall notices. The FDA posts pet food recalls, which is one more reason to keep bags with their lot numbers.

Our walkthrough of an emergency pantry rotation and inventory system shows how to track everything on one sheet, including pet supplies.

Keeping Pests and Moisture Out

Pet food attracts the same pantry pests and rodents that go after flour and grains, and a torn bag on a closet floor is an open invitation. In an emergency, a contaminated reserve is as bad as no reserve.

A few habits protect the supply:

• Use hard-sided bins with tight lids for the bagged food, since rodents can chew through paper and plastic bags.
• Lift containers off the floor onto a shelf or a sturdy crate, which also protects them from minor leaks and floods.
• Inspect each bag when you open it. Discard food with webbing, live insects, a musty smell or visible mold rather than trying to salvage it.
• Clean up spilled kibble right away, especially in kitchens and closets shared with human food.
• Keep the storage area dry. Humidity encourages mold, so avoid bathrooms, laundry nooks and spots under sinks.

The AVMA’s safe handling advice also reminds owners to wash hands after handling pet food and to keep pet food and bowls away from areas where human food is prepared, which matters more when water for cleaning is limited.

Medications, Special Diets and Paperwork

Food is only part of the feeding plan. Ready.gov’s pet kit list also includes medications, medical records and information about feeding schedules, so a caregiver or shelter can continue care.

Add these to the food container or the go bag:

• A supply of each medication your pet takes, with dosing instructions as prescribed by your veterinarian
• A written feeding schedule with amounts, times and any foods your pet must avoid
• Copies of vaccination records, which boarding facilities and shelters may require
• Your veterinarian’s contact details and a backup clinic outside your immediate area
• A recent photo of you with your pet, which Ready.gov suggests as proof of ownership

Ask your veterinarian how much extra medication can be kept and how to store it. Some medicines need refrigeration and need a separate plan for outages.

A Simple Feeding Plan for Outages and Evacuations

Writing down the plan ahead of time means anyone in the household can follow it under stress.

If you shelter at home

1. Keep meal times and amounts the same as usual to reduce stress and stomach upset.
2. Use the oldest dry food first, then canned food in single-meal sizes.
3. Offer fresh water at every meal from your stored supply. Do not let pets drink floodwater or water from puddles.
4. Clean bowls after each meal with a small amount of water, especially for wet food.
5. Store open bags sealed and off the floor to discourage pests.

If you evacuate

1. Grab the go bag with pre-portioned meals and water.
2. Confirm your destination accepts pets. Ready.gov recommends identifying pet-friendly hotels, friends and shelters ahead of time.
3. Feed smaller meals during travel if your pet is prone to motion sickness, following your veterinarian’s advice.
4. Restock as soon as possible once you reach safety.

Our pet emergency plan for apartment dwellers covers carriers, IDs and building evacuation with animals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much pet food should I store for emergencies?

Ready.gov recommends several days of food in an airtight, waterproof container for your pet kit. The CDC’s Healthy Pets guidance suggests at least a two-week supply of food and water for each pet at home.

Can I pour dry pet food into a storage bin?

Keep it in the original bag, then set the whole bag inside a clean, lidded container, as the FDA recommends. That way the packaging keeps protecting freshness and you still have the lot number if a recall is announced.

What temperature should pet food be stored at?

Below 80°F, in a cool and dry spot, according to FDA guidance. Interior closets usually work better than kitchens near the oven.

How long can opened canned pet food sit out?

Refrigerate or discard unused canned food promptly, per the FDA. During an outage without refrigeration, buy single-meal can sizes and throw away leftovers.

Should I buy a special emergency pet food?

Most guidance favors your pet’s usual food so there is no sudden diet change. Ask your veterinarian before switching foods.

The Bottom Line

A good emergency pet food plan is mostly about consistency. Keep several days of your pet’s regular food sealed in the go bag and at least two weeks at home, store dry food in its original bag below 80°F, buy canned food in single-meal sizes and rotate everything first in, first out. Add medications, a written feeding schedule and records, and decide in advance where your pets can stay if you evacuate.