I love Natural Instincts' new cat containers so far- the containers have not broken during shipment and so I haven't had to pick plastic pieces out of the food and not deal with bloody leaks (although, I can no longer stack them ontop of each other in my little freezer ). However, since using the new containers, I've noticed that the meat seems to have a really pungent smell- almost unbearable and I think it kind of puts my cat off of it.. The meat doesn't seem to have gone off, so I'm wondering if this could be from the plastic of the new containers? Has anyone else noticed this?

Oh dear - I still have a couple of the old packs left before I start on the new tubs but I'll get one of the new ones out tomorrow and see what it's like. I hope there isn't a problem with it.

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
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Mine doesn't smell at all, same as ever - Although one of the packs has already broken, so they haven't solved that issue!

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My girls love the minces but can't eat them fast enough and I find the minces smell within 24 hours once opened even though they are refridgerated. Its really put me off raw as the cat won't touch them unless freshly openned and I don't blame them. I wish they would do smaller portion sizes as my girls aren't huge eaters.
I'll be interested to hear people's experiences with the new containers but it doesn't sound good so far xxx

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I hope it doesn't smell, I've got two more of the old "bricks" before I need to order in some more! I will miss the brick-style, it found it soooo easy to fit into my freezer. Admittedly when the broken containers are defrosting in the fridge, sometimes OH thinks I've murdered someone to use as cat food... recession and all.

Perhaps bubble wrap is the answer for unbroken tubs. Like buy cat food from NI get free cat toy in the form of packaging? My boy loves packaging more than his expensive cat toys.

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My lifelong ambition is to be a crazy cat lady. The only obstacle is my OH.

Who will go and who gets to stay? Stay tuned...

Oh, was just about to order some more, now wondering. But I agree about pack sizes.

What I used to do was to defrost in fridge and within 12 hours, portion them into small baby-food containers (or small freezer bags, but this is a bit more wasteful) and refreeze whatever I'm not using in the next 24 hours and defrost the individual small containers when needed. I found it very helpful when I was rotating raw-tinned-raw-tinned with my then-kitten, but nowadays he'll eat 200g NI per meal given half the chance so I don't bother portioning anymore since he'll finish it in 1 to 1.5 days, it's his favourite and the only food he'll polish off in 10 minutes.

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My lifelong ambition is to be a crazy cat lady. The only obstacle is my OH.

Who will go and who gets to stay? Stay tuned...

Gosh, I could almost have written this post myself as I agree with all the points made.
Spooky.
I received my first order from Mobile Pet foods this thursday and actually had to throw away the food on the second day because the eggy stench was so rotten. I thought maybe I had left it out of the fridge too long when I was defrosting it so blamed myslf, but their food has never smelt before and I can normally stretch it to 3 days and it still smells fresh ( well, no smell! )
Hmm, maybe an email to NI is needed here....

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Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

I'd double check your batch details with each other because as I said, there's absolutely no smell to mine therefore it can't be down to the packaging - could just unfortunately be a bad batch? Will look at the production date on mine in a bit to check if it's different or not.

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Good thinking Batman!

Best before May 2012 Code:-NICF-109020-160811-17-08-11
Think I will email NI....

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Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!