If you’re wondering what is the best automatic cat feeder you’ve come to the right place. In this post you’ll not only discover some of the best on offer, but pros and cons as well.
If you lead a busy life or hate being woken at 3.00 am by a demanding kitty, you may find an automatic feeder a good solution. However, before you rush off to your nearest pet store there are a few things you need to consider.
Firstly, like anything else that’s automated, cat feeders can go wrong. Secondly, you can’t just set and forget as they need monitoring and cleaning. If you plan to go away for a few days an automated feeder may be a good idea, but you’ll still need a kindly neighbor or friend to pop in
This is because you don’t want to be greeted on your return by a starving cat and jammed feeder. In addition, cats can get very lonely if left on their own for long periods.
That being said there are some really good automatic cat feeders with impressive features these days. Many are very affordable and can save you time during a busy day.
I personally don’t have one as I’m at home all day and happy to feed my cat at set times. However, if you have a busy lifestyle with limited time, you may find an automatic feeder a brilliant idea.
Why an automatic cat feeder can help your cat lose weight
No, I’m not talking about the feeder getting jammed! Many busy pet parents feed their cats twice a day. While this may seem a good idea to a human, cats function differently.
In the wild your cat would probably be eating lots of small meals during the day. This is because cats hunt using short bursts of energy and are hardwired to graze.
Expecting your feline friend to eat breakfast, then nothing until you get home in the evening can store problems. For example, a smack on the face at 4.am by a hungry kitty isn’t conducive to a good nights sleep!
Obesity is a danger to your health, and this applies to your cat as well. Regular small meals may actually help your cat maintain a healthy weight, and even lose weight if she’s a bit podgy! Keeping an eye on your cat’s weight is important, and weighing is included in an annual health check.
Ask your vet’s advice about portion sizes if you’re unsure, and use an automatic feeder to dispense 7 small meals during the day. Cats are creatures of habit and will usually adapt to a new eating regime.
What to look for when choosing an automatic feeder
The most basic automatic feeders allow you to program a single portion. This may be useful if you only have one cat, and you’re out for a short time, or simply don’t want to be disturbed by a hungry cat while you’re working!
At the other end of the market you’ll find very sophisticated feeders that can be programmed to dispense portions up to 30 days in advance.
In addition, some even let you record your voice. This can be calming and reassuring to a pet, and encourage eating. Also, some feeders alert you when they’re empty.
While some automatic cat feeders only allow dry food, others are designed to hold wet food, and even a combination of both.
You can also get feeders for two cats. These are ideal for a multi-cat household. The following automatic cat feeders are what I consider the best based on my own opinions. I may receive a small commission for any sales made, but this in no way reflects the price you pay.
WOPET Smart Feeder, Automatic Pet Dog and Cat Feeder,6-Meal Auto Pet Feeder with Timer Programmable, HD Camera for Voice and Video Recording, Wi-Fi Enabled App for iPhone and Android
If you’re looking for an automatic cat feeder with lots of hi-tech features, this may be a good choice. Not only does it dispense food, but it also has an HD camera as well.
As the camera has both visual and audio you can both see and talk to your cat from wherever you are. This can be very reassuring if you’re away from home and want to check all is ok.
One point to consider though is there’s no night vision. This means you’ll need to leave a light on, or use a timer switch to ensure a light is turned on at dusk.
In addition, you can take snapshots of your cat using the camera and upload on social media. This can be great fun since you can capture some humorous moments and share with your friends.
Wopet smart feeder allows you to program your pet’s meals remotely from your smart phone. This is great if you’re away on business or on vacation. In addition, the feeder works on both mains power and battery. As you have a back up power source your pet won’t go hungry if there’s a power cut.
Another very reassuring feature is an infrared sensor that helps detect any blockages. This is great as some automatic feeders can get blocked from time to time.
Though not a big deal if you’re at home, it can be if you’re away and relying on the device to feed your cat! If a blockage is detected, the machine will attempt to break it up using a portion wheel.
As the food tray is a generous size, and can feed two cats. In addition, you can record a short message or sound that’s played when food is dispensed. This could be your voice or a specific sound your cat associates with being fed.
As the dispenser is quite big you can store about 6.5lbs of dry food, and an accurate portion control ensures your pet is never over fed. In addition, as you can program up to 4 servings a day you can space the meals apart.
You needn’t worry about your cat getting over enthusiastic and knocking the feeder over as there’s a safety lock on the lid. This ensures food isn’t spilled everywhere!
Though Wopet smart feeder has some impressive hi tech features, I wouldn’t recommend leaving your pet alone for more than a couple of days. Technology can go wrong, so I’d suggest getting a neighbor to check on your cat, just in case.
- HD camera
- Voice and video recording
- Large food container
- Dry food only
- Program up to 4 servings a day
- 2 food trays
- Easy to clean
- Wifi connect to smart phone via app
- Works on mains power and battery (batteries not included)
Average rating 4.4 out of 5
You can buy Wopet smart feeder here
Roffie Automatic Cat Feeder 7L Dog Food Dispenser for Small Pets with Distribution Alarms, Portion Control, Voice Recorder and Programmable Timer for up to 4 Meals per Day
If you work from home and want hands free pet feeding this may be a good option. Roffie automatic cat feeder can hold up to 7 litres of dry food and dispense up to 4 servings a day.
In addition, you can record a short message or sound that’s played when food is dispensed. This is great if you need to go away for a couple of days. Most cats quickly learn to associate a particular sound with being fed.
The most common is the sound of a cap opener! However, the sound of your own voice and words you use when calling your cat will probably work great as well.
As you can customize every meal you can decide if it’s a small snack, or larger serving. In addition, you can also adjust the portions even after you’ve programmed the feeder.
As the lid comes with a lock, crafty cats can’t open it! As cat parents we all know how their little paws get into everything!
Since Roffie automatic feeder works on mains power or battery, you don’t have to worry about a power cut if you’re not at home.
- 7 litre hopper
- Customizable voice recording
- Can dispense up to 4 servings a day
- Adjust portion sizes
- Dry food only
- Easy to clean
- Lock to stop pets taking out food
- Works on mains power and battery
Average rating 4.7 out of 5
You can buy Roffie automatic pet feeder here
Automatic Cat Feeder – 6-Meal Wet and Dry Food Programmable Auto Dispenser with Digital Timer – Suitable for Cats and Small Dogs- USB & Battery Power Supply – Portion Control – Easy to Open Cover
Majestic automatic cat feeder is perfect for those who get batted by their feline friends during the middle of the night! It’s also great if you want to enjoy a lie in, or need one less thing to worry about in the morning.
This isn’t suitable if you have multiple cats as it only serves enough for one. In addition, if you plan to go away for a few days you’d need to organize extra food.
This automatic cat feeder is powered with a 60 inch USB cable, or batteries. This means you’re not dependent on mains power and can charge it up using a laptop or smart phone.
You get 6 individual compartments inside the feeder, able to hold wet or dry food. This is great as you’re able to vary your cat’s diet during the day. Each compartment can hold up to 6 ounces of food.
Majestic Whiskers cat feeder has a safety feature so your cat can’t get her paw trapped in a compartment as it moves. We all know how curious our fur babies are, and it’s good to know if your cat put her paw inside a bowl as it’s moving it will automatically stop for 30 seconds.
The lid is advertised as being easy to remove. This is reassuring as so many lids on food containers are hard to open. In addition, the feeder has a digital timer which is clearly visible, and can’t be tampered with by your cat!
- Dishwasher safe
- 6 individual compartments
- USB or battery powered
- Wet or dry food
- Easy to remove lid
- Enough space for ice packs to keep food fresh
- Digital display
Average rating 4 out of 5
You can buy Majestic Whiskers automatic cat feeder here
Cat Mate C300 Automatic 3 Meal Pet Feeder with Digital Timer for Cats and Small Dogs wet and dry
Cat Mate 300 allows you to serve one meal and program two. You get three compartments, with each holding up to 11 ounces of wet or dry food. One compartment is open by default allowing you to serve one meal immediately. This is ideal if you go out to work during the day, as you can feed your cat before you leave and program two more meals during the day.
Imagine coming home and your first chore isn’t to feed a hungry kitty! Instead, you can relax and put your feet up! Of course, they’re will be other household chores waiting for you, but you’ll get more time to cuddle your feline companion and watch TV.
Though an excellent choice for any busy cat parent, Cat mate is quite basic compared to other feeders. However, for short times away from home it provides a good solution.
The feeder is powered using 3 AAA batteries. However, you’ll need to supply your own as they’re not included. As the batteries are advertised as lasting up to a year, you shouldn’t need to change them often.
The feeder is made from BPA free plastic, making it safe for your cat to use. In addition, you get an ice pack to help keep the food fresh. This can be invaluable especially in the summer months.
You have the option of 12-hour or 24-hour clock display. In addition, the LCD display is clear and easy to read.
Once you’ve programmed the feeder the schedule will be repeated unless you change the settings. For example, if you feed your cat at breakfast, then schedule the next meal at midday, and another at 5.0pm, this will be repeated every day.
If you like set and forget this could be a good option. Of course, you’d still need to feed your cat in the morning and ensure you’ve filled the remaining two compartments.
- 3 compartments
- Uses 3 AAA batteries (not supplied)
- Ice pack
- 12/24 digital clock display
- Dishwasher safe
- Easy to clean
- 3 year guarantee
- Average rating 4.3 out of 5
PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder, Smart Feed Pet Feeder for Small Animals, Wi-Fi Enabled, App for Android and iPhone, Auto Pet Food Dispenser with Portion Control
Petkit automatic cat feeder can hold up to 6lb of food kept fresh with the help of a desiccant box. This stops humidity, thereby preventing mold.
As you can program up to 10 meals a day, you can space small meals apart, including snacks. This is a healthier way for your cat to eat as mentioned earlier.
Portions can vary anywhere from 20g-400g, and you have the option of dispensing an extra meal should you chose. In addition, once you’ve set up a schedule it will be repeated daily.
You can download an app on your smart phone that notifies you when a meal has been dispensed. This gives peace of mind as there’s no camera with this model.
In case you’re worried about food being jammed you’ll be pleased to hear there’s a mechanism to prevent that happening. It includes an oscillating bar, and a flexible silicone impeller.
That’s simply a device that allows all sorts of kibble shapes and sizes to pass into the food tray without getting stuck. In addition if you’re concerned that your mischievous cat will try and grab extra portions from the chute, you’ll find there’s a door to protect it.
Your cat won’t be scared by any noise as the unit is silent. The only sound it makes is a beep at feeding time. Actually, your cat will probably learn to associate that sound with food very quickly!
As the feeder has an infra red light, your cat will be able to find it during the dark. This could be handy if you’re home late, or if you schedule it to dispense a snack during the night.
You need never worry about food running low as there is a food indicator on the app. This is a very useful feature as it can be easy to forget.
As Petkit automatic cat feeder is wifi enabled you can easily program schedules from your smart phone, wherever you are. Alternatively, you can set a schedule on the unit itself if you prefer.
The food dish is made from stainless steel, preventing bacteria from building up. It’s also easy to clean.
Some buyers found the wifi set up a bit fidly, so you may need a bit of patience. It’s good to know though that even if your wifi failed. your cat will still be fed. The only thing is you won’t receive notifications on your smart phone app.
- Wifi enabled
- 6lb food hopper
- Stainless steel food dish
- Large enough dish for 2 cats
- Food level indicator on phone app
- App notification after meal is dispensed
Average rating 4.4 out of 5
You can buy PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder here
Which is the best cat feeder for you and your cat?
I hope this post has helped you decide what is the best automatic cat feeder for you and your pet. As I mentioned previously, they can be a godsend if you’re out at work during the day or need to go away for a short time.
As you can see, there are different types available, with some being very hi-tech and others quite basic. Whether you have one cat or multiple cats it’s important to consider the functions you want on a cat feeder and your budget.
If you’ve enjoyed this post and found it useful please share. Also, if you have any questions or would like to share experiences, please leave a comment below.
Wishing you a purrfect day
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy, for sharing awesome ideas with this post. We all live busy lives and the worst thing is to forget to feed your feline friend. I Cats are creatures of habit. They eat, sleep and go to the toilet on a “schedule” so these automatic feeders are actually a great solution. I like the idea very much.
I’m actually amazed by all the features some of these feeders have. Like for example, Wopet feeder has an HD camera integrated into the feeder. This is awesome! Thanks again for sharing. I’ll be looking into these some more.
Hi Ivan, thanks for your comment as so glad you enjoyed this post about automatic cat feeders. Yes, cats are very much creatures of habit, and like meals served at regular times. Yes, some feeders such as Wopet are very hi-tech with built in cameras. These can be very reassuring if you go away for a few days and want to make sure your cat is ok. Thanks for stopping by:)
I was interested in a cat feeder a while back but didn’t find one to suit my needs until I read your article. I must say cat feeders have come a long way over just a couple of years. My cat eats very small amounts at a time and she will feed all day long. She is very small and even if I fill the dish halfway up she doesn’t sit there and eat it all which makes it really easy to feed her. I fill the dish about 3 times a day but she eats something like 10 to 15 times a day. When we go away we always have someone come over each day so we are not sure if we actually need a feeder now.
I may just get one anyway just because I like gadgets. lol
This was awesome to read, thanks for the review on the feeders.
Hi Rick, thanks for your comment:) It’s quite common for cats to eat small amounts at a time. My previous cat would often make a bowl of food last half a day. I used to cover it to keep it fresh for when she returned for another helping. It’s actually a lot healthier to eat small meals frequently both for cats and people! The good thing about most feeders is they keep food fresh, so you may want to consider this option. It’s definitely a good idea to have someone drop by your home when you’re away, even with a feeder. At least it would give you peace of mind, and company for your cat! Glad you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by:)
This is the cutest thing I have ever seen. They have something like this for dogs too! I don’t have cats. I’m more of a dog lover. I think though, I would rather feed the cat dry food if I was going to use these machines. I just think that the machines would be more of a headache to clean if I used wet cat food.
Hi Shalisha, glad you enjoyed this post:) Yes, most automatic pet feeders can be used by dogs as well. Actually, many feeders are only suitable for dry food so you’d be ok. As most are dishwasher safe, even wet food would be easy to clean off. Thanks for stopping by:)
Oh wow what a fantastic thing to have an automatic feeder for your cat! Isn’t technology just amazing? One thing that drives me crazy with cats is being woken up at a crazy hour for breakfast, this will solve that problem.
I love the first one, the WOPET Smart Feeder, because it offers the camera so if I go away I can watch my cat and make sure everything is ok and that my cat is happy.
Thank you for these fantastic suggestions.
Hi Lynne:) I can so relate to being woken up at some crazy hour by a paw smacking my face! Yes, I also love the idea of the camera with Wopet automatic cat feeder. I haven’t been away for a long time, but when I do, I’m always worried if the cat’s ok! I’m glad you enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by:)
I have two big cat babies and their vet put them on a diet where they each have 1/4 cup of dry food in the morning and then at night they each have 3oz of wet food at night. They’ve probably been on this diet for about a year and halfway through the year I started giving them and extra 1/4 cup each around 2pm or 3pm. They lost about 2-3lbs and have just stayed stagnant since then. I have a couple of these pulled over to separate tabs to talk to my partner about! I’ve often been curious about a timed feeder with small portions several times a day to see how they would react to it. We both work from home so if we’re both busy and the cats start whining it can get pretty bothersome (as much as I love my babies!).
Hi Haley, thanks for stopping by:) It can be very hard to maintain strict diets with pets. Ignoring a hungry cat is impossible, especially if you work from home! I think the idea of small regular portions using a feeder is a good idea. Even if you’re both busy with little time to spare it won’t matter. Your fur babies will still enjoy their meals without either of you having to open a packet or tin:)
Hi Kathy
These systems have obviously come a long way in recent years. We had cats a few years ago and we had bought automatic self-cleaning litter boxes a few times and I have to say it was not a great experience. I think we bought the same model three times as that was about the only one out there and the most any of them lasted was about six months. I remember I was so frustrated by the experience I was thinking of inventing one myself with a simpler mechanical system that would I hope be less prone to break.
As regards these automatic feeders I’d be very nervous about the mechanism getting jammed and particularly a curious kitty sticking a paw where it shouldn’t. I know you say there are fail-safe mechanisms but I’d still be nervous. Of all of these, I think I like the Wopet most. All that clever technology is quite mindboggling when you think about it.
All our cats passed a few years ago and we recently took on our first dog. Like you, we are around to feed her so we are unlikely to get one of these. A very fun article though.
Thanks and best regards
Andy
Hi Andy, thank you for your comment. I’ve never bought a self cleaning litter box as thankfully, my cat goes outside most of the time. I have to agree with you that I’d also be a bit wary of some automatic cat feeders in case they got jammed. However, as long as you’re not away for long, and have a kindly neighbour drop by you should be ok. In addition, allowing time for your cat to get used to the feeder before you go away is a good idea. I’d never recommend leaving your cat alone anyway for longer than a day. As regards cats getting paws stuck in feeders, most are very safe. Yes, the Wopet feeder certainly has plenty of hi-tech features! Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed this post:)