Best Overall: WOPET Cats and Dogs Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser
Automatic Pet Feeder Review from WOPET
This automatic feeder that holds more than three pounds of dry food can be programmed to provide four scheduled meals per day for your cat. This feeder also allows you to schedule meals that include different amounts of food (in case you want your cat to have a hearty breakfast and light dinner, for instance). You can even use the voice recorder to record a message for your cat, so that when it’s feeding time, you can call them to the bowl.
It is white, made from environmentally friendly materials, and would not feel out of place in a Pixar film. The feeder has a futuristic look. It’s relatively simple to assemble and program, and the food container is cat-proof, so clever pets can’t break in and overeat.
Best Budget: Automatic Pet Feeder PetSafe Eatwell 5-Meal
Automatic Pet Feeder PetSafe Eatwell 5-Meal
Simple is best sometimes. This battery-operated automatic feeder is a great option if a gravity feeder is not suitable for your cat. It’s robust and tamper-proof, although it has a large footprint in any room that feeds your cat.
Five portions of food (each tray holds up to one cup of dry food) are held by the feeder, with one bowl always exposed. The feeder can be programmed to rotate so that at your cat’s mealtime a new bowl of food is available. For cats, the rotation sound is distinctive; it is the equivalent of a dinner bell, so when they hear it, your cat will learn to come.
Best for Multiple Cats: Pet Feeder SureFlap Microchip
Small Dog & Cat Feeder by SureFeed Microchip
Have multiple pets on various diets? Or would you like to have one of your cats unable to have a second meal courtesy of another cat’s dinner? You can program it to open only when the specific RFID collar tag or microchip of a cat is in front of it. This SureFeed Microchip feeder can help. Note: The feeder comes with one RFID collar tag, but can, according to the manufacturer, be programmed for up to 32 pets. For each cat, you can either order a different bowl, or use it to keep other animals, like your dog, out of cat food for cats who eat the same food.
For cats who will have to get used to it, this pick has a bit of a learning curve; some pets may take some time to warm up to it. Once the training is behind the cat, this feeder works well to assist cats to coexist with various diets and feeding habits.
The food is suspended above, so that food only enters the bowl as it empties. Here’s how it works. Your cat will be eating out of a bowl of stainless steel that can be removed for washing. There is a small footprint on the PetSafe Healthy Pet Gravity Feeder, so you can squeeze it into a discrete corner without blocking walkways. Reviewers praise the design and note that for long weekends, the feeder is great, storing enough food (four pounds) for several days to feed cats. Read more at https://www.katzengeschnurre.de/futterautomat-katze-test/
As it empties, this automatic feeder will keep refilling the bowl, so it is only suitable for cats who eat until they are no longer hungry. A different feeding set-up is needed for cats that will eat voraciously and endlessly or you risk weight gain.
The 8 Best Water Bowls for the Cat
Best for Wet Food: Digital 5 Meal Dog & Cat Feeder Cat Mate C500
Cat’s Mate
Not all cats with dry kibble are satisfied. You’ll need a feeder that can accommodate this diet if you want wet food or need it for medical reasons. You can schedule five meals with the Cat Mate C500 and keep the food properly chilled with small ice packs (which are provided along with the feeder).
This one spins, like some other automatic feeders, to reveal individual bowls of food. The producer notes that the feeder’s lid is tamper-proof, so if they shouldn’t, pets will not be able to access the food.
2021’s 5 Best Canned Cat Foods
Best Operated Battery: PetSafe Healthy Pet Just Feeding Automatic Feeder
Automatic Food Dispenser by PetSafe
PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Review of Automatic Feeder
Some owners of pets may worry about a power outage, WiFi going down, or even the automatic feeder being unplugged by their pets. For those scenarios, a battery-operated automatic feeder is a good solution. This one requires four batteries with D-cells. It can be programmed to plan 12 meals, ranging in size from 1/8 to 1/4 cup.
Pet parents with cats who get into everything will appreciate that the jam-free dispenser is set up to keep food locked away securely. In the dishwasher, both the food dispenser and the stainless steel serving bowl can be washed.
Best Voice Recording: Automatic Dog & Cat Feeder by Arf Pets
Cats can be creatures that are finicky. Having their owners away can cause stress for some. This is where this Arf Pets feeder comes in handy. Not only does it dispense food, but you can record your voice so that your cats can hear your voice at mealtime!
With this automatic feeder, up to four meals per day can be scheduled. 1.4 gallons of dry food is stored in it. Depending on where you feed your pet, you can opt to plug it into a wall outlet or use batteries. It is possible to remove and clean both the food tray and the food compartment.
Cats love the voice feature, which, once you have read the instructions, is easy to program. Keep in mind that knocking this feeder can sometimes lead to spills if your pet is inquisitive, so it’s not for cats who can bat or knock on it.
Best Smart: Smart Feeder from PetSafe
AMONGLY EXCELLENT
Automatic Pet Feeder Review by PetSafe Smart Feed
You have all the options you, or your cat, might want with this smart automatic feeder. An app enables you to tell the feeder to serve up a meal using your iPhone or Android smartphone. Does it have small portions for your cat? In size, meals can be 1/8 to 4 cups. And while you can schedule when meals are served, if you want to give cats an in-between meal treat, there is also a ‘feed now’ option available.
There is a battery back-up for this easy-to-program machine, which means if the WiFi goes out while you are out of town, any scheduled feedings will still occur as scheduled. For easy clean-up, the bowl is removable.
Some cats can figure out that food is dispensed by pressing the button on the top of the food storage container. If your cat is similarly skilled, note that it is possible to disable the button.
Read more about Cat Food Reviews
Why the Spruce Pets Trust
Madeleine Burry, whose cat eats regularly from the PetSafe Eatwell 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder, authored this roundup. For PetCareRx, Via (AAA’s online magazine), and other online outlets, Burry has written about pets.
In an Automatic Cat Feeder, what to look for
Dimension
You want one that fits your space and meets your cat’s (or cats’) needs when it comes to selecting a cat feeder. Choose a smaller feeder if you have limited space, but size it up if you have multiple cats.
Features The Features
Automatic cat feeders range from basic models to those with some seriously fancy characteristics that simply feed your cat. For instance, some will allow you to schedule multiple feedings in advance, while others will give you a personal message from your pet.
Simplicity of use
Some cat feeders are simpler than others to use. High-tech options enable you to feed your cat on your phone via an app, while others don’t require much more than loading food into it. Also, don’t forget to consider how simple it may (or may not) be to clean a feeder. When selecting a feeder, your comfort level with technology as well as your lifestyle should drive your choices.