If you are busy like me, and rarely at home it makes looking after pets a little difficult at times – especially when it comes to feeding them. It’s not ideal to let your pet go hungry, but it’s also not ideal to leave food out all day for it.
HOWEVER, there are solutions! Enter the world of automatic pet feeders, in this case cat feeders.
Technology these days is awesome, and this applies to cat feeders. Not only can you set the time of the day to feed your cat, but you can also control the portion size – amazing!
If you want to learn more about automatic cat feeders then keep reading at the bottom of the page, otherwise let’s take a look at the best cat feeders available today.
Our Cat feeder comparisons and top picks
- Automatic Cat Feeder, Roffie Dog Food Dispenser for Small Pets with Distribution Alarm
- Peteme Automatic Cat Feeder, Smart Pet Feeder for Cats & Small Pets
- PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder, 4L Auto Pet Dry Food Dispenser
- PetSafe5- Meal Dog and Cat Food Dispenser
- PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
Best Cat Feeder Reviews 2020
Automatic Cat Feeder, Roffie Dog Food Dispenser for Small Pets with Distribution Alarms
This best automatic cat feeder is on top of the list for many pet owners. It has all the aspects and features that one looks for in their pet’s feeder.
Flexible meal scheduling and programming is easy. You get to enjoy good flexibility to set portions and mealtimes for the pet. You can even program its timer to dispense around 4-5 meals per day. Fix a particular time for the meals and control the amount to be distributed for every time. Portion size can range from 2 teaspoons to 4 cups dry cat food, especially for days when you are not home.
The Roffie automatic cat feeder has a large capacity hopper of 7 liters, i.e., 29 cups. Once filled with enough pet food, it can last for a few days or weeks, depending on your pet’s meal size. This feature is excellent for people with busy schedules or for those who travel for multiple days at a time. With this product, you can use dry food with kibbles from 0.2 to 0.6 inches in size to ensure the food’s smooth dispensing.
You can record a customized message of 10 seconds for your pet via the mic button. This device is powered by 3D size batteries and a power adapter. Two options are given to make sure your cat/dog never misses his feeding.
What we like
- User-friendly design
- Removable food container
- ABS housing for easy cleaning and set up
- Large capacity
What we don't like
- Suitable for dry food only
Peteme Automatic Cat Feeder, Smart Pet Feeder for Cats & Small Pets
This smart pet feeder allows you to connect the device with a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection. This feature helps you feed the pet when you are traveling or away from home. Through the Smart Life application, you can add meals for your pet and feed them anytime, anywhere. What more? You can share the feeder with friends and family and let them manage the appliance while you are gone.
It has features to set the automatic feeding plan with a specific quantity/time for pets to develop a healthy diet. This feature helps your cat stay away from overeating or missing a meal. The Peteme Automatic Cat Feeder makes feeding time a lot convenient and easy for the pet owners. They can schedule more than 6 feedings per day or 1-2 portions per meal size.
The device accommodates dry food with a pallet size of 2-10mm only. An integrated desiccant is present to keep your cat’s food fresh and dry. Use the voice interaction feature by pressing and holding the record button. The machine will play the message automatically before every feeding time. It means that your pet will be at ease, even if you are not at home.
Once you have the meal plan in setting, this cat feeder will work automatically despite you being online/offline. You can check the feeding logs from time to time to ensure that the feeder is working fine.
What we like
- Silicone, slip-free design
- Dual power supply
- Convenient
- Offline working
What we don't like
- A little tricky to use
PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder, 4L Auto Pet Dry Food Dispenser
Petlibro knows that a pet needs love, care, and attention. Their automatic cat feeder dry food helps you take care of your cat with customized portions and meal times. Your pet is fed regularly with this machine and feels more connected to you via voice recording feature.
You can easily set the portions, time, and meal amount through the given LCD screen. Record a 10-second message on the feeder to let your cat know it’s time for his/her meal. A manual feeding function is present to give your pet some additional rewards on being nice while you are away.
The humanized design of this healthy pet simply feed automatic feeder is its biggest success. It has 4 liters of massive capacity and requires both hands to press on sides and open. It makes things convenient and simple for the cat owner and also prevents the cat from overeating. The inbuilt desiccant box keeps the food fresh and dry. However, it must be changed regularly to maintain a cat’s health.
It uses a 5V DC adapter and 3 alkaline D-cell batteries to sustain auto cat feeder power. In case of a power outage, it ensures that your pet gets regular food without missing his mealtime. The given food table and tray are removable for convenient cleaning.
What we like
- Voice recording option
- Easy to use and maintain
- Dual power supply
- Features flexible timed feeding options
What we don't like
- Lacks a lid fastener or latch s
PetSafe 5- Meal Dog and Cat Food Dispenser
If you are looking for the best pet feeder by a prominent and leading manufacturer, look no further than PetSafe Dog and Cat Food Dispenser. As a busy pet parent, you need a good pet feeder like this one in your life.
You can schedule meal times down to the minute and serve your cat up to 5 meals a day. Every compartment present in the removable tray of the feeder can hold around 1 cup of dry or semi-moist pet food in it. You can even use PetSafe Dog and Cat Food Dispenser to give treats to your cat throughout the day.
This machine helps you manage your pet’s weight. You can schedule smaller meal portions throughout the day to keep your pet healthy and fit. It is the best option for cats and small, medium dogs. If you wish to give an extra meal or snack to your pet, simply use the feed now button to revolve the tray. Alternatively, you can use the suspend feeding option for when you and your pet are not home. This feature doesn’t interfere with the already-programmed meal schedule.
The best part about this cat feeder is that it is top-rack dishwasher safe. You can remove the BPA-free plastic tray and wash it in the dishwasher for easy and hassle-free cleanup.
What we like
- Pre-portioned meals for the pet
- Quick set up
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- 24 cups capacity
What we don't like
- Pets can figure out the new feeding slot
PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
You can rely on a smart feed automatic cat feeder and maintain your cat’s healthy feeding routine despite your location. With this product, there is no more waiting for food. Your cat never has to wait for another meal. You can connect the feeder to your smartphone to schedule meals or press the feed now button for instant feeding options.
This Alexa-enabled automatic cat feeder lets you manage your Amazon Echo Device for a hands-free feeding of your cat/dog anytime. You can even use the Amazon Dash Replenishment to automatically rearrange your cat’s food when it’s getting low. Thanks to the addition of new sensors, it spontaneously notifies you when the feeder is empty or the food level is low.
Use the slow feed settings to dispense meals bigger than 1/8 cups in small amounts over ten minutes for pets who eat very quickly. You can even schedule up to 12 meals a day to be dispensed from 1/8 to 4 cups to suit your pet’s requirements. If you have to stop the feeder temporarily, turn off the schedule settings within the application.
The feeder and its parts are top-shelf dishwashers safe. The bowl, lid, hopper, and bowl holder are safe for dishwasher use. This feature accounts for easy and convenient cleaning of the product. Let this feeder keep your cat healthy and happy so you both can live more happy moments together.
What we like
- Monitors food level
- Automatically reorder pet’s food
- Set up for multiple cats
- Dishwasher safe
What we don't like
- Require frequent monitoring
A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Best Cat Feeder
Every potential buyer must consider some essential factors, features, and parameters before buying a programmable dry food feeder.
Every potential buyer must consider some essential factors, features, and parameters before buying a programmable dry food feeder.
Large Holding Capacity
Large meal hold capacity feeders are very important to have in the house. This way, you can let the feeder do the job for a long time without your involvement. At present, there are two types of cat feeders. The first type allows you to refill too much dry food while others offer small portions for the pet and longer refill time.
If you stay away from home a lot, you must invest your money in the cat feeder that can hold a large amount of food in it. The device should be able to keep the food fresh, clean, and dry to keep your pet happy until you are home.
Battery
A gravity cat feeder with a dual power supply is the best option to choose from. Many manufacturers in the market offer testing time to potential buyers. You can opt for one feeder, use it for a month and see how well it works for your pet. Notice how fast it is consuming the battery and if it has backup power in case of a power outage.
With cables and other power sources, your pet might stumble upon or pull it out while playing around. This is why it is crucial to have two different charging options.
Cooling Mechanism
If you have a pet that prefers wet food, opt for the best automatic cat feeder wet food with a cooling mechanism. This system is important to keep your pet’s wet food fresh and clean for a longer duration. Many automatic cat feeders already feature a cooling mechanism under the feeding bowl. However, the quality of the wet food also plays a significant role in this regard.
Timer Function
The timer function is considered as the backbone of any quality automatic cat feeder. This timer helps your pet eat his meal when you are not around in the house. There are multiple options given so you can customize the portions and meal sizes for your cat. You can select how often you want the pet feeder to dispense food in a day or week.
Therefore, this function is not to be overlooked. Setting an easting schedule for your pet can also help you control his/her eating routine, making things easy for you in the long run.
Feed Now Function
When you have a tamper-proof automatic cat feeder, this feature serves a great advantage. This option is only available with the cat feeders that are compatible with smartphones and smart home devices.
Once you have this option, you can immediately dispense cat food for the pet, even if it is not his mealtime. This way, if you think the portion was less fulfilling, you can feed the cat again.
Sensors And Security
An automatic cat feeder must come with an infrared sensor. These sensors are very useful in detecting if the feeding bowl is empty or not to prevent under and overfilling. It also helps to prevent and to monitor your furry friends from blocking/jamming the feeder.
For security, you should go for a feeder with a secure seal over the container’s lid. This feature makes the outdoor automatic cat feeder stable, and your pet is unable to knock it off while playing. It is always better to look out for the products that are easy to open for the owner but hard for the pets.
Portion Size
This function is a must to consider, especially when you want to manage your cat’s weight. Setting up a meal portion will help you prevent food wastage and planning a proper diet for your pet. It will ensure that your pet doesn’t over consume or become obese.
Verdict
Automatic cat feeders are indeed the best technological advances that are known to pet parents. They are easy to use and doesn’t need much effort to clean and maintain. Also, they are very easy to set up and disassemble when not in use. They are proving to be the best way to take care of pets when you are on your job or running errands outside.
This is the list of our best automatic cat feeders. All the products on this list ensure that your pet gets the meal he/she deserves in your absence. They are also aesthetically appealing and have all the necessary features that pet owners look for in a pet feeder.
