The 5 Best Automatic Cat Feeders

The 5 Best Automatic Cat Feeders

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Providing your cat with a high-quality, nutritious diet is one of your most important responsibilities as a cat owner.

Not only do you need to choose the right food for your cat, but you need to offer the right amount and keep to a consistent schedule.

Compare Best Automatic Cat Feeders

Overall Best 1. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Programmable Pet Feeder View on Amazon Read Review	Best Automatic Feeder 2. WOpet 7L Automatic Pet Feeder View on Amazon Read Review	Best Microchip Feeder 3. SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder View on SurePetCare Read Review	Best Electronic Feeder 4. PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Feeder View on Amazon Read Review	Best Durable 5. PetSafe Healthy Pet Food Station View on Amazon Read Review
Type Electronic	Type Electronic	Type Electronic, Microchip	Type Electronic	Type Gravity Feeder
Capacity 24 cups	Capacity 20 cups	Capacity 13.5 ounces	Capacity 5 cups	Capacity 4 pounds
Programmable Yes	Programmable Yes	Programmable Yes	Programmable Yes	Programmable No
Daily Feedings 12	Daily Feedings 4	Daily Feedings 1	Daily Feedings 5	Daily Feedings Continuous

If you work a full-time job, that particular piece of the puzzle might be a challenge. Automatic food dispensers can make any pet parent’s life easier.

Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of automatic cat feeders and to learn what to look for when you’re ready to start shopping.

You’ll also see our top picks for the best automatic cat feeders.

What To Look For In Automatic Cat Feeders?

Automatic food dispenser come in all shapes and sizes. Some are very simple, consisting of little more than a plastic canister that refills the bowl as your cat eats.

Other feeders are very complex, offering electronic features such as microchip pairing, multiple daily feedings, and more.

Before you start shopping for a feeder, you need to think about your needs, and you should also have some idea what kind of options are available.

Here are some important things to look for in an automatic cat feeder:

• Design – Automatic cat feeders come in many designs. Gravity feeders refill the bowl as it empties while electronic feeders allow you to control the portion, number of meals, and timing of the meals. Some electronic feeders even offer microchip access for multi-pet households.
• Wet Dry – Most automatic cat feeders are designed to accommodate dry cat food, and it would be a very bad idea to use semi-moist and wet cat food in a dry feeder. Make sure you buy the right feeder for the type of food you intend to use.
• Programmable – Some electronic feeders are very simple, allowing you to simply fill a number of cups with your cat’s meal and set the timer. Others are much more complex, allowing you to adjust the meal size and giving you the option to feed up to 4 meals a day, or more. Some cat food dispenser can be programmable with your Smartphone and all you need is a wifi connection.
• Multi-Cat Friendly – Using an automatic cat feeder can be tricky in multi-cat households because you want to make sure every cat gets a meal. If you have one cat with special dietary needs, a microchip feeder might be a good way to ensure that only that cat gets special food.
• Size and Capacity – The storage capacity of the feeder is also very important. Some feeders allow you to fill individual cups while others have a large storage container.

Now that you have a better idea what to look for in an automatic cat feeder, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 5 picks for the best automatic cat feeders.

Our Top Picks For The Best Automatic Cat Feeders

Automatic cat feeders come in every shape and size, and the one that is best for you might not be the right choice for someone else.

The best thing you can do is explore the options to see what’s out there so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. We’ve assembled a list of our top 5 picks for automatic cat feeders of different types to give you a wide selection to choose from.

Overall Best

1.

PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Programmable Pet Feeder

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Electronic
• Capacity: 24 cups
• Programmable: Yes
• Daily Feedings: 12

Pros

• Electronic feeder with LCD screen and simple 5-button navigation
• Program up to 12 meals a day, each meal 1/8 cup to 4 cups
• Built-in modes for slow feed, pause, and immediate feeding
• Easy portion control

Cons

• Batteries and power adapter not included
• Can be tricky to program for some users

For an automatic cat feeder that takes the stress out of feeding your cat, try the PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Programmable Pet Feeder.

Much like the Petsafe Smart Feed This electronic feeder offers a generous 24-cup capacity and can be programmed to dispense up to 12 meals per day, ranging from 1/8 cup to 4 cups of food in portion size for immediate feed.

This feeder makes sure that your cat cats its meals when it needs them and can run for days without intervention. It features an LCD screen with simple 5-button navigation and can be used with battery power for backup.

This feeder also includes a Slow Feed option that dispenses meals over a 15-minute period or a Pause Feed mode that temporarily stops feeding.

Best Automatic Feeder

2.

WOpet 7L Automatic Pet Feeder

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Electronic
• Capacity: 20 cups
• Programmable: Yes
• Daily Feedings: 4

Pros

• Large 20-cup capacity for storage, can run for days between refills
• Program up to 4 meals per day, 2 teaspoons to 4.5 cups in size
• Record a voice message to alert your cat to mealtime

Cons

• Not suitable for wet food
• Instructions can be a little confusing

If you’re looking for an automatic cat feeder that holds enough food for a multi-cat household and can run for days at a time, consider the WOpet 7L Automatic Pet Feeder.

With a generous 20-cup capacity, this auto feeder allows you to schedule up to 4 meals per day with feeding sizes ranging from 2 teaspoons to 4.5 cups.

The voice recorder gives you the option to record a voice message to alert your cat to mealtime before dispensing a healthy cup of food.

The feeder is designed for dry food only, and kibbles should be between 0.2 and 0.6 inches in diameter to prevent clogging making easy to determine the right amount of food per serving.

You’ll also be glad to know that, while the unit is has a solid power supply, it can run on 3 D-size backup batteries, so there’s no need for a fixed power source.

Best Microchip Feeder

3.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder

View on SurePetCare

Product Info

• Type: Electronic, Microchip
• Capacity: 13.5 ounces
• Programmable: Yes
• Daily Feedings: 1

Pros

• Electronic feeder utilizes microchip or RFID technology to restrict access
• Sealed food bowl keeps food fresh, works for both wet and dry food
• Keeps pets from stealing food and helps maintain healthy body weight

Cons

• Requires some training to get the cat used to using the bowl
• Fairly limited capacity, not ideal for long absences

Sometimes an automatic cat feeder is less about making sure your cat eats at the right time and more about making sure that your cat eats the right food.

If your cat has special dietary needs, you need to make sure that other pets in the house don’t eat that cat’s food and a microchip feeder is a great way to do that.

The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is our top pick for the best microchip feeder because it is activated by a unique microchip or RFID collar tag.

It is incredibly easy to program, and the bowl holds either wet or dry food, making it a versatile feeder. Plus, the bowl is sealed which means that the food stays fresher longer.

Best Electronic Feeder

4.

PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Feeder

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Electronic
• Capacity: 5 cups
• Programmable: Yes
• Daily Feedings: 5

Pros

• Simple design is easy to program, no unnecessary features
• Serves up to five 1-cup meals per day
• Dishwasher-safe food trays made from BPA-free plastic

Cons

• Not ideal for long-term use, only has capacity for 5 meals
• Not intended for use with wet food

Some automatic cat feeders are more complicated than they need to be.

If all you want is a simple electronic cat feeder that feeds your cat at scheduled times, try the PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Feeder.

This feeder is an electronic feeder, but it features a unique design. It consists of a round tray with 5 cups that rotate, exposing one cup to an opening in the lid at a time.

You can schedule the mealtimes as you like using the digital timer , offering up to 5 1-cup portions per day. This may not be the best feeder for long trips away from home, but it works well if you just want to keep your cat on a schedule.

Best Durable

5.

PetSafe Healthy Pet Food Station

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Gravity Feeder
• Capacity: 4 pounds
• Programmable: No
• Daily Feedings: Continuous

Pros

• Simple design with no need to program, runs by gravity
• Removable stainless-steel bowl is easy to clean
• Holds up to 4 pounds of food, easy to refill as it empties

Cons

• Not programmable, cannot control portion size
• Some cats and small dogs may knock it over or spill food out of the bowl

Some automatic cat feeders are very complex, requiring you to program the unit before using it.

If you’re looking for a simpler solution and just want to make sure your cat has food available when it’s hungry, the PetSafe Healthy Pet Food Station may be the perfect automatic cat feeder for you.

This gravity feeder features a 4-pound storage capacity with a canister that empties into a stainless-steel bowl. As your cat eats to empty the bowl, gravity does its work and pulls more food down to refill it.

The different components are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning and the unit as a whole is sturdy. It comes in two sizes as well, small and medium, so you can choose the right one for your cat.

The Pros And Cons Of Automatic Cat Feeders

As you can see, automatic cat feeders come in many shapes and sizes with a wide range of features. If you simply want to avoid the hassle of having to plan out your cat’s meals, you can go with a simple gravity feeder.

If you’re trying to control your cat’s portions or you’re going to be away for a few days, an electronic feeder might be the better option.

Now that you know what kind of feeders are out there, what are the pros and cons?

Here Are Some Of The Pros Of Automatic Cat Feeders:

• Helps with weight management by controlling the cat’s portions and number of meals
• Gives you peace of mind knowing your cat will be fed even if you’re not home
• Creates a predictable feeding schedule for your cat to reduce stress
• Gives you more freedom with your life by not being restrained by feeding times
• Depending on the type, you can control which pet eats which food
• Automatically dispensing single portions keeps the food fresh and avoids bugs

Here Are Some Of The Cons Of Automatic Cat Feeders:

• Some automatic feeders can be expensive to purchase
• Electronic models can sometimes be noisy – some cats spook easily around electronics
• Using the wrong size or type of food could cause the feeder to jam and break
• Some cats learn how to access the food storage, may tip over the unit
• Certain models are not ideal for multi-pet households

Depending on your situation, the pros of an automatic cat feeder may outweigh the cons, in which case you should start shopping around.

Think about what kind of features you want as well as your price range, then use what you’ve learned here to start your search.

Final Remarks

Whether you want to control your cat’s portions for weight loss or ensure that your growing kitten gets all the food it needs, an automatic cat feeder might be just what you need.

Automatic feeders give pet owners like you peace of mind knowing that their cat will be fed, even when you’re not home. Some feeders are better than others, of course, but if you know what you’re looking for, you can find it.

If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for an automatic cat feeder, why not try one of the top 5 best cat feeders we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!