This means that you are only capable of programming the feeder to open at the hour and not by the minute within the hour. At their best, automatic food dispensers offer a convenient solution for times you‘re unable to feed your cat yourself—whether it’s due to late work hours or evening plans with friends. Rather than just an insignificant daily routine, mealtime is a form of training which lets your cat know you are the person with access to food. For power, it comes with USB-C plug with a five-foot cord or three D-cell batteries for backup in case the power goes out while you are away. While primarily used for dry food, the PetSafe also works with semi-moist kibble, though testers did find that some kibble stayed behind after feedings were dispensed, and sometimes food stuck in such a way that it got in the way of easily closing the lid.

Wet food-compatible feeders, such as the Cat Mate C500 Digital Feeder, will incorporate features like ice packs and dishwasher-safe parts for fresh and easy serving. The Whiskers Feeder-Robot is available in four different color combinations, with the body available in black or white, in combination with a clear food hopper, or a more opaque smoke-colored option. Gravity feeders do not need to be plugged in, nor do they use batteries—making them useful both indoors and outdoors. If you’re looking for something beyond the basic utility of a gravity feeder, there are a range of power-based options available to meet your cat’s needs.

While you are likely to fork out considerably more for these clever machines, you will be able to keep close control on what your cat consumes, irrespective of if you are at home.

Plus, with a battery life of up to 9 months, there's very little risk of losing power while you're away, especially if you insert new batteries before a trip. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets.

Going on vacation and leaving your cat alone with a cat feeder may sound like a good idea at first, but there are so many things that can go wrong in this scenario,” says Dr. We tested the smaller size (two-liters) in our New York lab and found that a little over seven cups of kibble was the maximum amount it could hold. Many electronic feeders are controlled using apps, so you can make changes to the programming anywhere you have your phone.