Having an automatic cat feeder was an extreme help for my overweight cat. We all have hectic schedules more often than none, and having a cat to feed adds up to our chores, and automatic and/or smart cat feeders can make your life a little bit easier for yourself and your cats. Furthermore, some cat feeders can have more benefits or features that you can take advantage of to make your cats become healthier. Cats can get demanding at times with regards to food, and because they are creatures of habit, they can easily remember when to expect their meal times.
I’ve tested over 15 different smart feeders for cats and decided to compile this list of the best automatic cat feeders based on the following factors:
- App control
- Ability to connect to Wi-Fi
- Size and number of portions
- Battery life
- Handy technology (e.g. anti-jamming)
Here is the best cat auto feeders comparison:
List of the 9 Best Automatic Cat Feeders in 2023 Based On Consumer Ratings, Reports and Personal Experience
1. Feeder-Robot Timed Automatic Cat Feeder & Food Dispenser
I have been using Litter Robot automatic litter box for many years and I decided to try a “Feeder-Robot” from the same brand. It’s might be more expensive than the rest of the cat feeders on the list, but there is a reason behind it and never regretted the money I spent. It’s the best automatic cat feeder I ever used.
No doubt, The Feeder-Robot is the most advanced smart feeder for cats in 2023. It is Wi-Fi enabled which means that you can access and program the device using their AutoPets Connect app on your smartphone, however, they still feature manual controls as an option. The Feeder Robot boasts its durability as it has a high reputation with its existing clients.
The best thing is anti-jamming technology because the rest of the automatic cat feeders I tried has the issue with jamming and never with Feeder Robot.
Other handy features for the cat owners are food indicators and notifications to the app when the dispenser is close to being empty, big size (32 portions), not to mention a design that fits every room.
Feeder-robot app is another thing why you will love this smart cat feeder, it has so many features (e.g. meal scheduling, giving snacks etc.), easy to connect and use, and is extremely user-friendly. Read my full Feeder Robot review here.
PROS
- Anti-jamming technology
- Food level indicator
- Wi-Fi enabled
- Manual and app-based program control
CONS
- Expensive (but totally worth it if you wish the best to your cat)
Read over 100 reviews and check the price on their website
2. SureFeed Microchip Cat Feeder
The SureFeed microchip cat feeder uses your cat’s existing microchip or RFID collar tag to identify the correct pet and open the dish only for them. It is compatible with all types of microchips and can be used to program up to 32 pets with extra microchips or RFID collar tags. What I really love about this smart feeder is that you can use wet food for your cat as well.
This feeder is suitable for pets consuming prescription food as it can ensure that the correct pet eats it. The bowl also automatically closes when your cat moves away from it. The bowl is sealed so you can be assured that your cat’s snacks are fresh and pest-free. Read my full SureFeed microchip cat feeder review here.
PROS
- Perfect for multiple cat owners.
- You are assured that the right cat gets his appropriate food ration.
- Food is kept fresh and pest free with its sealed bowl.
CONS
- Maximum capacity is only 400 ml.
- If you use wet food and your cat is a messy eater, it is troublesome to clean up the feeder.
Read over 500 reviews and check the price on Amazon
3. PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder, 4L
The PETLIBRO Automatic Pet Feeder is the best cat food feeder with a timer, and this is mainly because of its programming options: it allows you to set up food portions up to nine times, it allows you to also set up up to four feedings per day, an option to record your voice, and it is very easy to program. The maximum capacity is huge enough to store cat food for several weeks. Another advantage PETLIBRO gives you is that it has backup power supply by using batteries and it also allows you to place a desiccant bag in it to aid in keeping the cat treats fresh.
It’s quite challenging to program and not user friendly. Also, there is no food indicator.
PROS
- Affordable
- Easy to clean
- Up to 4 feedings a day
- 9 food portion setup
- Place for desiccant bag
CONS
- Only for kibbles and not wet cat food
- Short cord
- You may find it challenging to program the device.
Read over 8,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
4. PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder, 6L
The PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder 6L is almost like the previous one but it is designed for bigger cats or for households with multiple cats. You get the same benefit as the first one but all of your cats will benefit from this larger version as well. The difference is that you can program up to 50 portions of treats and up to six meals per day for your fur friends.
This auto feeder for cats comes with a timer along with the same disadvantages as the previous feeder.
PROS
- Affordable – worth the price
- Has an LCD panel – makes it easier to program
- Has infrared sensor – notifies you when the food is insufficient
CONS
- Only for dry cat food
- Difficult to clean
- Can be challenging to set up the device.
Read over 4,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
5. WOPET 6L Automatic Cat Feeder
The WOPET Automatic Cat Feeder is a Wi-Fi enabled, 6 liters smart cat feeder that allows you to program your cat’s meals by using the WOPET app on your smartphone. It can be glitchy at times and may require you to be connected to a 2.4G Wi-Fi network to be able to set up your cat’s meals. It allows you to program up to 15 meals a day.
PROS
- Allows you to program the device using your smartphone
- Intuitive interface
- Simple design
- Backup batteries
- Wi-Fi enabled
CONS
- Expensive
- Requires ordinary connectivity 2.4G
- App is glitchy
- Dry food jammed a few times when I used it
Read over 2,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
6. WellToBe Auto Pet Feeder
The WellToBe Automatic Pet Feeder For is great for households of up to two cats because it features a two-way splitter and two bowls that lets your cat eat on separate dishes. It can store up to 20 cups of kibbles and allows you to program up to six meals for the whole day for each of your cats. It also has a voice recording option so you can record yourself calling out your cat during meal time. Another advantage of WellToBe is that it can dispense one portion as little as a tablespoon of treats at a time if you are aiming to help your cat lose some of that fat.
PROS
- Backup batteries
- Splitters especially designed for a two-cat household
- Comes with two bowls
- Great for aiding in your cat’s diet
- Cat serve one portion of treats
CONS
- Low quality flimsy bowl
Read over 2,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
7. Iseebiz Automatic Cat Feeder
The Iseebiz Automatic Cat Feeder has a simple design and easily programmable system. It lets you schedule a meal up to four times a day and allows you to choose up to 39 portions per meal. One great advantage the Iseebiz has over the others in this list is the IR detector placed in a strategic angle that helps prevent the kibbles from clogging or overflowing in the dispenser.
PROS
- Infrared detector – prevents treats from clogging or overflowing
- Detachable cover – easy to clean
- Backup powersource
- Easy to program
- Low battery indicator
CONS
- Doesn’t show portions in cups or ounces therefore you need to calculate the portions by yourself to be able to program it.
- No low food indicator
- Made of thing plastic
Read over 4,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
8. Roffie Automatic Cat Feeder
The Roffie Automatic Cat Feeder is a programmable upright cat feeder with a sleek design that lets you set up up to four meals per day and has portion control from two teaspoons up to 4.5 cups of kibbles. Some advantages from Roffie is the replaceable dispenser and its infrared detection technology that helps in preventing kibbles from spilling and getting stuck in the hole.
PROS
- Flexible meal schedule and portion control
- Easy to clean and sanitize
- Infrared detection – prevents spillage
CONS
- Makes loud noise
- Not suitable for dry kibbles that 0.2 to 0.6 inches
- No app
Read over 3,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
9. Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder
Cat Mate C500 automatic cat feeder is a digital cat feeder with timer. Wet cat food naturally spoils pretty quickly than dry cat food and Cat Mate C500 allows you to store five wet cat foods in it and keeps them from spoiling using ice packs under those meal trays. Each segment can hold up to 1 ¼ cups of wet cat food and the tray is dishwasher safe.
PROS
- Holds both dry and wet cat food
- Ice packs prevents spoilage
- Accurate digital meal time
- Dishwasher safe
CONS
- Ice packs does not last too long in warm temperatures
- Meal times are not programmable to the minute and can only be programmed per 10-minute intervals
- Only works with batteries
Read over 3,000 reviews and check the price on Amazon
10. Faroro Automatic Cat Feeder
The Faroro Automatic Cat Feeder is another one of which caters both dry and wet cat food. It allows you to program for up to four cat meals per day and lets you choose from as low as two teaspoons of cat food per meal. It also features an infrared detector that stops the kibbles from spilling out of the dish or getting stuck in the hole. Another advantage of Faroro is its clear lid that lets you see how much supplies of kibbles are left for in the storage.
PROS
- Lasts for 30 days
- Ideal for in-house and outdoor cats
- Can give results in just about one to two weeks
- Collar can fit any-sized cats
- Safe, affordable, and effective
CONS
- Customer review claims that the breakaway design is not as reliable as they wish it should be.
- Not as effective as more expensive brands based on customer review.
Read over 100 reviews and check the price on Amazon
Points To Look For In Choosing The Right Automatic Cat Feeder For You:
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App And Programming
Some automatic cat feeders are already packed with high-tech features for you to utilize. Some are wifi-enabled which allows you to program your smart cat feeder directly through an app in your phone, which can be very convenient for most cat owners out there.
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Check Whether It’s For Dry Or Wet Food
You should also check if the automatic cat feeder of your liking matches your preference whether it is for dry or wet food. Most cat owners would prefer dry food for their cats as they could already be old enough to eat dry cat food, however, some cat owners might prefer wet cat food, most probably due to health reasons. Many automatic cat feeders do not recommend the use of wet cat food as they are not made for that type of cat food.
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Features
Automatic cat feeders can be the simplest of its kind or it can be as complex as it can be with regards to its features. Some can simply have a timer to set it to your cat’s feeding time while others can even have a wifi feature and voice recording so the smart dispenser can play your voice to call your cat before it dispenser for your cats’ meal time
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Ease Of Use
Automatic cat feeders should be easy to use and set up to not complicate our lives even more. Technological advances present us with more features, however, it can make setting them up a bit trickier for you. But the good thing about this is that a well-made manual can help you to get by in setting them up. You should also think about how easy or difficult it can be to clean up a cat feeder.
Types Of Cat Feeders
- Gravity-Based Automatic Cat Feeders are traditional models of cat feeders that simply use the convenience of gravity to pull the treats down into the bowl. However, it is quite a bit easy to get tipped over especially by cats that are a bit overly ecstatic about treats.
- Programmable Upright Cat Feeders are simply the ones that use a timer to release a pre-programmed amount of treats.
- Programmable Dish-Style Cat Feeders are the same as the previous one in a sense that it is also programmable. However, the only difference is that it stores treats in bowls that are segmented, and then it rotates to serve one section of treats at the time you are scheduled to feed your cats.
- Smart Cat feeders are the same as the programmable ones above, however, with this type, you can schedule the time to feed your cat using their apps in your smartphones.
Conclusion
All of these are the best automatic cat feeders in our opinion, however, it only comes up on what type of cat feeder you actually need for your cat. If your cat requires wet food then you would wanna try the programmable dish-style cat feeders but if you only feed your cats dry food the majority of the time, then you might wanna get the programmable upright cat feeder or the smart cat feeder if you want a Wi-Fi enabled device like Feeder-Robot.
