Having an automatic cat feeder was an extreme help for my overweight cat. Look at this chubby queen who’s now happy about the empty bowl:
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 food dispenser)
List of the 5 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
Also, you can check my video review for Feeder-Robot:
2. Homerunpet Automatic Feeder for Cats
I recently discovered a new high-quality brand for innovative cat products: Homerunpet. I’ve already tried their Drybo cat dryer and had a fantastic experience.
They recently released the Homerunpet Automatic Feeder for Cats, which I thoroughly tested and decided to rank as the #2 automatic cat feeder on my list.
The feeder is priced more affordably than the Feeder Robot, and like the Feeder Robot, it’s app-controlled for hassle-free remote feeding and offers customized meal plans.
One aspect that impressed me about the Homerunpet cat feeder is its food dispenser.
Typically, with more affordable automatic cat feeders, the food dispenser tends to get stuck, which is why many feeders didn’t make it onto my list. However, I’ve been using the Homerunpet feeder for a while for my second cat and haven’t experienced any issues.
Another thing I loved about the Homerunpet cat feeder is that it comes with a porcelain kaolin bowl, which exceeded my expectations.
The app isn’t the most user-friendly, though. For example, look at this:
How am I supposed to understand the portion size? It’s definitely not a dealbreaker, but it’s evident why Whisker’s Feeder Robot costs more.
Speaking of price, the Homerunpet Automatic Feeder for Cats is available at a $150 price point, which is worth it. However, I can still see a few reasons to opt for the Whisker’s Feeder Robot, such as:
- Larger size
- A more flexible and user-friendly app, providing numerous options for customizing meals
- 90-day in-home trial as a significant bonus
- Excellent support from Whisker, a US-based company with products designed and assembled in the USA
Nevertheless, if you’re looking to save some money, the Homerunpet Automatic Feeder for Cats could be an excellent solution for you.
3. 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. This is the most unique feature of this cat feeder.
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
4. PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder
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
5. WellToBe Auto Pet Feeder
The WellToBe Automatic Feeder 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
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.
Hi Clair, thank you for the article. We came down from Seattle once to visit. Always a treat reading your work!
I have become Feeder obsessed as of late, having bought, then returned, both a PetSafe and Petlibro, and now finally settling with the Wopet– although our has a camera. I have my fingers crossed that this is the one. So far so good, Ms. Lucy is warming up to it. No mechanical issues to mention, yet. If it’s not this one, it’s very similar to this- https://youtu.be/aZLhRwXStDE
Take care
Wopet is definitely good choice, even though their cat feeder has controversial reviews
Thanks for this helpful review! Question – we have a VERY clever cat who often manages to break into feeders (e.g. stick a paw up the chute to get more kibble out). Do you have any thoughts on feeder 1 or 2 and how secure they are against a food motivated cat? We’ve had issues with three other feeders in the past, finally found one that worked, but it broke and has been discontinued…
Go ahead with Feeder Robot, it’s very sturdy!