We treat our cats like they are human babies. We feed them, talk to them, and play with them. We try our best to provide and care for our cats, which is how every responsible cat parent should be. Unfortunately, there are times when our schedule can get very busy.
Our jobs can keep us from coming home on time or sometimes we also go on trips. Feeding the cats is a problem if we cannot be at home at all times. Good thing that there are now automatic cat feeders that will solve this dilemma.
If you do not want your cat babies to go hungry, check out some of the best automatic cat feeders out on the market.
Flexzion Pet Feeder Food Dispenser Station
Flexzion is a simple automatic cat feeder that does not require any configuration. For less than $20, your cat can have an unlimited supply of food whenever he wants. No more waiting around for you to feed him, and he will not go hungry.
This pet feeder from Flexzion has a gravity feed design. Your cat’s dry food will be in continuous supply. Whenever it reaches low, the food will automatically come down. A design like this is perfect for cats because they usually ask for food at frequent times a day. If you are a very busy person, this kind of feeder is for you.
The material used in this pet feeder is environment-friendly. It is made of PET plastic, so it is safe for your cat. This kind of plastic is more sustainable than PVC. The wide mouth bottle is easy to clean, and the base is dishwasher safe.
If your cat tends to push around their food bowls, that will not be a problem with this one. It has rubber at the bottom so it will not skid and will stay in place.
The food dispenser has 4 to 6 lbs. storage capacity. Your cat will be well fed and kept happy if you have this at home. This requires only a few refills so if you really do not have much time, you can be assured that your cat is properly fed.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Does not skid
- All day food supply
- Made of safe plastic
- Dishwasher friendly
Cons:
- Food may sometimes get jammed
- Easy to knock down when food becomes low
- Too small for large dogs
PetSafe Healthy Pet Gravity Dog and Cat Food Station
This healthy food station from PetSafe will cost you less than $26. This is another gravity feeder that will keep your cats always fed. This has a removable stainless-steel bowl, and it is also perfect for weekends when you are away.
The materials used for this food station are guaranteed safe for your cats. The reservoir is made of BPA-free plastic. The food will surely not be contaminated by BPA so your cats will not be exposed to the threats it may cause. Spilling the food will not be a problem because the reservoir will lock in place. This can be cleaned easily with a brush.
The removable stainless-steel bowl is also safe for cats. This is more hygienic than plastic bowls. It is easy to clean because it can be detached. It can be sanitized at high temperatures so the bacteria will get killed off. This is also dishwasher safe.
PetSafe is available in two sizes. The small size has a 2 lbs. capacity. The medium size has a 4 lbs. capacity. This also has a simplistic design so it can go well with your home’s décor. Space-saving and safe, this food station is sure to keep your cats well-fed and happy.
Pros:
- Sturdy BPA-free reservoir
- Hygienic stainless-steel bowl
- Dishwasher safe
- All-day and all-night feeder
Cons:
- Does not completely fill the owl
- Food may get jammed
- Small food bowl
Happypapa Pet Feeder
If you want more features than a simple gravity feeder, this one from Happypapa might be the one for you. It is powered by 3 D-cell batteries and costs less than $70. This will give you more advanced features at a more affordable price than other advanced ones in the market.
You can set up at which time you want the feeder to dispense food into the bowl. The food will always be stored in the hopper, and the food will only be dispensed at the time you set. Happypapa can record your voice so that your cats will hear when their food is ready. It will make them feel like you were actually there.
The hopper has a food storage capacity of 5.5 liters. The unit itself is only 3.7 lbs. so it is easy to carry. The material is made of ABS plastic. It is environment-friendly, sunshine, and shock resistant. Both the hopper and the food tray are removable, so it is easy to clean. They should only be wiped with a damp cloth and never soak them.
This has a large LCD screen display where you can configure the settings. It is simple enough to set the time and amount of food to be dispensed. However, you have to set it up again every time you shut it down. The amount of food you can set is from one to ten cups.
Pros:
- Timely and accurate feeding
- Has a voice recorder
- Easy to clean
- Can be used for cats, dogs, chicken, or rabbits
Cons:
- Always have to be set up
- For indoor use only
- Not recommended for pets under three months old
Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser
If you do not have the time to feed your cats every meal, no problem.
Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder will allow you to set it up daily, so your cats are properly fed each day even without you there the whole time. For less than $90, your pet will be kept happily fed.
This feeder has a 1.14-gallon capacity, and you can set this up to dispense up to four alarm times. At each time period, you are allowed up to 10 portions of 24 ml of food. Therefore, if one portion is not enough, you can set it to dispense more portions. This is good for preventing over- or under-feeding your cats. This will keep them on a healthy diet.
The feeder features a blue light-up LCD clock and has a display that allows you to adjust the settings easily. It has a magnetic lock lid so your cat cannot reach in for extra food. The food tray is secured by slots on the side so your cats cannot mess around with it.
Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder can record a 10-second message so they can hear your call when it is time to eat. This food dispenser can be plugged in via DC power cable to an outlet, or you can use 3 D-cell batteries. This allows you effortless feeding for your cats.
Pros:
- Easily customizable
- Runs on batteries or power outlet
- Has a voice recorder
- Has a magnetic lock lid
Cons:
- Needs to be reset every time it is shut down
- Food may get stuck
- Not recommended for very small kittens
Westlink 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser
This food dispenser from Westlink makes feeding your cats effortless. It will keep them healthy by dispensing the amount of food for their dietary needs. This unit will cost you less than $100. It fits for most small and medium-sized dogs.
This Westlink food dispenser has a storage capacity of 6L. You can set it to dispense up to 39 portions of food for four meals a day. Each portion is 10 to 12 g so you can easily pick the right amount of food for your cat. This also features an infrared sensor. The dispenser will not release food if it detects that there is still food left in the bowl.
For automatic cat feeders, food getting stuck is the biggest problem. The dispenser can get stuck and will not dispense food. With this pet feeder, you can prevent your cat from going hungry while you are away. The infrared detection stops the food from locking. It is recommended that you use this with dry food that is not bigger than 1 cm.
You will have to press two keys at the same time to operate it. Your pet will not be able to mess with the controls. A 10-second voice message can also be recorded. This uses three D-cell batteries, or you can plug it in via USB.
Pros:
- Prevents food lock and spills
- Prevents pet touch
- Large capacity
- Has built-in infrared detection
Cons:
- Portion sizes are small
- Bad quality voice recording
- Cannot keep ants away from the food
PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
If you have the money to spend for a cat feeder or you simply want to splurge on your cats, this one is for you. For less than $80, you can have this impressive pet feeder that can be programmed using your smartphone. PetSafe Smart Feeder is truly revolutionary and makes feeding your beloved cats in a really modernized way.
As a modern cat parent, you can now feed your cats by using your smartphones. This is a truly remarkable innovation in pet feeding. You can program the feeder by using the smartphone app on your iPhone or iPad with iOS 9 or higher. If you use Android, the operating system should at least be Android 5.0 or higher.
You can schedule up to 12 meals and dispense 1/8 to 4 cups of food. If you need to feed them, but it has not been previously scheduled, you can do so via the Feed Now option. You also have the option to slowly dispense the food to prevent your cat from gulping down everything and get sick then vomit the food.
You can do all the programming within the dispenser itself or through your smartphone.
PetSafe Smart Feeder can be connected to your home Wi-Fi. Even if the connection gets lost, it will still work as long as it has been scheduled beforehand.
The lid, hopper, bowl, and bowl holder are all dishwasher safe, so it is easy to clean. The bowl is made of stainless-steel while the others are made of BPA-free plastic. All these are safe for your cats and will prevent contamination in their food. It runs on a power adapter and can have a 4 D-cell battery backup.
Pros:
- Programmable via smartphones
- Wi-Fi ready
- Easy to clean
- Can hold dry or semi-moist food
- Pet-proof dispenser
Cons:
- The app sometimes crashes
- Loose stainless-steel bowl
- Ants can still get inside
Factors to Consider When Buying an Automatic Cat Feeder
Number of Cats
Cats can be aggressive when it comes to feeding time. Sometimes they do not like sharing. When you have multiple cats, it may be best to consider buying one for each. If your cats like sharing, then you are lucky, one should be enough to keep the well-fed. Just make sure that it will dispense food enough for all of them.
Type of Food
Automatic feeders for dry food cannot be used for wet food and vice versa. Before you buy, make sure that the unit will be able to dispense the type of food you feed your cats. Most automatic cat feeders are for dry food, and there are not many options for wet food dispensers.
Storage
Automatic cat feeders also come in different sizes. You should know your cats’ dietary needs before you buy one. You do not want them to go hungry or become obese. Keep them healthy by choosing the right size that dispenses the right portions for your cats.
Scheduling
This is only applicable to automatic dispensers that are programmable. Different units have a different number of time schedules that you can set up. Some can be set up to as low as four times a day while some can be set up for more than that. It still depends on how much food your cat needs to eat.
Conclusion
Automatic cat feeders can keep your cats healthy by helping control the amount of food they eat. This is also especially helpful when you are not with them at all times. Feeding them can be effortless and does not require much of your time.
Now that you know some of the best automatic cat feeders. You can rest assured that your cats will always have food even when you are not around. They will be well-fed and kept happy at all times. Some can even record your voice, so it will be like you were there to feed them. Automatic cat feeders are a great help for cat parents to regularly feed their cat babies.