Sometimes it’s just easier to let someone else do the homework for you.
If you plan to go away on a short vacation, like a long weekend or even just a quick day trip, that will be enough time for your cat to go hungry and might make him or her grumpy upon your return.
With that in mind, here is our list of the Best Automatic Cat Feeders for Cats and the Best Dog Feeders, “just in case.”
These are the best automatic cat feeders that let your cat eat when he or she wants, even if you’re not around.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Sure Petcare -SureFlap | Best Overall |  |
| Van Ness Medium Auto Feeder | Budget Pick |  |
| WESTLINK 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Sure Petcare -SureFlap
The SureFeed Pet Feeder from SurePetcare is the world’s first pet feeder that recognizes your cat’s microchip and only allows him/her to have access to the food. That means no more worrying about greedy children unlocking/emptying the bin while your cat is hiding under the table.
As the name suggests, this feeder is suitable for both dogs and cats, and works equally well for both dry and wet food.
It can hold about 4 pounds of food, and can be programmed on a daily basis to dispense meals at specific times. You can set up to 3 meals to be dispensed in a 24 hour period, with the maximum per meal being 2 cups (too many than this may cause the motor to burn out).
2. WESTLINK 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser
Pros:
- Has a voice recorder
- Size is decent
- Very easy to clean
- Can be programed using a phone app
- Water reservoir can be detached for refilling
- Dog proof
Cons:
- Water reservoir is only 3.5 ounces
- Voice recorder has low volume
24H Automatic Feeder for Dogs Cats Lunch Box(1.5-Liter)
We recommend the WestLINK 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Cat Dog with Voice Recorder and Timer Programmable 24H Automatic Feeder for Dogs Cats Lunch Box. Having over 2300 reviews, this Automatic Pet Feeder gets a rating of 4.3 stars which is pretty impressive if you ask us.
One really nice thing about this automatic feeder is that it plays a sound when the food is served and also lets your dog know when it’s time for them to go to the bathroom when using the timer option.
3. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
A lot of pet owners find it hard to deal with the burden of feeding their pets regularly through the day. This is especially true if you work often and leave your pets at home.
The PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed is a perfect solution for people who feed their pets on a regular schedule, and want to save time. You simply sit it atop your kitchen counter and leave your dog or cat to do the eating.
You’ll never need to worry about your pet going hungry or being left behind in the house. The cats can eat directly from Pet Safe’s Simply Feed, while the dogs may have to wait for you to drop in some pet food.
4. PetSafe Dog and Cat Food Dispenser
Pros:
- Programmable – up to 12 meals per day
- Tamper-resistant
- Holds up to 20 lb of dry food
- Available in 2 or 5 meal dispensers
- Great for dogs and cats
Cons:
- Slightly pricey
- Somewhat inefficient – can only hold up to 20 lbs of dry food
- Doesn’t work well with raw food
- Mechanical button needs to be pressed often
Up to 20 lb.
The PetSafe SmartFeed Automatic Pet Feeder can hold 5 meals of dry food for dogs or cats, and claims that it can hold between 1 and 20 lbs of dry food, though from some of our tests may be slightly short.
The feeder is programmable and can be set to feed anywhere between one meal and 12 meals per day, so you can decide just how chubby your pet gets. It’s also extremely easy to clean and maintain.
5. AmazonBasics Gravity Pet Food Feeder and Water Dispensers
The AmazonBasics gravity pet food dispenser is a great pet accessory. It’s easy to use and has a compact size that won’t take up a lot of space.
This automatic pet feeder weighs the portion size, measures the amount of pet food it’ll dispense, and then releases it into its bowl. It runs on four AA batteries that should last up to one month.
The automatic pet feeder can hold two separate meals for 2 cats, or mix up to 25 cups of dry pet food. Some people who use this device have two cats, so one can eat while the other has to wait. Some customers say this keeps their cat occupied and from begging for its food.
6. Pet Feedster Automatic Dog Feeder
(Best Overall)
It’s the most advanced automatic pet feeder ever created. And I never would have thought to create this product.
See for yourself here:
- Before we get into the reviews, here are our absolute favorite automatic cat feeders:
- Artificial intelligence is the single biggest revolution to hit the pet care industry since the advent of the dog washing industry.
- Yup.
- And it’s happening faster than you think.
- One example is the Pet Feedster.
7. Van Ness Medium Auto Feeder
Pros:
- Adjustable timers with a 120-minute maximum period
- You can set multiple meal timers
- Dishwasher-safe
- Our top recommendation
Cons:
- The lid might start to come away after several months of use.
Are you tired of getting up in the middle of the night to feed the cat? Worry no more. Automatic cat feeders are specially designed for this purpose, and we have taken the time to choose the best of the best.
The Van Ness Auto-Feeder has timers that are adjusted in terms of time. This makes it ideal for feeding your pet different amounts at different times – no more waking up in the middle of the night and forgetting to feed the cat.
The timer also serves the purpose of not getting overconfident and leaving your pet hungry. Similarly, you may also want to keep the cat fed at a certain time of the day, for example, during the night. Therefore, an automatic pet feeder helps you to keep messing up with your pet’s daily diet by giving them the right amount of food at the right time.
8. Homdox Automatic Cat Pet Feeder
Pros:
- Timer
- Portion control
- Voice recording
- Works with both wet and dry food
- Easy to program
- Cat friendly
- Affordable
- Reliable
- Works as advertised
Cons:
- Cat needs to be ‘tricked’ at first
- Might be confusing for a novice owner
- Heavy when filled
Catalogs are filled with automatic cat feeders but most are flimsy and prone to breakage. Homdox feeder offers a high-quality automatic pet feeder made with a solid plastic construction that holds 3 liters of food. It’s filled from the top which means there’s less risk of leakage.
The unit is pretty durable and well built. Also the built-in timer is easy to use and it automatically stops dispensing food once it’s been filled up with the selected portions. Without hands worrying about the cat’s schedule makes them happy too.
9. Jempet Automatic Pet Feeder
Pros:
- Five compartment automatic pet feeder
- Space saver design
- Hold up to five pounds of food … big enough to feed big cats and dogs
- Programmable timers
- Super safe and secure
- Works with timers … set it at certain times to feed your pet
- Works with timers and speakers
- Features voice recorder … record your own message to your pet (your pet will never feel alone)
- Simple recorder allows you to record messages for your pet and play at specific times
- Can be used for up to three animals
Cons:
- Plastic may not be as durable as some would like to see
- Poor customer service; the company may not always help you when you have a problem
2 Standard Size Pet Bowls, Adjustable Feeding Amount, Optional WiFi Control From Android Or Ios Device.
Something incredible about this is that you can be away from home or be in a different room and still get reports on your pet’s eating times.
10. isYoung 5.5L Automatic Pet Feeder Electronic Control Feeder
This automatic feeder is easy to set up and use. There are good instructions on how to set it up and 6 pre-set programs that you can choose from if you want to keep your pet on a schedule. It’s flexible in that you can change it each day if you like, how many times you want feeds, if you want treats mixed into the food and how many treats you want mixed in. You can also program the feeder to do a certain amount of meals per day.
The LCD screen is easy to read and there are voice recordings to let you know how much food is left, when it’s time for the pet to eat and when the battery is low.
You can record your own voice to say whatever you want when your pet is ready to eat or when the battery needs to be changed. It’s also possible to adjust the frequency of the voice announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the best automatic cat feeders?
Automatic cat feeders are life-changing if you are busy or on-the-go. You won't have to scoop food into a dish or toss treats for your cat to chase. Some automatic cat feeders can even manage portion control by ensuring your cat eats what he needs to be healthy. Automatic cat feeders are the most convenient way to control your cat's feeding schedule and amounts while you are traveling or working.
Are automatic cat feeders a good idea?
Automatic cat feeders are great for people on the go. By setting the timer, the feeder manages the portions, so there is less to worry about.
If you travel or work long hours, you can leave comfortable knowing your pets will have a meal when they need it. Moreover, it can be quite stressful for your cats to be alone for a long time. Feeders can remove that stress from them.
But that is not all. Automatic feeders let you feed multiple cats simultaneously, as they are equipped with multiple feeding stations. However, if you have only one cat, an automatic feeder is absolutely a great option.
Worry no more, these automatic cat feeders we have listed below are the best of their kind according to our order.
Are automatic feeders bad for cats?
The concept of an automatic feeder for cats is becoming exceedingly popular because of the convenience it offers. It frees users from having to scour for meals.
In addition, it ensures cats have access to the right portions of food at the right time. This is especially beneficial to cats with obesity problems. The feeders are also exceptional at preventing cats from becoming too accustomed to being fed on demand.
There has been some conversation that automatic cat feeders can be bad for the health of cats. The issue is that feeders can potentially provide cats with too much food. They could become dependent on this excess food, causing hepatic lipidosis.
However, feeding them up to 20% extra food at any given time should not be a problem. It does require monitoring, though. If you notice that the cat is showing physical obesity symptoms, increase the amount of exercise rather than risk an adverse reaction.
How do automatic cat feeders work?
Modern automatic cat feeders work by analyzing paw pressure on the pet feeder when it senses that the cat is about to eat. As cats cannot eat and walk at the same time, they will typically put their front paws on the food tray to have their meal. At this time, the cat feeder will close and open when it senses even the slightest pressure of the cat’s paw to the pet water. This information is then fed to the timer feeder. The timer timer will then open at pre-set feeding times, allowing your cat to have access to food.
Conclusion
In the Amazon, automatic cat feeder is featured as the bestseller which has over 3600 reviews. However, among all of them the best one for me are reviewed below. First one is Petsafe Slow Feed Bowl which is very easy to use with two settings slow feed and fast feed. It is not a battery operated device which makes it easy to use. Second one is PetSafe 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder with Dry Food Dispenser. With this auto feeder it is very easy to set it up.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Sure Petcare -SureFlap | Best Overall | |
| Van Ness Medium Auto Feeder | Budget Pick | |
| WESTLINK 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser | Upgrade Pick | |