If you’re often away from home (or simply asleep) during your cat’s preferred meal time, you’ve likely considered investing in an automatic cat feeder at some point. Designed to provide food for your pet on a set schedule, the best automatic cat feeders are easy to set up, program and clean, so you never have to worry about your feline friend missing a meal. Our top pick for most people is the PetSafe Smart Feed Electronic Pet Feeder, a reliable model that holds up to 24 cups of dry or semi-moist cat food.
The best automatic cat feeders like the Petlibro Polar Wet Food Feeder and PetSafe Smart Feed … [+] Electronic Pet Feeder automate feedings by dispensing a set amount of dry or wet food at specific times throughout the day.
Illustration: Forbes / Image: Retailers
“Cats naturally eat 10 to 20 small meals a day, so feeding frequently is more in tune with the cat’s natural instincts,” explains Molly DeVoss, a certified feline training and behavior specialist. “I feed my cat five times a day, but can’t always be there in person to serve the meal. A feeder is ideal for that.” While shopping, keep in mind that not all models can dispense wet food, and if you want advanced features like Wi-Fi connectivity, you need to pay extra. Whether you want a smart feeder with a built-in camera or an affordable low-tech option, these are the best automatic cat feeders on the market in 2024.
A Large-Capacity Smart Feeder To Automate Your Routine
Amazon
PetSafe Smart Feed Electronic Pet Feeder
Max capacity: 24 cups | Dimensions: 13.3 x 10.3 x 15.8 inches | Weight: 8.6 pounds | Food type: Dry, semi-moist
Pros:
Connects to smartphone
Slow feed option
Dishwasher safe components
Cons:
Bowl can slide away from feeder
The PetSafe Smart Feed Pet Feeder can help ensure your cat never misses a meal. This automatic feeder can hold up to 24 cups of dry or semi-moist cat food, and you can program it to dispense up to 12 meals a day, adjusting the portion size to fit your cat’s needs. For easy scheduling, connect the feeder to your smartphone, and when the hopper is low on food, you receive a notification.
This feeder uses a unique food conveyor that helps to prevent jams, plus it has a slow feed option, which dispenses food over the course of 15 minutes, for cats who eat too quickly. The bowl, bowl holder, lid and hopper are all top-rack dishwasher safe, and the feeder has a battery backup to ensure your pet gets fed even if the power goes out.
Best Budget Automatic Cat Feeder
A Sleek Automatic Feeder That Keeps Food Fresh
Amazon
Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder
Max capacity: 5 liters | Dimensions: 11 x 7 x 7 inches | Weight: 4.2 pounds | Food type: Dry
Pros:
Sleek design
Keeps food fresh
Message recording feature
Cons:
Portion sizes are confusing
If you’re looking for a less expensive automatic cat feeder, this sleek model from Petlibro lets you schedule up to six meals a day for your pet The feeder can hold up to 5 liters of dry cat food and accommodate different size kibble, and you can adjust how much food it dispenses at each meal by increasing the number of “portions.” (This can be a little confusing at first—you may need to use trial and error to figure out the best portion size for your pet.)
One of the unique aspects of this cat feeder is that it’s designed to keep food fresh. It has a slot for a desiccant bag insides its hopper, which absorbs moisture to prevent food from going stale, and it has an airtight seal, as well. You can even record a custom message that will play at mealtime, calling your pet to eat.
Best Automatic Cat Feeder For Multiple Cats
A Unit That Dispenses Food Into Separate Bowls
Amazon
Welltobe Automatic Cat Feeder
Max capacity: 4 liters | Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 14.2 inches | Weight: 4.9 pounds | Food type: Dry
Pros:
Includes food splitter
Keeps food fresh
Battery backup
Cons:
Confusing to program
If you have two cats, the Welltobe Automatic Cat Feeder makes it possible to feed them both at the same time. The design comes with a convenient splitter and two bowls, which dispenses a separate portion for each of your pets. You can use the machine to schedule up to six meals per day, and the removable food hopper can hold up to 4 liters of dry kibble.
The feeder has room for a desiccant bag inside the hopper, which helps keep your cat’s food fresh, and there’s a built-in voice recorded in case you want to play a custom message for your pet. A battery backup ensures your pet won’t miss any meals, even if your home loses power, and the stainless steel bowls are easy to clean.
Best Automatic Cat Feeder With Camera
A High-Tech Feeder That Shows A Video Of Your Pet
Amazon
Wopet Pioneer Automatic Pet Feeder
Max capacity: 29 cups | Dimensions: 9.7 x 12.8 x 15.1 inches | Weight: 5.7 pounds | Food type: Dry
Pros:
Built-in HD camera
Large hopper
Battery backup
Cons:
No night vision
You can keep an eye on your cat during mealtimes—even when you’re not home—with this model from Wopet. This high-tech gadget has an HD camera built into the front of its hopper, and you can monitor the video feed from your smartphone, checking in on your pet throughout the day. (Just keep in mind that it doesn’t have night vision, so you need to leave a light on nearby if you want to use it after dark.)
Featuring a large, 29-cup hopper, the feeder can hold up to six meals for your cat per day. There’s also a battery backup in case of a power outage and—like the two aforementioned models—you can record custom voice messages to call your pet to their meal.
Best Automatic Cat Feeder For Wet Food
A Compact Feeder That Keeps Wet Food Cold And Fresh
Chewy
Petlibro Polar Wet Food Feeder
Max capacity: 22.2 ounces | Dimensions: 14.2 x 13.4 x 7.7 inches | Weight: 7.5 pounds | Food type: Wet, fresh, prescription
Pros:
Easy to set up
Keeps wet food fresh and cool
Anti-pinch infrared lid sensor prevents feeder from closing mid-feeding
Cons:
Feedings need to be rescheduled every three days
If your cat eats wet or fresh food, you need a special kind of automatic cat feeder. The Petlibro Polar Wet Food Feeder, which I tested before its launch earlier this year, is truly innovative. Featuring three 7.4-ounce compartments, the model uses semiconductor cooling technology to ensure food stays at 50 degrees, meaning you don’t have to worry about your cat’s favorite pâté spoiling or drying out. To schedule the feedings, simply download the Petlibro app on your smartphone, where you can choose the time. When it’s mealtime, the device lets your cat know by playing a chime; then, the food will be available for 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the duration you select in the app. And between feedings, the feeder stays shut tight to keep out pests (and hungry cats).
Best Smart Automatic Cat Feeder
A Splurge-Worthy App-Controlled Feeder
Chewy
Whisker Feeder-Robot Automatic Pet Feeder
Max capacity: 32 cups | Dimensions: 13 x 12.5 x 15 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Food type: Dry
Pros:
App-controlled
Large capacity
Easy to program
Cons:
Expensive
When it comes to ease of use and features, it’s hard to beat the Whisker Feeder-Robot. This high-tech cat feeder can be controlled from your smartphone, allowing you to schedule up to eight meals a day for your pet. Featuring a 32-cup hopper, the feeder can also be used in “gravity mode,” which simply keeps the bowl topped off throughout the day so your cat can graze.
This sleek feeder has anti-jam technology to ensure its chute never gets clogged, and the auto-locking hopper is effective at keeping pets out. It has a battery backup in case you ever lose power, and the feeder sends you a notification when the food level is low, letting you know that maintenance is required.
The author of this story, Camryn Rabideau, is a regular Forbes Vetted contributor with years of experience. As a full-time product reviewer, she’s tested hundreds of products, including pet staples (like cat trees and cat litter) and home essentials (such as electric kettles and patio umbrellas).
For this article, Rabideau consulted two experts: Molly DeVoss, the owner of Cat Behavior Solutions, who’s a certified feline training and behavior specialist, and Stephen Quandt, a cat behavior consultant.
How We Chose The Best Automatic Cat Feeders
We started our hunt for the best automatic cat feeders by identifying popular models from trusted pet brands like PetSafe, Petlibro and Whisker.
Rabideau has personally tested some of the models on this list, including the Petlibro Polar Wet Food Feeder, which she reviewed for Forbes Vetted.
We considered a variety of factors, including capacity, versatility (ie. whether the feeder cat accommodate wet and dry food), smart features, programmability and ease of cleaning.
We also read through tons of customer reviews to better understand what cat owners love about each feeder (and what they don’t love as much).
What to Look For In An Automatic Cat Feeder
Thinking of automating your cat’s feeding schedule? Here are the factors to keep in mind as you browse models.
Food Type
Automatic cat feeders are generally designed to be used with either dry or wet food, so you’ll need to choose a model based on your cat’s current diet. There are both gravity-fed and automatic feeders that you can use with dry cat food, but it’s always important to double-check that the feeder can accommodate the kibble size—otherwise, you may find yourself dealing with regular jams. And remember, if your cat eats wet food, it’s important to select a feeder that can keep the food cold: “Cats thrive on wet food, so look for feeders with reliable cold packs that will keep the product fresh for a few hours,” recommends DeVoss.
Size
Another factor to consider as you shop is how much food the feeder can hold. Dry food feeders typically have a hopper that can store several days worth of food, but some are larger than others. If you opt for a model with a smaller hopper, you’ll end up needing to refill the container more frequently. Automatic cat feeders for wet food, on the other hand, typically have one or more compartments where you can portion out meals. If your cat is going to be alone for a longer period, you may need a feeder that has more compartments.
Features
Automatic models offers a variety of features for you and your pet. The most common feature is the ability to schedule several automated meals throughout the day, but some feeders offer additional functionality, as well: “Some dry dispensers have a built-in camera and speaker to let you see and talk to your cat, and even dispense a treat with a tap on the feeder’s app on your smartphone,” explains Stephen Quandt, a cat behavior consultant. Just keep in mind that special features typically drive up the price of the feeder, so it’s only worthwhile to select features you’ll actually use.
Ease Of Use
It’s important to select an automatic cat feeder that’s easy for both you and your pet to use—otherwise, it may end up being more of a headache than it’s worth. Factors to think about in this regard include how the unit is programmed, how you fill its hopper, and how its components are cleaned. Some cat feeders have dishwasher-safe bowls and hoppers for hands-off cleaning, while others need to be washed by hand.
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