Automatic Feeder suggestions for a toothless cat that only eats pate 4 times a day.

Reid eats at 8am (shot) / 12pm / 4pm / and 8pm (shot.)

I'm going back to work next week and I'll be gone from 8am - 6pm. I need to find an automatic feeder for him that he'll be able to access (it can't be super deep) and that preferably has built in ice packs or that I can pack cold packs into.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I've heard reviews about the CatMate being too deep and of cats scratching their face and whiskers on the plastic but it seems to be the only feeder I can find with built in ice packs at the moment?

Thanks!

 

The Petsafe 5 is a good feeder and it has space for an ice pack (need to purchase it separately). The compartments might be a little deep but you can get little dishes that fit into them. (@Marje and Gracie - could you post info on the little dishes you use when you have a moment, please?).


Mogs
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As Mogs said, I used the Petsafe5 and loved it as did Gracie. I put these small dishes in the compartments so she didn’t have to eat off plastic.

 

@Marje and Gracie - Thanks, Marje! And blessings of the season to you and your loved ones.


Mogs
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You’re welcome, Mogs. Same to you.....stay safe and well.

 

Alternative to the PetSafe is the Catmate5 - it's on amazon/chewy/etc but I ordered from the manufacturer (link here). It has icepacks which I like but I know others do catsicles (freeze cat food in an ice cube tray) or just a regular ice cube in the compartment with the food to help keep the food fresh. I also ordered 2 extra ice packs in case I wanted to use it for AM and PM (so I'd just have to wash it out, reset the times, and put in new ice packs). Good luck

 

The problem with the Cat Mate is that I heard the bowls are quite deep and since Reid has no teeth he struggles to get food from his regular dish now. I looked to see if there were replacement bowls for the Cat Mate and couldn't find any but the Pet Safe reviews said the bowl isn't as deep and replacement bowls are easier to find. He only needs the timer for 12pm and 4pm (I'll be home at 8am and 8pm to feed him) so he really doesn't need a 5 bowl feeder but it's the only thing really out there that I can find.

 

Catmate has a three bowl feeder too.
https://pet-mate.com/us/product/c300-automatic-pet-feeder-with-digital-timer-us/

And you may be able to put those same dishes Marje linked in. I know some people do sushi dishes too. Just a thought. also a benefit of the 5-feeder is to rotate to an empty spot two hours before shot time. Hope you find something that works!

 

There are 2-meal timed feeders available (e.g. Cat Mate C20 - trays are very wide and about 1-1½" deep, comes with ice pack) but they're not as robust or burgle-proof as the Petmate. The other issue with them is that you can't set them to prevent access to food in the 2 hours prior to preshot time.

Here's a link to an old thread where I reviewed the ones I've used:

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/tell-me-about-auto-feeders.152893/#post-1609146


Mogs
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Just for reference, here are the catmate replacement trays (they also have lids and ice packs...just have to change the filter) - https://pet-mate.com/us/shop/?produ...ent-bowls-hopper-us&query_type_pet-feeders=or

That's a helpful write-up, Mogs - hadn't seen it before. BTW, I use my catmate5 for AM and PM feedings BUT I keep always set to the AM. So when I get Jax's food ready for the night, I tell the clock it's 6:45 AM (when it's actually 6:45 PM). And then in the morning, I have to reset the clock to the actual time It's worked so far though I'm intrigued by the petsafe clock options.

 

I use the CatMate 5 and Howie has no teeth too. He’s never had issues with scratching his face or whisker problems. You do need to add water to the food to keep it from drying out. That also helps him lap up the food with his tongue. Make sure to get the small ice packs that are recommended. They’re a godsend! I ordered everything from Amazon.