Compare Our Picks
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Photo: Molly Higgins
Oneisall 2-in-1 Automatic Cat Feeder and Water Dispenser for $54: Overall, I am a fan of all the Oneisall pet products that I have tried. Although not the most technologically advanced, it is always reliable and affordable. This example is simple. To set up, you’ll need to attach the bowl holders and dishwasher-safe stainless steel bowls, fill the bowls with water and kibble, and plug them in. This model uses corded power but has the option of 4 AA batteries in case of a power outage. There is no software attached. You just set the clock and adjust the meal settings, and you can schedule one to six meals a day with adjustable portions, from one to 10 portion sizes. I don’t like to have food and water too close, as cats prefer to be separated to prevent cross contamination in the wild I always recommend it automatic pet springs instead of a new water source, but if you don’t have a lot of space, are on a budget, and need a temporary solution to getting fresh water for your cat while you’re out of town, a gravity-fed water system ensures that the water stays fresh (plus, the translucent tank makes it easy to check water levels). I’d recommend this basic option if you’re on a budget and need a temporary solution when you’re out and about (and don’t mind not having a bundled app).
Photo: Molly Higgins
Close Pets C200 Automatic Feeder 2 Meals for $50: This automatic feeder is very simple, which is both its weakness and its strength. They are two compact plastic containers with stainless steel stirrers (both dishwasher safe) and tamper-resistant lids that close and open automatically using an old-fashioned egg-style timer that runs on AA batteries instead of electricity. Although the container has an ice pack to keep the food moist, after one night it lost almost all of its coolness. There is a lid clip attachment, a small piece of plastic that holds the lids together to ensure they will open at the same time, which is very useful for two cat owners like me. I wish the timer was electronic so I could set it to the exact time I want it to open, instead of guessing the time on a little marker. However, this is a simple solution to help ensure all my cats are fed wet food without me waking up at the crack of dawn.
Photo: Molly Higgins
Oneisall Cordless WiFi Automatic Cat Feeder for $70: I had high hopes for this wireless transmitter that boasts a 100-day rechargeable battery and built-in software, but it’s not reliable. Through the app, you can plan up to 10 daily meals (in 1-12 portions each), track pet intake, and customize meal calls. Unlike other programs, you cannot choose the portion size, but instead you have to multiply the number of servings. The app gave me constant problems, and often disconnected from the transmitter and failed to reconnect to WiFi. Fortunately, I was able to plan meals through the screen and buttons, but it would have been better if the app worked reliably.
Do not suggest
Courtesy of Amazon
Catit Pixi Smart 6-Meal Feeder for $100: Like others on this list, the Catit Pixi wet and dry feeder uses ice packs to keep wet food fresh and rotates the meals in six compartments on a set schedule. The schedule can be programmed through the software or changed on the body of the feeder. At this price point, software shouldn’t be this limited and glitchy. The schedule is only available in military time, and the program is very limited—you can only set a meal schedule for the same day, and when I wanted to eat only two to three meals a day spread over two days, I had to schedule meals for each new day. The feeder was not cool enough to dispense the meals and the moist food was not at a safe temperature to eat. At this price, just get it Petlibro Polar wet feeder for a few bucks more.
Catit Pixi Smart Cat Feeder for $140: Kibble is stored in the body of this dry feeder, but it does not have a window to check the food levels. The meal planning calendar only shows one week at a time, and although it should be repeated every day according to the schedule, I noticed that some days there would be no schedule despite setting one. Pixi also doesn’t tell you how much food was served; it just refers to it as a “portion” – I measured it by hand and found the portion was less than a teaspoon. After using it consistently for over a month, I found it very glitchy and almost never reliable sticking to a set schedule, sometimes skipping meals altogether. This feeder can be dangerous, and I would caution pet parents against relying on it.
C500 Favorites for $75: This automatic wet and dry feeder can schedule up to four pre-portioned meals (and one manually dispensed meal) that are opened with a timer system using three AA batteries (sold separately). The user presets four times when they want the bowls, which have ice packs on the bottom, to rotate. The bowls are deep and narrow and not very easy for the cat to reach, which can cause whisker fatigue. And even though there are two ice packs, when I checked the feeder after a night’s sleep, the packs weren’t very cold. This would be fine for eating food, but the wet food was kept at an unsafe temperature, and my cats couldn’t get to all the food.
Why Use an Auto Feeder?
Automatic feeders are ideal for pet owners who want to help manage their pets’ weight and monitor eating patterns. Additionally, they allow more control and precision for owners to learn how much their cat eats and when. Because cats are usually nocturnal, many have the annoying habit of waking you up in the early hours, demanding food, and these allow you to set a schedule that best suits their schedule without disrupting yours.
Of course, it’s never recommended to leave pets alone for long periods of time, but these automatic feeders give you more peace of mind and are healthier for your pet than leaving lots of food for free feeding while you’re away at night. Simply put, it’s an easy way to feed and monitor your cat’s health with little work for you, the human.
I have two rescue cats, ages 4 and 5, and they eat two meals of wet food a day and a small amount of dry kibble throughout the day. Veterinarian (and TikTokkers) have managed to convince me to switch to a wet food diet, however, which has more water. This provides more moisture in their diet, which helps with potentially life-threatening problems such as UTIwhich is especially prevalent in male cats. I still like to give them small, dry meals throughout the day to satisfy their need to eat.
For dry food, I use Hill Science Nutrition, and for wet food, I use it Pieces of Friskies various. (Yes, Shreds only. Fellow cat owners will understand.)
I configured the plugins, noting the ease of setup, potential problems, and program navigation. I also tried various schedules and manual feeding through the program, noting any issues. I used each of the feeds for at least a week, if not more.
How Long Can I Leave My Cat Alone?
Although cats are generally thought to be less fussy than dogs, it’s still not good to leave your cat alone for long periods of time. In extreme cases, you can leave the cat alone 24 to 48 hours and organized and clean feed water sourcebut it’s not recommended—especially for cats with health problems, cats under one year old, or very old cats. Although these feeders are automated, and meals can be scheduled in advance and for days, our pets still need their human companions around for pampering, care, and love.
