Cat Feeder Options: The Best Ways to Feed Your Cat

If you’re looking to adopt a cat, then there’s one fact you should take to heart more than any other. Meal time is serious business for your feline friend.

And if you already have cats? Then your furry friends have probably told you at one point or another that late meals simply won’t be tolerated. Unfortunately, as much as you might want to, you can’t hang out with your cats every minute of the day to serve as their personal chef. But you can make sure they have a happy tummy even when you’re not around by matching their needs to a cat feeder.

The Best Cat Feeders for Your Furry Friend

There are a variety of automated systems that can feed your cat even when you’re away. However, keep in mind that cats are social beings and can get lonely if you’re on an extended trip.

So having someone visit regularly, even if they don’t need to feed your cat, can make things a lot less stressful for them while you’re away from home. Try pairing the following options with some love and care from humans.

Microchip Feeders: What are They?

The amount of food a cat should eat varies. Age, activity level, health, and more all impact a cat’s dietary requirements.

A microchip feeder is a non-automatic feeder that only opens for the one cat whose microchip it is paired with. The feeder matches what it dispenses to the individual cat. This ensures that every cat in a multi-cat household can stick to a specific diet.

Detractions:

There are a few issues to keep in mind when considering microchip feeders. And both of the most significant problems are tied to the very thing that makes the feeder so powerful; its digital nature.

Potential Malfunction

Microchip systems rely on multiple contact points. The combination of the microchip, the feeder itself, and the app mean that if any – or a combination – of these contact points go awry or malfunction, the feeder can be compromised. This can result in issues setting up or maintaining a feeding schedule, and even result in your cat not being fed.

Dead batteries

A microchip feeder will ideally have some form of backup power for emergencies. However, in a worst-case scenario, a microchip feeder might run out of power and cease to dispense food. This is especially true for feeders whose sole source of power comes from batteries without an AC power option.

For these reasons, it’s always recommended to have someone check in on your cats a minimum of one time each day while you’re away. In addition to ensuring your cat’s microchip feeder is operating and your kitty’s being fed, a cat sitter can check on the condition of the litter and give your kitties plenty of love, attention, and playtime.

Automatic Feeders, Explained

An automatic feeder, like a microchip feeder, is electronic. But instead of being tied to a microchip, it operates on a set schedule. You simply need to program in your cat’s preferred meal times, and it’ll serve the meal.

The basic models simply dispense food at the times you specify. But more advanced models even offer features like built-in video streaming or other Wi-Fi-enabled functionality.

As with microchip feeders, it’s wise to have someone stop in daily while you’re away to check that the automatic feeder is still in good working order. While they’re there, the cat sitter can also attend to litter, playtime, and bring in your mail or water your plants.

Gravity Self Feeders

These are simpler non-electronic feeders that rely on gravity. As a cat eats food from the bottom of the system, it’s continually replaced by the food stores above.

The potential downside comes from cats being able to control how much they eat. This can be an issue for a cat prone to overeating.

Even cats not inclined to overindulge with a free-feeding gravity feeder may engage in stress eating in your absence. Accordingly, it’s always best to have someone check in on your kitty at least once a day to ensure all is well with their self feeder. While they are there, they can offer love, attention, and plenty of play time as well as keeping your plants watered and bringing in packages or mail.

The Old Fashioned Way: Food Bowls

The one you’re already quite familiar with. You put down a bowl, fill it with food, and possibly pet your cats as they enjoy the experience with you. It’s not the most high-tech option, and it’s ill-advised if you’re going to be away from home for a while. However, it’s the method that ensures your cat knows you’re looking out for them.

That’s why it’s often a good idea to still fill a bowl with cat food every now and then, even if you’re using an automatic feeder. It’s less about the food and more about telling your cats that you love them.

If your cats are used to being fed one meal at a time from a plate, bowl, or even puzzle feeder, it’s best to keep that routine when you’re away from home so as not to introduce a change in routine alongside your absence. Accordingly, many cat parents hire a cat sitter to come by once or twice a day to feed their cats as they’re accustomed to while also providing play time, attention, and affection as well as bringing in the mail and packages and even watering the plants.

Other Thoughts

The main options to consider at this point include the following:

•  Microchip: Provides the strongest level of high-tech control
•  Automatic: Provides food on a set schedule
•  Gravity: Cat food falls from storage above into the bowl below
•  Traditional: A simple bowl, food, and love

However, you should also weigh a few other points when thinking over your options. How you go about providing food is often just as important as the feeding system itself.

Have Multiple Bowls for Multiple Cats

If you have multiple cats, then you should consider having separate bowls or feeders for them. Cats are social, but also tend to be possessive. They like having things that they know are theirs. Likewise, having their own bowl can cut down on potential stressors. Separate bowls can also make it easier to keep a cat on a special diet that his brothers or sisters wouldn’t benefit from.

Create a Consistent Feeding Schedule

Always remember that cats love predictability. One nice benefit of automated systems is that you can maintain those schedules even if you’re away from home.

You can enhance this by scheduling some help to ensure other parts of their schedules are still in place as well. Just having a human being around to remind your cats that you’ll be back can mean the world to your furry friend. And please bear in mind that it’s always smart to have someone check in on the kitties at least once a day while you’re away to ensure things are going according to plan while you’re not there.