Automatic feeder

Original setup:


Bottom part shows the 10lbs Petmate Le Bistro Portion-Control Automatic Pet Feeder:
http://www.amazon.com/Petmate-LeBist...5520067&sr=8-5

With Blue Wilderness kibble at least, it dispenses fairly accurately and reliably, up to three meals a day, adjustable in 1/4 cup increments up to 2 cups IIRC.

I purchased it in February, and it has worked well. Occasionally Wesley has been able to jar out extra food ahead of schedule, but that just takes out a bit from the next meal so they haven't ever been overfed.

Just this week though after reading another thread about chin acne, although we've never had a hint of an issue and you can sanitize plastic (in the dishwasher or letting anti-bacterial soap suds sit on it for a few mins), I decided to go ahead and replace the stock plastic bowls with glass plates since they were on clearance and matched the smaller glass plates they use for their wet food.



I used double-sticky tape to tape down the food dispenser itself (batteries last at least 6months so you really never have to move it), taped down some anti-slip mats for the glass plates to sit on, and taped on some chopsticks right by the outlet just to be extra sure they can't reach their paw in there to lift the dispenser lid. I now have four heavy glass plates so a clean replacement is always available with no rush to wash by hand.

If I had five cats, just to be extra sure they didn't mess with it, I would probably prop it up on a shelf they couldn't access (one just big enough for the feeder) and use a PVC tube going down to a shallow stainless steel trough (not deep since cats don't like touching their whiskers much while eating). This way the food is spread out more.