What your opinion on gravity automatic feeder? I want to get one so the dry don't go stail or bad do you guys use it? Does it really refill what the cats eat? Does it get clogged? How often do you clean it out?
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Gravity automatic feeder
- Thread starter mewlittle
- Start Date
I don't have any personal experience with automatic feeders, but here are some reviews. There are several threads that ask the same question; here is one.
I fed prey model raw and was considering buying an automatic feeder. During the work week I am gone 12 hours, and Ritz is starvin' marvin' when I get home, and she will sometimes vomit if she eats, after not eating for a prolonged period of time. But as I understand it, a gravity feeder operates on, well, gravity, and I was concerned the raw food wouldn't weigh enough. Then there is of course the issue of keeping the food somewhat cool.
I was also concerned about how noisy they are--Ritz startles easily. (Doesn't like the sound of the automatic ice maker.)
I fed prey model raw and was considering buying an automatic feeder. During the work week I am gone 12 hours, and Ritz is starvin' marvin' when I get home, and she will sometimes vomit if she eats, after not eating for a prolonged period of time. But as I understand it, a gravity feeder operates on, well, gravity, and I was concerned the raw food wouldn't weigh enough. Then there is of course the issue of keeping the food somewhat cool.
I was also concerned about how noisy they are--Ritz startles easily. (Doesn't like the sound of the automatic ice maker.)
Do you mean one like this?
As the cat eats, the food just keeps filling up the tray beause of gravity. These types of feeders may encourage a cat to overeat and become obese beause food is available all the time.
I don't think these feeders get clogged. The hole that the food falls through is fairly big.
The tray part should be cleaned daily and any food in the tray thrown out. Bacteria from the cat's saliva will get all over the food and the tray and mold and other thigns can grow whch may make a cat sick.
These feeders don't need to be kept filled to the top with dry food all the time. Fill it once and when the food level is tray kevel, fill the feeder again. Or, before you do that give the feeder a thorough cleaning with soap and water.
I don't know if these feeders keep dry food from becoming stale or to go bad.
Ritz, raw food would't work with a gravity feeder. Raw food shouldn't be left out all day anyways. A programmable timed feeder like the PetSafe 5 comaprtment one could be used but I don't know how a prey model raw diet would work for it.
As the cat eats, the food just keeps filling up the tray beause of gravity. These types of feeders may encourage a cat to overeat and become obese beause food is available all the time.
I don't think these feeders get clogged. The hole that the food falls through is fairly big.
The tray part should be cleaned daily and any food in the tray thrown out. Bacteria from the cat's saliva will get all over the food and the tray and mold and other thigns can grow whch may make a cat sick.
These feeders don't need to be kept filled to the top with dry food all the time. Fill it once and when the food level is tray kevel, fill the feeder again. Or, before you do that give the feeder a thorough cleaning with soap and water.
I don't know if these feeders keep dry food from becoming stale or to go bad.
Ritz, raw food would't work with a gravity feeder. Raw food shouldn't be left out all day anyways. A programmable timed feeder like the PetSafe 5 comaprtment one could be used but I don't know how a prey model raw diet would work for it.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
My cats don't over eat dry and when I remove it they don't go nuts like other cats I had and all my cats arent overweight there in good weight I can't do raw feeding right now because of finacel issues
I used a gravity feeder years ago. I never had any problems with it, but I wouldn't use one now. It's hard to tell how much each cat is eating when they have so much food constantly available, so I would be worried about not catching any health issues until they get serious. Not eating (or eating less, or being pickier than usual) is often the first sign of something wrong.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
All my cats get wet everyday they eat the wet normal and eat there whole serving and I see all the cats eating the dry everyday if I don't see one of the cats eat the dry or the wet I put them in a room for 24 hours to make sure there eating and using the litter box normally they do eat good and use the litter box if i do separate and I rarely do separate if needed the reason why I leave the dry out its because most of my cats are 5 mos old considered kittens and all my cats are doing great there healthy and at good weight
Every time I do a feeding schedule of 3-4 times a day the kittens wont eat there amount I notice they eat less if on a schedule and the adults would act like there starving when there not and yes I'm keeping a eye on there weight
The reason why I wanted the gravity feeder so the air wouldn't make the dry stale and the kittens like to play in the dry sometimes I wanted to see if the gravity feeder stops that yes they have toys etc lol
Every time I do a feeding schedule of 3-4 times a day the kittens wont eat there amount I notice they eat less if on a schedule and the adults would act like there starving when there not and yes I'm keeping a eye on there weight
The reason why I wanted the gravity feeder so the air wouldn't make the dry stale and the kittens like to play in the dry sometimes I wanted to see if the gravity feeder stops that yes they have toys etc lol
