Automatic cat feeders?

Does/has anyone use them? If so how did it go? Did your cats take to them or not?

we got one for Jim..... and let me tell ya lolol he had that thing figured out in minutes.... it wa the kind set on a timer and the food fell through a slot in the front into the bowl ... it had a large reservoir of food behind it and it seemed kinda like a gumball machine on a timer.....

Jim was a smart very food motivated cat who figured out if he could stick his foot up the shoot he could dislodge food..... we bought this thing so he wouldn't gorge himself while we went away for a day or two.... and it didn't matter he spent hours sitting in front of the darned thing dislodging a couple pieces at a time...... until he had the darned thing emptied...... so I would say it depends on how industrious your kitty is and how determined.....
S

My grandma got one for her cat. He is a scardey cat & pooped all over his automatic feeder. She just threw the dumb thing away. She said it wasn't even worth cleaning up to give to someone else.

I never got one because I feed wet food also. Can you use them with wet food?

I've been thinking of getting one with a timer for weekends and school vacations, because Jamie always wakes me up by 5:30 a.m. for breakfast. He eats dry in the morning, so it should work.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I never got one because I feed wet food also. Can you use them with wet food?

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I've seen ones advertised for wet food. Apparently you use freezer ice packs to keep the food cool.

Wow, I'd like to hear more about this...my mom's cat wakes her up or constantly meows for food and it drives her crazy (he's hyperthyroid )

Originally Posted by Shalva

we got one for Jim..... and let me tell ya lolol he had that thing figured out in minutes.... it wa the kind set on a timer and the food fell through a slot in the front into the bowl ... it had a large reservoir of food behind it and it seemed kinda like a gumball machine on a timer.....

Jim was a smart very food motivated cat who figured out if he could stick his foot up the shoot he could dislodge food..... we bought this thing so he wouldn't gorge himself while we went away for a day or two.... and it didn't matter he spent hours sitting in front of the darned thing dislodging a couple pieces at a time...... until he had the darned thing emptied...... so I would say it depends on how industrious your kitty is and how determined.....
S

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Ha Ha LOL, i can see him now. I can also see my Moomin doing exactly the same. Maybe one of the ones with a lid would suit her better.

I have the kind that looks like an office water cooler attached to a bowl for Oliver (I have the food and water ones)... it's for dry food only of course and doesnt deliver certain portions, but it's perfect for Oliver... he only eats dry kibble and even when I used to set down scooped out portions in a bowl, he ate when he was hungry (aka, didnt woof the whole bowl down at once) and then would drive me nuts when the bowl was empty (usually at odd hours in the morning).... so this type of feeder works PURRRRFECTLY for us, as he can eat when he's hungry and as long as it's full before I sleep, I dont get woken up at all hours!.... he's not overweight and never gorges himself, so he doesnt clean it out right away... I think it definitely all depends on the type of eater your cat is and food you feed....

We wanted to get one but couldnt find any big enough for 4 cats. Buying 4 seperate ones was just too expensive and complicated

I didnt even know there was such a thing.