Best Automatic Cat Feeders for 2022

A personal favourite of ours here at Petz, the SureFeed Microchip Feeder is possibly the simplest solution if you aren’t there to manually feed your pet.

Their microchip opens the lid of the feeder, so they can come and eat as they please. If you have several cats and one eating the food of another is a concern, it nips that issue in the bud. Only the assigned microchip (cat) can open the dish, and it is nice and easy to connect the two.

Don’t worry – there is a manual button on the back so you can open it to refill. It holds both wet and dry food, and there is a handle over the dish to make it easier to lift up (this is where the microchip reader is situated so your cat has to get under this for it to open, making it more sensitive which can be a good thing to stop other cats). You can even label them all so you know which is which.

If your cats are on specific diets, it helps keep their food separated and for them only. Cats won’t eat if they aren’t hungry, so this feeder just gives them a bit more free rein. It is nice and quiet for shy cats and the bowls can be washed by hand (not in the dishwasher, unfortunately).

Bear in mind it could take a few days to train your cat though, so don’t throw them in at the deep end and leave them alone straight away. When they’re done eating, the food is completely sealed to stay fresh, so don’t worry about the lack of an ice pack.

Yes, it is pricy, but it is also the best for less hassle.

This automatic feeder will disperse a set amount of dry food into your cat’s dish at chosen times, so they always have food ready when they need it. Up to three individually sized meals, from 10g upwards, can be scheduled from the 3kg storage container. Perfect if they are fed in the morning and then need more restricted portions for lunch or dinner, controlling their diet and weight.

With an anti-clog feed mechanism, it won’t grind to a halt and become trapped with food, so if you are away overnight you don’t have to worry about them going hungry. Then there is an anti-tamper nozzle and secure fastening lid on the container, so even the craftiest of cats can’t override the timings.

Your cat may even learn at which times the food is dispensed and be ready for it, getting them into a regular meal schedule. This could be ideal for regulating dinnertimes or for ensuring your cat always returns home after a wander in the evening.

We found the “easy to use LCD display” hit the nail on the head and the 4 ‘C’ batteries should last between 6 and 9 months depending on usage. We were apprehensive about the battery aspect, but it won’t be affected by power cuts or need a mains supply so the fact we could place it anywhere in the home (or even in an outbuilding if you look after a stray) is a huge plus!

Need something for wet food instead? With the C500, you are able to plan ahead for five different meals and set the electronic timer to revolve the lid and allow access at certain times.

It can house dry food too, in case they require alternate feeding. Inside are twin ice packs which help to keep the food as fresh as possible, particularly in hot weather, and there is also a very tight seal between the lid and servings so no air gets in.

Once it is all set up, you can view the planned feeding schedule on the LCD screen. Each section will hold up to 300g of food, and everything is easy to clean and dishwasher safe so can be kept sanitised in between uses.

The three batteries should give over 12 months of use, so there will be no worry of it running out of steam when you aren’t there to intervene. The fact that it can be placed anywhere was a big plus, and we tested it both inside and out where it worked just fine.

It is the newer digital version of the Catmate C50, and much easier to use in our opinion.

This really clever feeder will allow you to schedule, monitor and adjust your pet’s feeding schedule remotely with the user-friendly smartphone app.

The app is free, and it is just a case of connecting the feeder to your home WiFi. Then, schedule the feeding from anywhere. So, if you are having to work late as an emergency, schedule the feed for 5.30 pm. It means you don’t have to think about planning ahead.

The feeder holds 24 cups (5,678 ml) of dry or semi-moist food, so there is little chance there will be no food left to give them. You will be alerted when they are fed, when the bowl is empty and when the storage is empty. It will also feed on schedule as programmed if the Wi-Fi connection is lost or the feeder is offline.

You can schedule up to 12 meals at a time, and the Feed Now option can allow you to give them their dinner outside of the scheduled time. There is also a Slow Feed setting so the food can be dispensed in smaller portions over a 15 minute period, for cats who eat too fast.

Our favourite thing about this feeder was that the settings can be overridden – perfect if plans change. Ideal for shift workers, busy social butterflies or simply anyone who loves their tech.

The best for planning ahead for a day of wet food, the C20 is able to hold two portions of up to 450g, and there is an ice pack at the base which will help keep it fresh too.

The 48-hour timer is really simple to set, using just a dial so there’s no tricky setting up or digital programming. We thought that the stability of the feeder was a bit hit and miss with very over-excited eaters, but as long as it is against a surface where it couldn’t be moved it should be okay unsupervised.

It only needs one AA battery and this should last up to a year, so it is no bother to look after. There is barely any noise emitted from the feeder, just a low tick of the timer when you listen very closely, so it will be good for nervous cats.

Five sections in this dish will allow you to plan ahead for meals, or time medication and cat treat schedules.

The slots in the bowl hold up to 200g each of dry or semi-moist food and an LCD screen lets you see what is planned. The AM and PM settings are clearly separate so you won’t accidentally feed them at the wrong time.

When it is all done, the top dish is dishwasher safe so all traces of food and any germs can be cleaned away. It will only accept dry food so might not suit everyone, and you can only set the times for over a 24 hour period so you can’t use it over the space of a long weekend. We still think plenty of people out there will benefit though.

This feeder has six separate food dishes for various feeding times so you can control the amounts your cat is eating throughout the day.

But what makes it different to all the other automatic feeders on the market then? Well – you can record a personal message for your pet, which will help when you aren’t there and let your cat know when it’s time for food in a comforting, soothing manner. The built-in clock with an easy to read LCD screen ensures no human error in setting the timings, too.

A low battery indicator will give you peace of mind that it won’t suddenly run out unexpectedly, and the whole thing comes apart for easier cleaning. It’s appropriate for dry food only.

There’s also a choice of colours so you can match it to your kitchen decor!

An infamous brand when it comes to all things pet products, this Trixie bowl is two-sided so you can feed two cats.

There are two ice packs for keeping food fresh, and it works on a 48-hour timer. You can use wet or dry food, and the timer ensures that both sides open at the same time. Or, you can programme them to open separately if you are just feeding one cat but want to control their portions a bit more.

The non-slip rubber feet will keep it sturdy on slippery flooring, and the whole thing is easy to clean thanks to the plastic construction and large trays.

It would be ideal for anyone who has long, unpredictable days at work and can’t rely on somebody to feed their cat.

With a built-in programmable timer and two food dispensers, this feeder can schedule up to four meals per day, for cats who are on a ‘little but often’ diet.

Each serving can be controlled between 5g and 195g, so you can limit them or let them eat as much as they want, but they won’t receive a bite more than required if they shouldn’t.

It will hold 7 litres of dry food altogether, which is around 27 cups, so there is a few days of food there – good if you are working long hours but your cat is one for pottering in and out while you are gone.

A custom message can be recorded for your cat too, encouraging it over or rewarding it for having eaten. It is all secure, so your cat won’t be able to break into the container to eat its weight in Whiskas.

Able to open three times per day, and allowing you to portion meal sizes for individual feeds, this feeder is good if you’re going to be away for the night.

Each portion can be up to 240g, and six can be prepared. The solid lid will prevent cats from breaking in, and you can use wet and dry food.

There is also a button cover so your pet can’t adjust the controls unwittingly while pawing at it. The TX6 will warn you when the battery is running low, and it is all easy to clean.