Last Updated: 06/05/2025
Best Automatic Cat Feeders
The right automatic feeder can make mealtimes a breeze! Find out the best from our Vets!
Author: Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 66 minutes - extensive read
Last Updated: 06/05/2025
The right automatic feeder can make mealtimes a breeze! Find out the best from our Vets!
Author: Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 66 minutes - extensive read
These time-saving devices can include a variety of features to help make meal time a seamless experience for all. Whether you're looking for style, value, in-depth monitoring of your pet's eating habits, or a way to prevent food stealing, there's sure to be an automatic feeder to meet your needs.
The right automatic feeder can make mealtimes a breeze! No more being woken up by your cat in the early morning hours, or painstakingly measuring out food portions. Auto feeders promote and encourage a regular feeding routine, and help with portion control and weight loss. Cats are naturally grazers, so most prefer small frequent meals throughout the day, something which may be difficult to achieve for busy pet parents but which is made simple with an automatic feeder. The right feeder will make your life easier and your cat's more enriched.
Five factors to consider when choosing an automatic feeder for your cat:
1. Product features
With a range of automatic feeders on the market these days, each one is a little different. When selecting a feeder, it's important to have a good understanding of what features you'd like it to have. For example, how many meals a day do you want the feeder to dispense? Would you like to be able to control the feeder remotely via an app, or are manual controls fine? Do you want it to monitor how much your cat eats over time?
2. Food type
Most often, automatic feeders consist of a large food reservoir with a bowl that each meal portion is deposited into; if your cat is fed primarily or entirely dry food, this design works very well. However, using wet food only, or mixing wet and dry food is not appropriate for this type of feeder. If wet food makes up a larger proportion of your kitty's diet, look for an automatic feeder that has multiple feeding compartments and a way to keep the food cool and fresh.
3. Kibble size
If possible, be aware of your cat's current kibble size when selecting a traditional 'reservoir' automatic feeder. Each feeder will have a maximum kibble diameter they will be able to support and kibble larger than this will be unable to pass through, leading to clogging. It's especially important to check this if your cat is on a dental kibble, as dental kibble tends to be larger than average.
4. Size of feeder
For those in apartments or smaller spaces, look for a compact feeder that doesn't take up too much floor space. The storage capacity of the feeder is also an important consideration- some can hold more than 1kg of dry food while others will need to be cleaned and changed daily.
5. Power source
Where are you hoping to use the feeder? Those that need to be plugged into a power source are not suitable for outdoor use. Is there a backup battery in case of power outage? Make sure to check what battery type is needed- are they easy to source?
*While they are an excellent tool, never rely solely on automatic feeders if you are going away for long periods (for example, longer than one night). It is always recommended you organise for someone to check on your pet if you are leaving them home alone for extended periods, and this can benefit your pet's mental wellbeing too.
Results:
Our Pet Circle Vet Squad comprises 30 vets with over 120 years of collective, independent veterinary expertise. Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.
If you're looking for a quality, budget-friendly automatic feeder with a bunch of great features, the Dogness Programmable Feeder is an excellent choice! This feeder has a 2L capacity (a perfect size for cats) and is suitable for kibble up to 15mm in diameter. You can choose when and how much to feed your pet, and even record a voice message so they know when it's food time!
The pet-resistant multifunction control panel and carefully designed cover means this feeder is fully protected from any mischievous feline tampering. Plug-in and battery power, as well as an anti-clogging mechanism, ensure your cat will always receive their meal, and the user-friendly control panel makes customising your pet's feeding schedule simple.
This feeder is easy to clean and disinfect, with a removable stainless steel bowl and top-opening lid for easy access.
What our customers say: "These feeders are super easy to program, have a voice activated message at feed time which is great to let the cat know it's food time, and has up to 39 different food settings, allowing you to vary the amounts at different times of the day. Took my cats only two runs to work it out, now they come running when they hear my voice. Fantastic peace of mind if I am late home from work or early in the morning allowing us the Sunday morning sleep ins. Highly recommend."
What our vets say: "The Dogness programmable feeder is the perfect option for feeding your small pets when you are away or for portion control. You can control the time it dispenses the food and how much is dispensed, and you can even use a voice message to call your pet for their meal! With an easy set-up, and with it being easy to use and clean, you can't go wrong with this automated feeder." - Dr. Angie Armstrong
The Petkit Fresh Element Mini Solo Smart Pet Feeder makes a sleek and stylish addition to any home, and comes with some modern features to make feeding your cat easier than ever. This feeder can be fully programmed and controlled via your smartphone, so you can receive notifications, schedule feeding times and amounts, set up a feeding plan and monitor food status while you're out of the house. It includes three systems to keep stored food fresh: a silicone seal on lid, a sealed food outlet and a desiccant box. It's easy to disassemble and clean, with an inclined, slightly raised base to reduce neck strain during eating. It has a 3L storage capacity and can be programmed to feed up to 10 meals per day, with 10-50g of food able to be dispensed per meal. This feeder is available in two colours: grey and green.
What our customers say: "Good feeder. Very easy to set up and adjust portion. I used it for my girl when I am away for the weekend. Also early morning meal is set up, I can sleep in. Best of both worlds!."
What our vets say: "The Petkit Fresh Element Mini Solo Smart Pet Feeder is an excellent auto feeder for cats. I recommend it for cats who love to wake their pet parents at dawn to be fed because once it is set up they can enjoy a sleep in at last! Setting it up is easy too, you can do it using your smartphone. The 3L food compartment is well sealed, meaning that dry food stays nice and fresh. There is no need to rush home to feed your cat anymore, simply turn on your Petkit smart feeder!" - Dr. Jenny Eales
If wet food is a staple in your cat's diet, the Catit Pixi Smart 6 Meal Feeder is an ideal choice. Unlike many automatic feeders it is able to accommodate wet food, as it comes with two ice packs that can sit beneath the meal compartments, keeping wet food fresh. The separate compartments make it easy to arrange your cat's portions however you like. Wet food, dry food, treats- all can be hidden in the compartments and programmed to be uncovered at a specific time.
This feeder can be programmed and controlled remotely via an app or manually, giving you greater flexibility. It is easy to disassemble and clean, and due to its design will need more frequent cleaning than other feeders.
In-built safety features include a mechanism to stop movement if the moving parts are met with resistance (so no need to worry about trapped paws!), and backup battery power so that food is always guaranteed for your kitty.
NB: We suggest scheduling wet food portions to be given within 6-8 hours of being placed in the feeder, to ensure maximum freshness.
What our customers say: "Fantastic and easy to operate. Great when you need to feed your kitty while away. The app is very user friendly and lets you know when it has been fed or if there are any malfunctions. The ice pack doesn't stay cold for the full day and ours contorted after a few months - still usable, we just leave it out for a while and then the food tray sits back in it."
What our vets say: "For busy pet parents, we understand it's not always easy to be able to strictly adhere to a feeding schedule and this can be a bit trickier for pets who get both dry and wet food since wet food doesn't keep as long. The Catit Pixi Smart 6 is a fantastic investment in these cases! It can be programmed to dispense up to 6 preloaded meals per day and can hold both dry food and wet food, as well as treats" - Dr Antonella Viriña
The Petkit Fresh Element 3 incorporates clever technology to make monitoring your pet's food intake easier than ever! How often and how much your pet eats is recorded via infrared, food weight and motion sensors. This is especially beneficial for cats that are unwell, have a chronic medical condition or need to lose a bit of weight.
This feeder is controlled remotely via an app, which can be set to notify you when your pet eats and generate regular statistics on your pet's feeding habits. You can also pre-record a message to call your cat to their meal so they'll feel like you're right there with them! Another handy feature is the low food sensor which will notify you when food levels are getting low.
The rotating stainless steel bowl is easy to clean and will prevent uneaten food from piling up. The built-in lithium backup battery and preservation lock help to ensure your cat will always get their meal, even during a power outage, in the most fresh condition possible.
Up to 10 feeds per day can be scheduled in amounts ranging from 5g to 200g, providing lots of flexibility as to how much and when you feed your cat. Kibble sizes up to 12mm are supported.
What our customers say: "Amazing, worth every cent! This product is so easy to set up and use and is informative with regards to your pets eating habits, etc. I like that you can dispense extra treats/feeds from your phone and don't even need to be home. I wish I had known about this earlier. I definitely would have bought one."
If you have limited space for gadgets but still want something sleek and functional, the Catit Pixi Smart Feeder fits the bill. Perfect for apartments, this feeder has a streamlined, stylish design yet can still store up to 1.2kg of kibble at a time. Easily controllable remotely via mobile app, you can set portion sizes and program up to 12 meals a day for your cat, allowing them to graze all day but not overeat.
This product is specially designed to store your catâs food in the best of conditions, keeping it fresh for as long as possible, and is equipped with anti-clog technology and backup battery power so your kitty will always get their food on time.
The feeder's nose can be used as an 'instant feed button' if you're wanting to give a little extra- but rest assured if your cat figures out this trick, the feature can be disabled via the app. The stainless steel bowl is easy to clean and is dishwasher safe.
This feeder is compatible with kibble up to 9mm in diameter, so may not be suitable if your cat is fed a larger kibble, such as dental kibble.
What our customers say: "I absolutely love this product. More importantly so do my two cats. Aesthetically appealing, technologically easy and easy to clean. Highly recommend. I also have the Pixi Smart water fountain. What a game changer. Love the Catit range."
Mealtime can be stressful in multi-pet households if your pets need to be kept on different diets, or if you have a resident food stealer who's getting a little too chubby! The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder eliminates this frustrating issue, ensuring that pets are unable to steal food from other furry family members.
This innovative feeder is microchip-activated and turns your pet's existing microchip into an electronic key that allows access to the food within. By stopping food stealing, it can promote weight loss and also ensures that prescription diets are delivered to the correct pet.
Please note that unlike other auto feeders, this cannot be programmed to dispense food at a certain time- the approved pet/s will be able to access the food freely throughout the day. When not in use, the bowl is automatically re-covered, helping to preserve freshness. It is battery powered so will not be affected by power outages.
This product comes with both a single and split bowl insert, as well as a mat insert to catch spills. Due to the nature of this feeder, regular cleaning and replacement of food is required.
What our customers say: "My old lady (14+ years) cat worked it out within a few days with a bit of encouragement and very few feeds using the training mode. The two puppies (Jack Russell and Chihuahua) are finally prevented from eating her food and I am able to see how much she is actually eating. The wet food is kept fresh with the lid down and I can finally feed her a full serve and not have to dole out spoonfuls as she tends to graze. The other bonus is that there seems to be a lot less mess around her dishes now and the unit is nicely self-contained"
What our vets say: "The Sure Feed Microchip Pet Feeders are fantastic for controlling intake in multi-pet households. This can be particularly important for those with specific dietary needs or in managing obesity." - Dr. Susan Nguyen
Think about what features are important to you when selecting an automatic feeder. Do you want simple design, manual controls or a budget-friendly option? Are you tech-savvy and want app compatibility so you can check in and change the feeding plan while out of the house?
Is the feeder pet-proof, or will your kitty be able to break into it in no time at all? Look for rounded edges, secure compartments and buttons that can be disabled so that sneaky paws can't get in! It's also important to make sure that feeders with longer term storage will keep your pet's food fresh for a long period of time, so look for airtight seals and desiccants.
How often will you need to clean and change the food in your feeder? Make sure you know before purchasing how often you will need to provide fresh food, and whether or not washable components of the feeder are dishwasher safe.
While most feeders need to be plugged into a power outlet, some are battery powered. Where are you hoping to use the feeder? Those that need to be plugged into a power source are not suitable for outdoor use. Is there a backup battery in case of power outage? Also check whether batteries are included, or whether they need to be purchased separately.
Want to know more? Check out our Discover Page for more tips from our expert vets on keeping your pets happy and healthy.
