Automatic wet cat food feeders may be all the hype but before jumping into purchasing one make sure you explore all of the varieties of feeders on the market. 

With so many different features depending on your cat’s individual needs and the number of meals you’ll need to plan for, there is no one-size-fits-all cat food feeder.

Best Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeders

Best Overall (Recommended)

Best On A Budget

Best Dual Powered

Best For Portion Control

Best Design

Best With Voice Recorder

Best With Ice Pack

Best With Microchip

Best Dishwasher Safe

What Is An Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeder?

Automatic wet cat food feeders are a convenient way to cycle through foods throughout the day to ensure your cat has access to food throughout the day, even when you’re not home. 

Since obesity is a huge issue in many cat breeds, using automatic feeders for their wet foods significantly reduces the risk of overeating by allowing for better portion control and meal timing. 

Types Of Automatic Cat Feeders 

While automatic feeders come with a variety of features depending on price range, such as battery indicators, number of meal slots, and ice packs, the major types vary based on how they dispense food. 

Again, this will be based on price range but will also majorly depend on personal habits and preferences.

Digital Timer

The digital timer cat feeders are ideal for those who are away from their cat for much of the day. This allows you to set the exact time of day you want the food to be available to your cat, choosing meal times for all the available food slots that the feeder has. 

This type of automatic cat feeder is also going to be the best option for those who have a strict schedule with their cat.

Whether you’re putting medication in one slot that needs to be taken around a certain time, or your cat is a bit overweight and their feeding schedule needs to be tightly regulated, the digital timer gives you more control. 

Motion Sensor Or Microchip Reader

If you have multiple cats, opting for the microchip reader feeder can ensure that each cat gets their proper diet. Again, this is ideal if you have one cat that needs medication that you don’t want the other cat to be able to get into. This system will not regulate the exact amount of food your cat is eating per sitting but is best for households with multiple cats. 

The motion sensor feeder is similar in that it will not regulate food intake or rotate meals; however, it will open when your pet goes near it. This isn’t the best option for those with multiple cats who need different diets as the feeder will not differentiate between individuals.

If you have one cat (or multiple without different dietary needs) this is a good option, but keep in mind if your cat is prone to obesity this will allow them to eat as much as they please.

Dial Timer

The dial timer automatic cat feeders don’t allow for you to set a time of day to feed, but rather allow you to set a countdown. Similar to any dial timer you may use in the kitchen, you’ll crank the dial to the desired hours or minutes you want to wait, and once the timer runs out the food box will open. 

These often only have one or two openings as each meal compartment needs its dial, but this may be all you need if you’re not someone who leaves the cat alone all day. 

Should You Buy An Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeder?

Automatic feeders can add convenience to any pet owner’s life by ensuring meals are accounted for and rotating throughout the day without any manual feedings. 

However, as with anything else, there are downfalls to using certain feeders that should be considered before making any purchases. 

Pros:

Convenience is a huge factor when it comes to automatic cat feeders. Being able to set your cat’s meals for the day then not having to worry about them having enough food while you’re out and about is a major plus for those with busy schedules or those who often forget to refill the bowl. 

Automatic feeders can also benefit your cat’s health by keeping them on a meal schedule of balanced well-proportioned meals. This is especially beneficial for breeds that tend to put on weight faster or overeat when given a full bowl of food. 

If you have multiple cats or pets, these feeders will also help you in managing differing dietary needs. If one cat requires medication or a special diet, you can set it up for them to take without having any human supervision around. 

Cons:

Automatic feeders require frequent cleaning as well as monitoring to ensure battery life is sufficient. If you don’t leave yourself enough time to clean and fill the meal compartments each day, you may find yourself getting frustrated with your automatic cat feeder. 

Every once in a while you must watch how your system is functioning as well since they can easily malfunction. You need to be extremely careful not to overfill each meal spot as you may be at risk for jamming the device if you do. In this case, your cat will not receive any of its food that day. 

So while the automatic feeders do bring convenience, they require time and energy input to make sure they continue functioning correctly. 

Buying Guide For Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeders

Before buying your automatic wet cat food feeder, consider some of the aspects that will differ between brands and types.

While some feeders are higher quality than others, certain features in higher end feeders you may find unnecessary for your cat’s needs. That’s why it’s crucial to consider your non-negotiables beforehand as this will make shopping much easier. 

Number Of Meals

The number of meals each automatic wet cat food feeder can dispense is crucial to consider in your purchase. A great way to figure out how many compartments you need is to think about your daily schedule first. 

If you’re gone from the house all day, you will want more meals available to your cat so they aren’t hungry. If you are only gone for a few hours a day or work from home, having two meals may be the perfect amount to keep your cat from meowing during your meetings. 

In factoring in meal number, another thing to think about is how many cats you have and how much they eat per day. While some feeders have smaller compartments, others will accommodate for multiple cats to ensure they’re all getting enough food. 

Ice Packs

When feeding wet food, considering how quickly it’ll soil is crucial for feeding healthy nutritious meals. If you have a feeder of five wet meals that will last 10 hours throughout the day, by the end of the day that fifth meal may be starting to go bad. 

If you get a feeder with ice packs or a refrigeration system, you won’t have to worry about your cat’s meals staying fresh while you’re away. If you get a feeder that’s not refrigerated, you can always buy ice packs to place on the feeder (as long as your cat won’t mess with them) or you can time the meals accordingly.

If you’re feeding wet and dry foods and can’t add ice packs, feed the wet meals first to keep them freshest, then offer the dry food since it doesn’t require cooling.   

Noise Level

Depending on the characteristics of your unit, it may produce some noise that could deter your cat. For units with refrigeration, it may sound similar to other kitchen appliances; however, this could still be enough to scare your cat. 

If your cat is sensitive to noise, it won’t eat from the feeder so before you set it up and leave for the day, have a trial day while you’re home. This way you’ll be able to see if your cat is utilizing the feeder and if any strange noises are coming from the machine. 

This allows you to make tweaks to the system and ensure your cat is cooperating with the feeding times before leaving them home alone.

Battery Life

Battery life is a huge factor to consider as once the battery is dead, the food won’t cycle through for your cat. If you run out of battery midday, you may come home to a hungry cat.

To avoid this, check the battery life on a feeder before purchasing and even consider creating a reminder in your phone or calendar to remind you to change out the batteries when it’s time. 

Many machines will also have a display that’ll indicate battery life, but since some don’t be sure you check if the one you’re going to purchase does or not before ordering if a battery indicator is important to you. 

Dishwasher Safe

Keeping your feeder clean is vital, especially if you’re feeding wet food! With crust and buildup, this can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can impact your cat’s health. Not to mention, any bad smells or tastes in the feeder will deter them from using it.

With a sealed feeder like the automatic wet food feeders, the odor can build quickly (especially with machines that don’t have ice packs) and because of this, you need to clean the unit daily. 

If you don’t have the time or energy to scrub the feeder, make sure you opt for a dishwasher safe feeder so that you can make sure it’s fresh every morning before loading food. 

Durability

If you have a large, curious, or extremely nimble cat, you will want to make sure the feeder locks tight and is durable. Larger cats have more ability to break these feeders and those with more curiosity or dexterity could manage a way to open the feeder to get to all of the food. 

To avoid this, be sure to check the reviews of all of the automatic feeders you’re considering, and again, test the feeder for a day while you’re home to see how your cat reacts to it. Since these feeders can also be used for dogs, getting one that says it’s dog safe may be more durable than others, making for a good option for larger breeds.

Timer Method

The type of timer you opt for will make a big difference in how easy your feeder is for you to use. While each timer type has pros and cons, the deciding factor should be your habits and lifestyle.

The digital timer is ideal for cat parents who work away from the home all day, while the microchip sensor is ideal for giving medication for households with multiple pets. 

Each timer type will benefit you in different ways, but once you figure out your exact needs for the automatic feeder, you’ll be able to narrow in on which timer is ideal. 

How To Use An Automatic Cat Feeder

The convenience of an automatic cat feeder will reduce your stress throughout the day wondering if your cat has eaten yet, and it’ll put your cat on a schedule they can stick to! While the feeders may look complex at first, they’re easy to learn how to use. 

Load Meals

Depending on the unit you purchase, the loading will differ slightly; however, with all feeders, you will have between two and five compartments usually. These can be filled with different meals, medication, or treats depending on what you want your cat to be eating throughout the day. 

Set Meal Times

After you load the trays, you can set times of the day that you want each meal to be available to your cat. This is where having more meal trays comes in handy as you can rotate more often to either provide more variety or stricter meal times. Either way, don’t forget to set the times, or else the feeder will never open for the day. 

Clean Up 

Once the automatic wet cat food feeder has cycled through all of its meals for the day, it’s ready to be cleaned and prepared for the next day. Especially with wet food meals, you must clean the feeder after every single use. If you fail to clean, your feeder will start to have a dry buildup and can spoil. 

If you’re finding that your cat doesn’t want to eat out of the feeder, it may be that you have not cleaned it thoroughly enough and therefore there are some lingering smells or tastes that aren’t pleasant to your cat. 

If you have a hard time remembering to clean or getting your feeder clean enough, opt for a dishwasher safe feeder that you can take the tray out and put through your cycle. This will be easier for you and much more sanitary for your cat.

Best Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeders

Conclusion On Automatic Wet Cat Food Feeders

Automatic wet cat food feeders are worth it for those who have time to clean and refill the feeder every single day.

The ideal feeder type will differ depending on the number of pets you have and the needs of each cat though, so it’s important to look at the specifics of each feeder to optimize your experience with automatic feedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Automatic Cat Feeders Work? 

Powered by batteries or plugs, automatic cat feeders hold and distribute cat food at fixed intervals throughout the day and night. Tank feeders release food from a container into a bowl below when a timer is set. 

Can Multiple Cats Share The Same Feeder? 

Sharing a bowl on an automatic feeder may pose some difficulties. Due to the limited amount of food provided by automatic cat feeders, one cat may end up eating all the distributed food. 

Is There A Limit To How Much Food An Automatic Cat Feeder Can Hold?

Automatic cat feeders can hold anywhere from several pounds to only a few cups of food. A variety of models are available with various capacities, but typically budget models can hold around a few meals and more expensive models can hold up to 7 pounds of food.

Last update on 2023-10-04 at 16:23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API