With the advancements in technology, feeding your pet is no longer stressful thanks to automatic pet feeders. Automated pet feeders simplify the process of feeding pets with a big hopper to store sufficient food, as well as a timer to automatically dispense pet food at different times. Automatic pet feeders also allow you to maintain your pets’ diet. Nonetheless, numerous automatic feeders have flooded the market, meaning that there are both good and bad quality products. That being said, there are vital factors you ought to consider when shopping for an automatic pet feeder. Some of the factors you should consider include:
- Timer
The best automatic feeder should definitely have a timer to enable you to choose instances of feeding your pet using the timer setting. For instance, if your cat eats 3 times a day, then you can set the timer 3 times to disperse the pet food 3 times a day.
- Portion sizes
Another crucial feature you should have in an automatic pet feeder is the ability to measure the size of the food dispensed to the cat. This is quite helpful if, for instance, you want to monitor your pet’s diet so they won’t gain excess weight through unhealthy eating habits. Indeed, innovation makes holistic pet care a lot easier than old feeding techniques.
As a general rule, cats should be fed twice every day using portion-controlled feeding. Divide the amount of suggested pet food into two meals with an interval of 8 to 12 hours apart. Adjust meal portions by observing your cat’s ideal daily “maintenance” needs.
A feeding routine helps your pets cope with household changes and makes a necessary food change a lot easier. Your pets will be used to eating at the scheduled time each day, conditioning their bodies to expect eating at those times with the help of an automatic pet feeder.
- Type of Food
Automatic pet feeders come in different designs depending on the food, which can either be wet or dry. Depending on your pet, you can either choose to buy a wet or dry auto pet feeder. If your pet eats wet food, you have to buy an automatic pet feeder made specifically for wet food. However, note that wet food is susceptible to spoiling quickly in a warm environment; therefore, you must ensure that the feeder comes with ice packs on the bottom to keep the wet food cold.
If you’re on the hunt for different types of pet food, checking out brands like Greenies Canada can be a good place to start to ensure your pet gets its essential nutrients.
Best Automatic Pet Feeders
1. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder
PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder is the best overall automatic pet feeder attributed to its sleek modern design, ease of programming, as well as sufficient storage space (24 cups of kibble at a time). Its digital timer is quite sophisticated, allowing the user to program up to 12 meals a day with portion sizes ranging from 1/8 to 4 cups per serving. This automatic pet feeder is also perfect for feeding multiple pets at specific times throughout the day, whether together or separately. The other great feature of this feeder is the slow-release function that allows the release of food in over 15 minutes to prevent overeating, especially between two cats. The anti-jam conveyor system makes it suitable for dispensing dry or semi-moist foods. This automatic pet feeder is also pet-proof, meaning it securely keeps the food locked away until it’s the right time for your pet to feed.
2. WOpet 7L Automatic Pet Feeder
The WOpet 7L is a versatile automatic pet feeder featuring a 7-liter hopper that stores pet food and a small dish attached at the bottom for easy and quick feeding even for small pets. The quality of construction makes this pet feeder stand out. The timer on an LCD screen allows you to schedule up to four precise feedings (4.5 cups at a time) per day. If your pet is stubborn, you need not worry as the feeder has a secure locking lid to prevent your pet from getting in. It also comes with a D-cell battery backup to ensure regular feeding even when the power is out.
3. PetSafe Smart Feeder
Imagine feeding your pet through your smartphone. Yes! This is possible thanks to the PetSafe Smart Feeder, which allows you to control your pet’s food intake via your smartphone. The Smart Feeder comes with both iPhone and Android apps, which you can efficiently use to control the feeding schedule of your pet even while away from home. Apart from its “smart” feature, PetSafe is also an excellent pet feeder with a 24-cup storage capacity, meaning it can hold food for days. The timer is quite versatile, allowing you to program up to 12 meals in a single day. A stainless-steel bowl is a healthy option, and it’s also dishwasher safe.
Tips When Using Automatic Pet Feeders
Check the following useful tips when using automatic pet feeders:
- Use automatic feedings when it’s only necessary. Don’t rely too much on the machine to avoid influencing your connection with your pet.
- Install batteries as a backup so the automatic pet feeder will still function during a power outage.
- Avoid the jamming of food by aligning the food tray with the rotary impeller slot.
- Guide your pet to wait at the automatic pet food feeder so it can get used to it. Some pets need an adjustment period, so placing the feeder next to your pet’s current bowl is a good idea. You can set more meal plans in the automatic pet feeder, gradually placing less food in the bowl than the feeder. Once your pet shows a preference for the automatic feeder, then you can remove the bowl.
The Bottom Line
With numerous automatic feeders available in the market today, it’s indeed daunting to choose an ideal automatic pet feeder. Nonetheless, the best automatic pet feeders should at least have an excellent design with key features such as a timer to choose an ideal feeding schedule for your pet even when you are away from home.
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