Automatic Feeder Eases Tensions Between My Cats

For nearly a decade, my husband and I have been committed to a four-times-daily routine of feeding our two adorable cat siblings, who can’t stand each other. This arrangement worked well for years, but in 2024, everything changed when we welcomed a child into our lives. Suddenly, our cats were no longer the center of our universe. Despite our best intentions, their dry-food snack times started to slip or get overlooked entirely. It became clear that we needed to explore the world of pet technology and see if automated feeders could provide the care we were struggling to maintain.

After trying out four different machines and spending a few hundred dollars, our hopes were mostly validated—though no gadget can truly tame the complexities of a cat’s nature. Plus, my experiences have helped me embrace my inner budget-conscious shopper in this age of optimization.

In the 2020s, there’s a responsible way to shop for home goods. You start by searching for “[PRODUCT CATEGORY] reviews” online. You’ll find a few reputable sources, like review sites that break down features to match your needs and budget. You read about potential pitfalls and make an informed choice, ideally waiting for a sale.

The less responsible route? Just hop onto an online marketplace, type in some keywords, and hit “buy” on something that fits your budget and has decent reviews. We were already spending hours researching the best options for our baby, weighing the pros and cons of various strollers. So, guess which path we took.

One crucial factor we had to consider was our cats’ unique personalities. Our big orange guy, who can be sweet and charming with humans, is a total bully when it comes to food. He’ll eat until he’s sick and seems to resent the very existence of his tortoiseshell sister. Over time, his constant presence has made her anxious—she eats like a hunted animal, sneaking bites while glancing over her shoulder. We couldn’t feed them too close together, or they’d both rush to the nearest dish, but they had to be separated by at least one door (which could only be closed after feeding starts, or the tortie would panic and run away). So, those fancy dual-cat feeders were out of the question.

I also had a hunch that our cats would exploit any weakness in a feeder, and anything that required an app was a no-go. We needed something simple and sturdy. We settled on a PetSafe programmable feeder, priced around $90, after reading a review that claimed it was raccoon-resistant—a good sign of durability, even though our cats are strictly indoor dwellers.

We ended up with two of these feeders—basic black plastic containers attached to aluminum bowls—which effectively solved our main issue. The cats started getting fed more consistently. I expected them to find ways to get extra food, but it turned out they weren’t that hungry or clever.

However, the feeders themselves became a source of ongoing annoyance. They each run on four D batteries, which last a long time but require flipping the feeders upside down for replacements—a real hassle. The five-button interface is so convoluted that I’m the only one in the household willing to deal with it. There’s a command for immediate food release, but it seems to skip the next scheduled feeding. To make matters worse, the food treadmill needs several turns to dispense kibble if it runs dry. The minimum portion is just a tad too large, and the clocks drift out of sync, allowing our orange bully to finish his meal and rush over to steal from his sister. Most frustratingly, that treadmill makes a loud rumbling noise every time it operates—enough to disrupt our daughter’s bedtime routine if feedings coincide.

It’s clear I’ve developed an almost irrational annoyance toward these otherwise functional feeders. My family shares this sentiment, prompting us to seek better options! Last year, we tried a pair of automatic feeders from a brand that sounded like a generic Amazon storefront, priced around $55 each. These new feeders plugged into the wall with battery backup and featured a silicone wheel design that was quiet enough not to disturb us but audible enough for the cats. The smallest portion was just right, and while the interface wasn’t exactly intuitive, it was less frustrating than the previous one. It even had a button for instant extra portions and looked more stylish—a neat rectangular shape with a translucent top for checking food levels, unlike the clunky design of our old feeders.

This would have been perfect if we hadn’t stored them with some food still inside while traveling. We returned to find two messy, mouse-chewed silicone piles and two broken feeding wheels. So, it was back to the sturdy but unloved PetSafes.

For months, my husband has suggested we just order more of the new feeders. I keep insisting that the ones we have still work—I just need to fix that one part! The brand’s website has a support email, and I keep meaning to reach out for a replacement for those little silicone wheels. But my situation is just stable enough that I keep procrastinating. The old feeders function… adequately, and they might last for the rest of our cats’ lives. The ones I prefer are so close to being perfect that it feels wasteful to buy new ones. I’ve become so accustomed to this cat feeder limbo that I’ve nearly forgotten what it’s like to have a truly great setup.

I imagine my cats feel similarly resigned, both to my reduced free time for cuddles and to each other. After two years, our charming orange guy has formed a bond with our toddler, who’s learning to pet him the right way. Meanwhile, the tortie remains wary but has found safe spots like the exact center under the bed and behind a chair turned toward the wall, where she’s harder to spot. I’m pretty sure they’d prefer if my husband and I divorced and split custody to free them from each other’s company forever, but at least our automated system, which we’ve affectionately dubbed “The Robot,” provides them with consistent snacks.

At least I can take comfort in one fact: that review was spot on, as not a single raccoon has managed to get into these feeders.