The simplest of automatic feeders, these units dispense food using nothing but the power of gravity.

If you’re someone that spends long hours at work, weekends away or isn’t at home all the time then the PETLIBRO automatic cat feeder with camera might be worth considering. It’s a great choice for busy pet owners that still want to provide excellent care for their animals and be able to stay in touch with them.

Which is the right automatic pet feeder for you?

Within each lab session, we monitored and timed the complete setup process, from unboxing and assembly to programming and, if relevant, mobile app activation. For consistency in our results, each feeder was programmed to deliver multiple meals throughout the day, and we monitored to see if feeders were dispensing food on time.

We’ve put together a list of the best cat feeders on the market after testing each of them, from simple to complex and everything in between, to help you choose the perfect device for your needs. The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder has a very different function than most automatic cat feeders. Instead of regulating your cat's food schedule and ensuring they are fed whenever you are not at home, the SureFeed is more like a cat food gatekeeper. As we embrace time away from home and head off on more day trips than ever, the best automatic pet feeders could be your saviour, even if you're running late and haven't got a pet sitter booked in. An automatic pet feeder is perfect if your furry friend has to be fed at regular intervals and you're out somewhere that isn't pet-friendly. You simply set meal timers to feed your pet promptly with their favourite cat food or dog food. This can be done even when your pet wants to be fed early in the morning before you've even gotten out of bed. We were impressed with how easy it was to set up the feeder as well as the high-quality materials used. It comes with a detachable cover that allows for easy cleaning, and the feeder can be stored upright when not in use. The PETLIBRO automatic cat feeder with camera comes with an LCD display screen that shows all the information you need and the beauty of this is how simple it is. There’s no guesswork and everything is super clear. The selection of buttons below the display allow you to program the feeder to your preferred settings.Make sure the feeder has adjustable portion control so that you can dispense the right amount of food for your cat’s needs. It's easy to dial in precise meal times and serving increments with the Feeder-Robot's robust settings, through which you can dispense up to a full cup of food as frequently as eight times a day. A dispenser that uses 1/4-cup increments is already installed in the Feeder-Robot, but you can swap it for an included 1/8-cup dispenser that provides more precise portion control—though this reduces the maximum single serving to 1/2 cup. The Cat Mate C200 2 Meal Automatic Cat Feeder features two compartments each capable of holding up to 1.5 cups of wet and/or dry cat food. And it only requires one double-A battery to operate, so you don't have to worry about a power outage and you don't have to place the feeder near an outlet. It's lightweight and a reliable choice for maintaining a feeding schedule while traveling with a cat. A previous version was written by Andrew Whalen, a senior editor for The Spruce Pets with hundreds of hours of experience testing pet products. Whalen lives with two rescue cats, Church and Wally, who have wildly different feeding schedules and eating habits. Their input and emotional support was crucial to the automatic cat feeder testing process. Automated pet feeders aren't a replacement for you or a pet sitter. You should only really use one when being away from your pet at their routine mealtime is completely unavoidable. How long can I feed my pet with an automatic feeder?

You must first select which feeding you are doing (e.g. first of the day), then how many portions to dispense (a portion size is less than 1/4 cup), and then the time of day for the feeding. Once we got the hang of it by carefully reading through the provided instruction manual a few times, programming variations become more straightforward. It also offers the option to trigger an manual feeding with the simple push of the button, but this feeder does not connect to Wi-Fi so there is no option to control via your mobile device. The best part about an automatic cat feeder is that it takes away much of the burden of having to do all the feeding yourself. You simply pop the food into the bowl and the device does the rest. With six feeding times and ultra-adjustable portion sizes ranging from 1 1/3 tablespoons to over 4 cups, you’re able to fine-tune your cat’s meals and give them exactly the amount of food they need, when they need it. It also has a voice recording function which allows you to call your cat to each meal. Are you able to plug your feeder into the mains near to where you want to position it in your home? Consider your budget when choosing a feeder, but don’t sacrifice quality for price. Look for a feeder that offers good value for money and meets your cat’s needs.

With a snug twist-seal lid, deep spout, and patented hopper seal, the feeder does an excellent job of keeping food away from hungry paws. Even the most determined cats are unable to break into this feeder. It’s easy to take apart and clean.