7 Automatic Pet Feeders That Will Make Every Meal an Event

We know: you love your pet, but waking up on their schedule to feed them breakfast isn’t exactly your favourite part of the day. Lucky for you, technology has a solution: the automatic pet feeder. “It won’t just make checking off your to-do list easier; it can also help manage your pet’s weight and help establish healthy eating habits, too,” says Dr Justine Lee. “Smaller meals delivered more often can be especially helpful for pets that tend to ‘scarf and barf’.”

But with all the sleek, nearly identical feeding robots out there, how do we know which one to choose? Dr Lee says it’s essential to look for “a reliable feeder with features like anti-jam technology, a built-in back-up battery and a saved feeding schedule, so even if the unit goes offline (in the event of a power outage) your pet never misses a feeding”. Other honourable mentions include customisable feeding schedules, chew-resistant power cords, BPA-free plastics and a gravity-mode feature that detects when the bowl has run dry.

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While Dr Lee swears by auto-feeders and uses them for her own pets, she does heed several warnings to ensure they’re being used to aid pet care, rather than acting as a stand-in for active pet parenthood. It’s important to note that feeders should never be used as a replacement to leave your beloved pets alone for an extended period of time.

Ready to make one small aspect of your life a lot easier? Here are the best automatic pet feeders on the market.

Petlibro Basic Automatic Feeder (£69.49)

Available in three shades of black, the Petlibro feeder will look great with any aesthetic in the bedroom or kitchen. To your cat’s dismay, this cat feeder also comes with a cat-proof twisty lock lid. On the bright side, their dry food will remain fresh, and you can even record a 10-second message to call your cat to the feeder.

WellToBe Automatic Pet Feeder with two bowls (£60.00)

Are your pets inseparable? This feeder comes with a two-way splitter to allow your furry companions to keep each other company during meal time. It also comes with an infrared sensor to prevent jamming and an alarm to remind you to refill the feeder.

Nobleza Automatic Cat Feeder (£58.99)

Technology really has come a long way. The Nobleza Automatic Cat Feeder allows you to feed your pet from miles away. Just pull out your smartphone and set the feeding time and meal portions.  

PeTnessGO Automatic 2 Meals Pet Feeder (£28.99)

This affordable feeder allows you to prep two meals for your pet or feed two pets simultaneously. Just set the timer and when it’s meal time, the compartment will automatically open up to allow your pet to feast. 

PetSafe Digital Two Meal Automatic Pet Feeder (£57.00)

This automatic cat feeder has trays that can be washed in the dishwasher, making it particularly easy to keep clean. Each tray holds up to 200g of dry food so portion control is an absolute doddle.

Granary Camera Monitoring Feeder (£149.99)

This feeder has a built-in HD camera with night vision, so you can check in on mealtimes even when you’re far away from home. It’s available in single-bowl and double-bowl versions and also lets you record a sweet voice message for your pet.