The SureFeed microchip feeder is a development of the manufacturer of the multiple award-winning SureFlap microchip cat and pet flaps. It reads and recognizes your pet's microchip or RFID collar tag and opens only to stored animals. In this way it ensures that special feed is eaten exclusively by the right animal and prevents the excessive ingestion of food by specific animals in multi-animal households. The SureFeed microchip feeder can store up to 32 different animals and is therefore ideal for use in multi-cat households. One push of a button is all it takes to put the device into operation. Shy animals can be gradually accustomed to the use of the automatic feeder with the integrated training mode.
The SureFeed microchip feeder is a development of the manufacturer of the multiple award-winning SureFlap microchip cat and pet flaps. It reads and recognizes your pet's microchip or RFID collar tag and opens only to stored animals. In this way it ensures that special feed is eaten exclusively by the right animal and prevents the excessive ingestion of food by specific animals in multi-animal households. The SureFeed microchip feeder can store up to 32 different animals and is therefore ideal for use in multi-cat households. One push of a button is all it takes to put the device into operation. Shy animals can be gradually accustomed to the use of the automatic feeder with the integrated training mode.
The SureFeed microchip feeder is a development of the manufacturer of the multiple award-winning SureFlap microchip cat and pet flaps. It reads and recognizes your pet's microchip or RFID collar tag and opens only to stored animals. In this way it ensures that special feed is eaten exclusively by the right animal and prevents the excessive ingestion of food by specific animals in multi-animal households. The SureFeed microchip feeder can store up to 32 different animals and is therefore ideal for use in multi-cat households. One push of a button is all it takes to put the device into operation. Shy animals can be gradually accustomed to the use of the automatic feeder with the integrated training mode.
The SureFeed microchip feeder is a development of the manufacturer of the multiple award-winning SureFlap microchip cat and pet flaps. It reads and recognizes your pet's microchip or RFID collar tag and opens only to stored animals. In this way it ensures that special feed is eaten exclusively by the right animal and prevents the excessive ingestion of food by specific animals in multi-animal households. The SureFeed microchip feeder can store up to 32 different animals and is therefore ideal for use in multi-cat households. One push of a button is all it takes to put the device into operation. Shy animals can be gradually accustomed to the use of the automatic feeder with the integrated training mode.
Last updated at 06/08/2026 17:24:44
SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder
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Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder with 400ml Bowl Capacity
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder + Rear Cover
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect + Rear Cover
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder with 400ml Bowl Capacity [ MPF001 ]
Free delivery between 10–17 June
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder + Rear Cover [ MPF001 ]
Free delivery between 10–17 June
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect + Rear Cover [ IMPFWT ]
Free delivery between 10–17 June
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder with 400ml Bowl Capacity
Free delivery between Thu – Mon
Surefeed Microchip Pet Feeder
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect - Requires Hub Sold Separately
Delivery between 13–17 June $13.15
originally posted on chewy.com
We have four cats in our household. Two of whom have been getting increasingly fatter, while one (the grazer) has been getting proportionately skinnier. We’d tried putting his food out of reach of the other two, timing his meals differently, adding treats to it to entice him to eat it faster, and even using pet cams and auto-feeders to monitor his bowl.Nothing worked until we discovered the SureFeeder and its like the entire dynamic has shifted within our little fur family after only a couple of weeks. Everyone is healthier, with more energy and mojo. I was worried at first whether he was going to be weirded out by the automated lid mechanism, but it’s so quiet and smooth that it took him all of two feedings to get over it. I didn’t even need to use the “Learning” ... MoreWe have four cats in our household. Two of whom have been getting increasingly fatter, while one (the grazer) has been getting proportionately skinnier. We’d tried putting his food out of reach of the other two, timing his meals differently, adding treats to it to entice him to eat it faster, and even using pet cams and auto-feeders to monitor his bowl.Nothing worked until we discovered the SureFeeder and its like the entire dynamic has shifted within our little fur family after only a couple of weeks. Everyone is healthier, with more energy and mojo. I was worried at first whether he was going to be weirded out by the automated lid mechanism, but it’s so quiet and smooth that it took him all of two feedings to get over it. I didn’t even need to use the “Learning” mode. It’s also so easy to add approved pets to the feeder, since you just push a button and then put some treats in the dish and guide them thru the archway. Now my greedy boys know his bowl is a No-Go for them, and we can put his food out in the open and feed him along with everyone else without any stress. Plus we have the added peace of mind *knowing* who the food from his bowl has actually gone to.I’m honestly considering getting three more for the other kitties.
originally posted on chewy.com
I very rarely review things but I wanted to review this because anyone who is buying this is desperate at mealtimes like I was. I hope my review helps you like all the other reviews that helped me.Our situation: We have two cats, one is a "normal" eater, aged 12. The other is a 2 year old hoover! He eats all of his food and then moves onto our other cats food. We have them completely separated at mealtime, but we can only lock up the 2 year old for so long! Our 12 year old takes sometimes 2 hours to eat his whole dinner. So when our 2 year old is out, we have to constantly supervise the 12 year old's food bowl. It is tiring and no matter what behavioral tricks are recommended, we made almost no progress in the 3 months we've had our new little guy. We felt like ... MoreI very rarely review things but I wanted to review this because anyone who is buying this is desperate at mealtimes like I was. I hope my review helps you like all the other reviews that helped me.Our situation: We have two cats, one is a "normal" eater, aged 12. The other is a 2 year old hoover! He eats all of his food and then moves onto our other cats food. We have them completely separated at mealtime, but we can only lock up the 2 year old for so long! Our 12 year old takes sometimes 2 hours to eat his whole dinner. So when our 2 year old is out, we have to constantly supervise the 12 year old's food bowl. It is tiring and no matter what behavioral tricks are recommended, we made almost no progress in the 3 months we've had our new little guy. We felt like our 12 year old was also getting frustrated (despite them being best friends).Enter the microchip feeder!I feel like this goes without saying but you have to be patient. We've had the feeder about one month and it's still a work in progress. Use the training module on it - leave it open and let your kitty explore into the bowl area with treats and other yummy things - NOT a full meal right away. Ours was also nervous at the presence of a new machine - so we also just had a full week of leaving it next to his normal eating area. Just to get him used to it being around. Once he was used to it and had some treats and things, we started doing little bits of food in the machine at a time - still not a whole meal. After 1 month of patient and gentle coaxing, he has finally started understanding that the door opens for him when he sticks his head in the tunnel! Very exciting. Additionally if you can leave it closed throughout the day but put their favorite treats in there, they might just surprise you when you're not looking! We did this and found at the end of the day that some of the treats were gone - he had figured it out when we weren't looking as well.Battery life is decent. We've had it going for one month so far and I tested the drain on the batteries and they appear to still be mostly full. Hopefully we'll only have to change the batteries a few times per year at most.The CONS:- Sometimes when the mini hoover cat can sense our 12 year old is eating out of the machine, he will run over and stick his head in the side, the area between the plastic guard and where the door is opened. The fact that he can stick his head in here is a design oversight in my opinion. We will need to eventually fashion something to block that area to keep him out. When this happens, the door senses that "someone" is eating, so if microchip cat leaves the area but hoover cat is still eating on the side, the DOOR STAYS OPEN, requiring us to still be around and shoo him back so the door can close.- I wish there was a way to elevate it/ change the positional configuration. We've been feeding our cats on elevated diner trays because it is more comfortable for them but this machine requires our big guy to reach a bit. He doesn't look uncomfortable but I think he is more comfortable with his original diner tray. It's also very low to the ground. Our guy is pretty big and I feel like he has to hunch over to eat.- Washing instructions for the bowl inserts are vague. There's some icons on the back of the bowls that look like they're saying "don't get these wet". Instructions only say not to wash the unit itself - nothing about the bowls. We hand wash the two bowls right now but I'd love to get a small pyrex or ceramic bowl or something that fits in the space - so we can put it in the dishwasher.Overall, I give it a 4/5 and would recommend trying this if you have the same situation at home as we have. Remember to be patient! Change is hard for cats. But if my guy can do it, yours can do! :)
originally posted on walmart.com
I have 2 cats, 2 years old and 8 months. My kitten LOVES food and is very greedy. And as he gets older he kind of bullies his big brother, even though Storm is twice his size. Hes not aggressive its just when Storm tries to eat Taz will run up to him and Storm just walks away. Hes really laid back and doesnt like confrontation lol so hes like "here you can have the food" lol. I mean it wouldnt hurt if Storm lost a few lbs so its not like hes not eating at all but still thats not the point. Anyway, I decided to give these feeders a try and Im super impressed!!!! Like they were actually the solution to my problem. Taz still attempted to go up to Storm while he was eating and as usual Storm walked away and the feeder closed lol. The look on Taz's face was priceless! ... MoreI have 2 cats, 2 years old and 8 months. My kitten LOVES food and is very greedy. And as he gets older he kind of bullies his big brother, even though Storm is twice his size. Hes not aggressive its just when Storm tries to eat Taz will run up to him and Storm just walks away. Hes really laid back and doesnt like confrontation lol so hes like "here you can have the food" lol. I mean it wouldnt hurt if Storm lost a few lbs so its not like hes not eating at all but still thats not the point. Anyway, I decided to give these feeders a try and Im super impressed!!!! Like they were actually the solution to my problem. Taz still attempted to go up to Storm while he was eating and as usual Storm walked away and the feeder closed lol. The look on Taz's face was priceless! For a minute I did feel bad for him but he also had a feeder full of food that he had already finished. Me feeling bad didnt last long though because I really am glad that Taz can no longer steal his brothers food. Im soooo happy with my purchase. And if you are thinking they are too expensive and not worth it. I felt the same way at 1st, but now that I own 2, they are absolutely worth it, and I would give more then 5 stars if I could. And for those of you that are still having problems. There are things you can buy to add on to your feeder to prevent kittens like Taz from trying to "break into" the feeders lol. They have back covers, theft barriers, and front covers. So don't give up quite yet! Good luck!
SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder with 400ml Bowl Capacity
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder + Rear Cover
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect + Rear Cover
Free delivery
Sure PetCare SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder with 400ml Bowl Capacity [ MPF001 ]
Free delivery between 10–17 June
We have four cats in our household. Two of whom have been getting increasingly fatter, while one (the grazer) has been getting proportionately skinnier. We’d tried putting his food out of reach of the other two, timing his meals differently, adding treats to it to entice him to eat it faster, and even using pet cams and auto-feeders to monitor his bowl.Nothing worked until we discovered the SureFeeder and its like the entire dynamic has shifted within our little fur family after only a couple of weeks. Everyone is healthier, with more energy and mojo. I was worried at first whether he was going to be weirded out by the automated lid mechanism, but it’s so quiet and smooth that it took him all of two feedings to get over it. I didn’t even need to use the “Learning” ... MoreWe have four cats in our household. Two of whom have been getting increasingly fatter, while one (the grazer) has been getting proportionately skinnier. We’d tried putting his food out of reach of the other two, timing his meals differently, adding treats to it to entice him to eat it faster, and even using pet cams and auto-feeders to monitor his bowl.Nothing worked until we discovered the SureFeeder and its like the entire dynamic has shifted within our little fur family after only a couple of weeks. Everyone is healthier, with more energy and mojo. I was worried at first whether he was going to be weirded out by the automated lid mechanism, but it’s so quiet and smooth that it took him all of two feedings to get over it. I didn’t even need to use the “Learning” mode. It’s also so easy to add approved pets to the feeder, since you just push a button and then put some treats in the dish and guide them thru the archway. Now my greedy boys know his bowl is a No-Go for them, and we can put his food out in the open and feed him along with everyone else without any stress. Plus we have the added peace of mind *knowing* who the food from his bowl has actually gone to.I’m honestly considering getting three more for the other kitties.
I very rarely review things but I wanted to review this because anyone who is buying this is desperate at mealtimes like I was. I hope my review helps you like all the other reviews that helped me.Our situation: We have two cats, one is a "normal" eater, aged 12. The other is a 2 year old hoover! He eats all of his food and then moves onto our other cats food. We have them completely separated at mealtime, but we can only lock up the 2 year old for so long! Our 12 year old takes sometimes 2 hours to eat his whole dinner. So when our 2 year old is out, we have to constantly supervise the 12 year old's food bowl. It is tiring and no matter what behavioral tricks are recommended, we made almost no progress in the 3 months we've had our new little guy. We felt like ... MoreI very rarely review things but I wanted to review this because anyone who is buying this is desperate at mealtimes like I was. I hope my review helps you like all the other reviews that helped me.Our situation: We have two cats, one is a "normal" eater, aged 12. The other is a 2 year old hoover! He eats all of his food and then moves onto our other cats food. We have them completely separated at mealtime, but we can only lock up the 2 year old for so long! Our 12 year old takes sometimes 2 hours to eat his whole dinner. So when our 2 year old is out, we have to constantly supervise the 12 year old's food bowl. It is tiring and no matter what behavioral tricks are recommended, we made almost no progress in the 3 months we've had our new little guy. We felt like our 12 year old was also getting frustrated (despite them being best friends).Enter the microchip feeder!I feel like this goes without saying but you have to be patient. We've had the feeder about one month and it's still a work in progress. Use the training module on it - leave it open and let your kitty explore into the bowl area with treats and other yummy things - NOT a full meal right away. Ours was also nervous at the presence of a new machine - so we also just had a full week of leaving it next to his normal eating area. Just to get him used to it being around. Once he was used to it and had some treats and things, we started doing little bits of food in the machine at a time - still not a whole meal. After 1 month of patient and gentle coaxing, he has finally started understanding that the door opens for him when he sticks his head in the tunnel! Very exciting. Additionally if you can leave it closed throughout the day but put their favorite treats in there, they might just surprise you when you're not looking! We did this and found at the end of the day that some of the treats were gone - he had figured it out when we weren't looking as well.Battery life is decent. We've had it going for one month so far and I tested the drain on the batteries and they appear to still be mostly full. Hopefully we'll only have to change the batteries a few times per year at most.The CONS:- Sometimes when the mini hoover cat can sense our 12 year old is eating out of the machine, he will run over and stick his head in the side, the area between the plastic guard and where the door is opened. The fact that he can stick his head in here is a design oversight in my opinion. We will need to eventually fashion something to block that area to keep him out. When this happens, the door senses that "someone" is eating, so if microchip cat leaves the area but hoover cat is still eating on the side, the DOOR STAYS OPEN, requiring us to still be around and shoo him back so the door can close.- I wish there was a way to elevate it/ change the positional configuration. We've been feeding our cats on elevated diner trays because it is more comfortable for them but this machine requires our big guy to reach a bit. He doesn't look uncomfortable but I think he is more comfortable with his original diner tray. It's also very low to the ground. Our guy is pretty big and I feel like he has to hunch over to eat.- Washing instructions for the bowl inserts are vague. There's some icons on the back of the bowls that look like they're saying "don't get these wet". Instructions only say not to wash the unit itself - nothing about the bowls. We hand wash the two bowls right now but I'd love to get a small pyrex or ceramic bowl or something that fits in the space - so we can put it in the dishwasher.Overall, I give it a 4/5 and would recommend trying this if you have the same situation at home as we have. Remember to be patient! Change is hard for cats. But if my guy can do it, yours can do! :)
I have 2 cats, 2 years old and 8 months. My kitten LOVES food and is very greedy. And as he gets older he kind of bullies his big brother, even though Storm is twice his size. Hes not aggressive its just when Storm tries to eat Taz will run up to him and Storm just walks away. Hes really laid back and doesnt like confrontation lol so hes like "here you can have the food" lol. I mean it wouldnt hurt if Storm lost a few lbs so its not like hes not eating at all but still thats not the point. Anyway, I decided to give these feeders a try and Im super impressed!!!! Like they were actually the solution to my problem. Taz still attempted to go up to Storm while he was eating and as usual Storm walked away and the feeder closed lol. The look on Taz's face was priceless! ... MoreI have 2 cats, 2 years old and 8 months. My kitten LOVES food and is very greedy. And as he gets older he kind of bullies his big brother, even though Storm is twice his size. Hes not aggressive its just when Storm tries to eat Taz will run up to him and Storm just walks away. Hes really laid back and doesnt like confrontation lol so hes like "here you can have the food" lol. I mean it wouldnt hurt if Storm lost a few lbs so its not like hes not eating at all but still thats not the point. Anyway, I decided to give these feeders a try and Im super impressed!!!! Like they were actually the solution to my problem. Taz still attempted to go up to Storm while he was eating and as usual Storm walked away and the feeder closed lol. The look on Taz's face was priceless! For a minute I did feel bad for him but he also had a feeder full of food that he had already finished. Me feeling bad didnt last long though because I really am glad that Taz can no longer steal his brothers food. Im soooo happy with my purchase. And if you are thinking they are too expensive and not worth it. I felt the same way at 1st, but now that I own 2, they are absolutely worth it, and I would give more then 5 stars if I could. And for those of you that are still having problems. There are things you can buy to add on to your feeder to prevent kittens like Taz from trying to "break into" the feeders lol. They have back covers, theft barriers, and front covers. So don't give up quite yet! Good luck!
I want to love these feeders, but there are flaws.I have always free-fed our cats with no issues. Until we took in a stray, who LOVES to eat. The little piggy frequently emptied every bowl in the house. Our older boy has hyperthyroidism and needs access to food all of the time. After realizing our piggy was close to 16 pounds and not slowing down, we knew something had to change. That's when we discovered the SureFeed Microchip Feeder and invested in four of them.The feeders look nice and are easy to set up. We were successfully able to add our cats via their microchips and tags (since our two old boys aren't chipped).Unless we locked the piggy up in another room for a few days, the "Training Mode" wasn't an option (since the piggy kept emptying the feeders). ... MoreI want to love these feeders, but there are flaws.I have always free-fed our cats with no issues. Until we took in a stray, who LOVES to eat. The little piggy frequently emptied every bowl in the house. Our older boy has hyperthyroidism and needs access to food all of the time. After realizing our piggy was close to 16 pounds and not slowing down, we knew something had to change. That's when we discovered the SureFeed Microchip Feeder and invested in four of them.The feeders look nice and are easy to set up. We were successfully able to add our cats via their microchips and tags (since our two old boys aren't chipped).Unless we locked the piggy up in another room for a few days, the "Training Mode" wasn't an option (since the piggy kept emptying the feeders). The piggy figured out how to use it immediately, but the other five cats needed time to adjust.After scouring the internet, we discovered the feeders have many custom modes (not noted in the manual). We put the feeder into "Intruder Training Mode".... which was perfect.... at first. The feeder remained open but closed when the unauthorized piggy tried accessing the food. However, piggy soon discovered he could eat from the back of the feeder. We built a shield around the back, which kept him away. But, the piggy realized he could quickly scoop food out with his paw or jam his head in the feeder to keep it open.It has taken us a lot of time and patience, but 5/6 of our cats have learned how to use the feeders. So, we keep them in the regular mode (the feeder is closed and only opens for an authorized cat). Thankfully, the piggy doesn't try prying open the feeder when the lid is closed.The biggest flaw is when an authorized cat walks away from the feeder, the piggy can sneak in and empty the bowl. The lid doesn't close, since it still detects a cat... which makes these feeders useless. This happens even when the delay slider is positioned to #1 (piggy still has enough time to sneak in). When he's not around to sneak in, these feeders work perfectly.I then discovered "Intruder Mode" (the lid will close if an unauthorized cat comes near). Unfortunately, "Intruder Mode" simply does not work. It doesn't close on the unauthorized pet, and worst of all, it randomly closes and opens on an authorized pet while they're trying to eat.I've been in touch with Sure Petcare Customer Service. They've been responsive but haven't provided a solution or explanation as to why "Intruder Mode" doesn't work. Recently, they gave me instructions to put the feeder in "Permanently Scanning Intruder Custom Mode" which supposedly continually scans for unauthorized pets. I guess that's my next option, but I'm hesitant to try it. Will it drain the batteries? Will it randomly close on the authorized cats?I wish there was a way to add an unauthorized pet, just as easy as it is to add an authorized one. If "Intruder Mode" worked, I would be able to give this feeder a better rating (I understand most of my problems aren't actually due to the feeder itself, but more so from my persistent piggy). The "Intruder Mode" is very important though, I wish it worked, and I wish it was the standard mode.Lastly, for the price of this feeder, it's unfortunate they do not come with the back cover, stainless steel bowls, and batteries. Overall, I would likely recommend these feeders. They are great when an intruder cat isn't around to sneak in.
I had to get this because one of my cats has cystitis and needs a prescription diet the others won't/can't have. If you have more than 1 pet, you need to get more than 1 of these. There should be 1 for each diet in the house, basically.One of the main issues with this is that the unauthorized cats can still get to it, especially if they like the other cat's food and are sneaky. If you want to save money instead of buying the cover and waiting for it to get here, just take the box the product comes in and cover the back with one of the flaps. If your unauthorized cats try to squeeze in through the front while the authorized cat eats, just use the rest of the box as a tunnel. If they still manage to squeeze through (like my kitten did), then add some rims to the ... MoreI had to get this because one of my cats has cystitis and needs a prescription diet the others won't/can't have. If you have more than 1 pet, you need to get more than 1 of these. There should be 1 for each diet in the house, basically.One of the main issues with this is that the unauthorized cats can still get to it, especially if they like the other cat's food and are sneaky. If you want to save money instead of buying the cover and waiting for it to get here, just take the box the product comes in and cover the back with one of the flaps. If your unauthorized cats try to squeeze in through the front while the authorized cat eats, just use the rest of the box as a tunnel. If they still manage to squeeze through (like my kitten did), then add some rims to the entrance of the tunnel to make the entrance smaller. You're gonna need duct tape or glue to do all this, of course, but I think its worth it. Only problem with putting cardboard n the back is it wont allow the lid to open completely, but it should open enough for them to eat and for you to squeeze the tray in/out.I only did the tunnel with my sick cat's food because my sick cat isn't very sneaky or stealthy when it comes to food, unlike my others.Overall, I still recommend this product because if your cats have different diets, there's no question about it, you'll NEED this.
Bottom line, I loved both, almost perfect, systems above. Read on if you want an exhaustive critique and comparison:I bought the MiBowl and the SureFeed Microchip Feeders, and I am very happy with both feeders now that I have: 1. Adjusted them with after market solutions, and 2. Correctly matched them to “Genius Kitten Transgressor Who Eats Too Much” and “Kitten Victim of Genius Kitten Transgressor”.Both systems are equally great in that they are exceptionally quiet, safe, and easy to set up! I am really happy with both.But for those who can only choose one, here are the Pros and Cons of each system to help you choose:CLOSER PETS MiBOWLPros:1. Heavier Weight (2.8 lbs) more stability2. MiBowl is less expensive to adjust for assaults from the side and ... MoreBottom line, I loved both, almost perfect, systems above. Read on if you want an exhaustive critique and comparison:I bought the MiBowl and the SureFeed Microchip Feeders, and I am very happy with both feeders now that I have: 1. Adjusted them with after market solutions, and 2. Correctly matched them to “Genius Kitten Transgressor Who Eats Too Much” and “Kitten Victim of Genius Kitten Transgressor”.Both systems are equally great in that they are exceptionally quiet, safe, and easy to set up! I am really happy with both.But for those who can only choose one, here are the Pros and Cons of each system to help you choose:CLOSER PETS MiBOWLPros:1. Heavier Weight (2.8 lbs) more stability2. MiBowl is less expensive to adjust for assaults from the side and rear. It comes with removable front guards (which offer some flexibility to match the size of the cat), and is designed with a rear guard.4. All buttons are easily accessible for the regular daily operations.5. The programming buttons are separated and well-marked, so there is less likelihood of an accidental reprogramming by a new owner or cat sitter.Cons:At the time of this review the bowl is deep with steep sides. My Victim Cat rejected the bowl, possibly due to whisker sensitivity.At the time of this review, the bowl cover takes twice as long to close. There is no way to adjust the timing or force of the of the close function.SURE FEED MICROCHIPPros:A wider base offers tip stabilityThe lid close function comes with 5 options for speed and force. Some options are faster than the MiBowlThe bowls are wide and flat for cats with whisker sensitivity.Stainless bowls are available for an extra fee.Cons:The proprietary rear guard is an expensive but necessary component. I found a $2 kid’s cloth bin at a resale shop (approximately 10.5 in. squared) that I tuck the feeder into. I saw online that other people just repurpose the box the feeder comes in, but I can’t imagine anyone getting away without a rear guard. My Transgressor Cat was onto that immediately!The front opening is too wide, and the system doesn’t come with any guards. The Transgressor Cat quickly figured out how to wedge in and join his Victim for an extra lunch. I bought some great front protectors from “Chapcaps” on ETSY. This provider was fast and responsive- making an adjustment when the kitten assigned to the feeder turned out to be an XXL Maine Coon Cat. She needed a bespoke guard with a wider aperture for her shoulders.The daily open/close buttons are not as accessible as the MiBowl.These harder to access daily operation buttons are right next to the programming buttons. One day, I accidentally hit the “Add Cat” button, giving The Transgressor Cat full privileges. The mistake was easily remedied, but I worry about that happening with a cat sitter while I am away, and not finding out until I return.
I waited so long to be able to afford these feeders, and I had such high hopes that they would help solve some of the common multi-cat household feeding issues, but after using them for about a month now it turns out they're just OK.We have two very different cats right now. One is a no-holds-barred try-anything-twice glutton, and one is a waifish feline version of Kate Moss for whom a "big meal" means 5 kibbles instead of the usual 3. So I thought controlling Jaba's access to everyone else's food would be ideal, and I purchased two of these hoping they would be the perfect fix.However, our little wisp of a cat is also very skittish, and the introduction of new things is very difficult on her frail constitution. One look at the new feeders sent her straight ... MoreI waited so long to be able to afford these feeders, and I had such high hopes that they would help solve some of the common multi-cat household feeding issues, but after using them for about a month now it turns out they're just OK.We have two very different cats right now. One is a no-holds-barred try-anything-twice glutton, and one is a waifish feline version of Kate Moss for whom a "big meal" means 5 kibbles instead of the usual 3. So I thought controlling Jaba's access to everyone else's food would be ideal, and I purchased two of these hoping they would be the perfect fix.However, our little wisp of a cat is also very skittish, and the introduction of new things is very difficult on her frail constitution. One look at the new feeders sent her straight under the fainting couch. Then back under the couch when she heard the door move for the first time. After weeks of acclamation, she's almost to the point where she won't jump out of her own skin when the doors close even halfway after she eats (we're still in training mode with her), and I'm beginning to think that's the best we can hope for. Theat is to say, they're a bit louder than I expected.The other problem we're running into is that while our own furry Tararre is able to open his feeder simply by walking near it, our female Jack Spratt has to stick her head so far under the arch before it will read her chip that I'm afraid she's going to hyperextend her cervical vertebre. I anticipate this becoming a worse problem when we finally feel like she's ready to take off the training wheels and fully close the feeder because then the hinge will hit her chin on its way up. If your cat's chip is placed further back than that base of their skull, you'll likely run into the same issue. I wish the range of the chip reader was a little larger.Lastly, I'm concerned that the feeders do such a good job sealing the doors against the bowl that Catlista Flockhart won't be able to smell her food once we come out of training more and the doors completely shut. One of the only things that gets her to stay and stretch that neck out is the fact that she can smell the food in the feeder while it's partially open during training mode. If she doesn't smell it, I fear she'll just forget to eat altogether or find it too frustrating and leave before the bowl is triggered to open. As it stands, as much as I hate to have to modify something this expensive, it seems I'm going to have to drill some holes in the cover so she can still smell her food when she's ready to eat.Overall, they do work well, and as advertised, but there's room for improvement.
I must admit that "I" was a little more hesitant in following through with training my kitties on this than need be.I have 2 kitties and bought them each a feeder. I followed the suggestion that you gradually work to get them used to it. I had the bowl on the outside, then on the inside, then I started that 'little' automatic lid closing. Seems the little lid movement scared them both more than anything.After a month or so, with no progress - I decided to skip the lid movement part - and use Treats instead. FIrst I put them in the bowl, with the lid open (putting their heads under that 'halo' seemed to be also a huge hesitancy they had). And I found that That worked. Then I put the treat of the forward Top of the lid, so when they put their head under the halo - ... MoreI must admit that "I" was a little more hesitant in following through with training my kitties on this than need be.I have 2 kitties and bought them each a feeder. I followed the suggestion that you gradually work to get them used to it. I had the bowl on the outside, then on the inside, then I started that 'little' automatic lid closing. Seems the little lid movement scared them both more than anything.After a month or so, with no progress - I decided to skip the lid movement part - and use Treats instead. FIrst I put them in the bowl, with the lid open (putting their heads under that 'halo' seemed to be also a huge hesitancy they had). And I found that That worked. Then I put the treat of the forward Top of the lid, so when they put their head under the halo - the lid opened and the treat fel in the bowl. FInally I put their food in the bowl with some favorite treats on their Food, and yes - THEN they were more willing to forget about that halo and go for the treat (and food) after the lid opened.I've had the feeder a few months now - and it's wonderful. My kitties don't hesitate, it certainly doesn't scare them, and they sit in Front on their empty feeders waiting for me to put food in! CERTAINLY worth following thru with the training and not chickening out over and over like '"I" did!
We have multiple cats and one needs a special diet, so we actually bought two feeders to ensure it could only eat its prescription diet and not normal dry food, and vice versa for the other cats. So one is programmed for the special diet cat, and the other for the rest. It has been working well. All of the cats were microchipped and the feeders recognized the chips with no problem. Programming was very simple - just press the button and have the cat put its head under the arch, and it recognized it.Luckily our cats are all food-motivated enough that we didn't have to do a lot of training to get them to use the feeders. After a couple days they got used to the opening/closing motion of the lid, and learned quickly (sometimes with help by physically putting their ... MoreWe have multiple cats and one needs a special diet, so we actually bought two feeders to ensure it could only eat its prescription diet and not normal dry food, and vice versa for the other cats. So one is programmed for the special diet cat, and the other for the rest. It has been working well. All of the cats were microchipped and the feeders recognized the chips with no problem. Programming was very simple - just press the button and have the cat put its head under the arch, and it recognized it.Luckily our cats are all food-motivated enough that we didn't have to do a lot of training to get them to use the feeders. After a couple days they got used to the opening/closing motion of the lid, and learned quickly (sometimes with help by physically putting their head under the arch) that it would open if they approached it. One cat is fairly skittish but even he didn't seem to have too much of a problem learning to use the feeder. But for cats that are more hesitant, it does offer a step-by-step training method to get them used to the lid moving and the noise, and there is even a special training button meant precisely for that. The third button is to open and close it, for when you need to refill it.We use the full bowls (it also comes with a spit bowl) and the prescription dry food will last several days before we have to refill it. The other food (for 3 cats who also get some wet food twice per day) tends to need refilling daily or definitely after two days. We thought about a larger feeder that was also available from another company, but that one required the use of tags on collars, and since our cats are indoor-only they don't wear collars, and we preferred not to have to start using them. So I am very appreciative of the option to use the microchips. Though I do wish they had something with a larger capacity.
We have two senior (10+ year old) cats. One is super food orientated and will eat everything he can get, as fast as he can get it and the other is a very selective and slow eater (a proper princess).In the past, the greedy one didnt have the courage to go near our princesses food, but when he discovered she wont fight him for it, she started to get less and less at meal times whilst gobble guts got close 2 serves each night.This was the best solution we could find without having to lock them in seperate rooms for meal time or watch over them each time they ate (a lengthy process when one cat eats a few bites every 10mins)The feeder does work for what we wanted. The princess can dabble at her wet food and the glutton cant work out why he cant get in. But the ... MoreWe have two senior (10+ year old) cats. One is super food orientated and will eat everything he can get, as fast as he can get it and the other is a very selective and slow eater (a proper princess).In the past, the greedy one didnt have the courage to go near our princesses food, but when he discovered she wont fight him for it, she started to get less and less at meal times whilst gobble guts got close 2 serves each night.This was the best solution we could find without having to lock them in seperate rooms for meal time or watch over them each time they ate (a lengthy process when one cat eats a few bites every 10mins)The feeder does work for what we wanted. The princess can dabble at her wet food and the glutton cant work out why he cant get in. But the feeder isnt perfect and a different household dynamic or a more intelligent cat could definitely outsmart it.The feeder requires 4 C size batteries (not included, so make sure you get some before trying to set it up) to operate. Set up is relatively easy, but the instructions arent great.Pros:- didnt take long for our cat to adjust to using it- bowls are easy to clean- flap mechanism is reasonably quiet- works for our intended purpose (keeps one cat out and let the other eat in peace)Cons:- No back so a more aggresive cat can push their way in if they want- microchip used to activate (gets attached to collar) is rather big. If it dangles, it bangs agaist the brims of bowls when our cat drinks and eats.- feeder takes a fairly long time to close after use. Long enough for a speedy cat to jump in and eat before it closes.- feeder is quite low and idealy should be put on a platformWe did have a slight hiccup about a week in where the feeder didnt appear to be opening for the microchip. But after resetting the feeder this issue went away
