11 Best Automatic Cat Feeders in the UK in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

If you’ve got an ever-changing work schedule that demands flexibility from you and pulls you away from home for different periods throughout the week, you might be having a hard time sticking to your cat’s feeding times. Whether keeping track of the time is difficult away from home or even while at home, it’s important to ensure that your cat’s feeding times are maintained to avoid leavfing them hungry.

If getting any schedule or routine down in your home feels like an impossibility, don’t worry! There are plenty of cat-feeding devices on the market that can do the hard work for you. In this article, we’ll discuss a few of our top choices for reliable automatic cat feeders in the UK. The reviews below will help you determine which option suits you and your cat best according to your busy lifestyle.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Cat Mate Automatic Pet Feeder	Durable Tamper-proof Large meal compartments	Check Price
Best Value		Closer Pets 2 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder	Affordable Can feed two cats at once Suitable for wet and dry food	Check Price
Premium Choice		Closer Pets MiBowl Microchip Activated Pet Feeder	Well-sealed to keep food fresh and untouched Compact and modern design Quiet	Check Price
Best for Kittens		Navaris Automatic Food and Water Dispenser	Has a timer Voice reminder alerts your cat that it's mealtime Easy to use	Check Price
		Faroro Automatic Cat Feeder	Battery or mains operated Low battery alert Customizable	Check Price

The 11 Best Automatic Cat Feeders in the UK

Some cats require several smaller meals throughout the day due to preference, weight control, or health-related issues. If you’re out of the house at work or running errands most days throughout the week, you may need some extra help, which the Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder can offer you.

Due to the two ice packs included in this feeder, your cat can continue to eat their usual wet or dry food, even when you’re away. The ice will keep the food fresh for 1–2 days. It’s battery-operated, although batteries aren’t included. It has a digital timer that you’ll need to schedule your cat’s mealtime into and can provide your cat with up to five meals.

This automatic feeder is durable and tamper-proof, preventing your cat from breaking into it to munch down an extra meal. For these reasons and more, it’s our pick for the best overall automatic cat feeder in the UK.

Another option you can consider if you’re looking for a feeder that is compatible with wet and dry cat food is the Closer Pets C200 2 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder. It’s also our pick for the best automatic cat feeder for the money and one of the most affordable options on our list.

This feeder operates on a timer and will release the lid covering your cat’s food according to the time you’ve set it to. What’s convenient about this feeder is that you can set both lids to release at the same time, allowing both cats to eat simultaneously. Of course, this is only an option if your cats don’t try to eat their housemates food before they manage to get to it!

It only has a capacity large enough to provide one cat with two meals or two cats with one meal, which might not be sufficient if you’re away on a trip. It does require batteries, and you can choose to upgrade the bowls to a stainless-steel option.

For our premium choice, we’ve chosen the Closer Pets MiBowl Automatic Microchip Activated Pet Feeder, which is a high-end automatic cat feeder. It has many options to choose from and is activated by your cat’s microchip. This allows the correct cat to eat their specific diet and prevents other pets or children from accessing the food.

The feeder’s lid securely seals in your cat’s food to keep it fresh, keep pets and flies out, and reduce the food smell from saturating your home. The feeder is quiet and offers different portion options as your cat grows, suitable to their life stage. Unfortunately, this feeder is quite narrow and deep, and cats that have grown up using wide, shallow bowls may have a hard time adapting to this change.

It’s important for your kitten to have access to food and water while you’re away to remain satisfied and combat dehydration, which is why we’ve added Navaris Automatic Food and Water Dispenser to our list. You can choose to use the water dispenser or not. If you choose to, you’ll need to remove the cover over the water dispenser compartment and screw in a bottle of fresh water.

This feeder can hold four dry meals for your cat to enjoy, and each compartment will be opened according to the time you set it. It also has a voice reminder to notify your cat when it’s time to eat. Although easy to use and set up, you will need to purchase LR20 D batteries for this item to operate it.

If you frequently travel with your family or for work trips but don’t feel comfortable with a pet sitter or friend having access to your home, the Faroro 7L Automatic Cat Feeder may benefit your lifestyle. This feeder has a 7-liter capacity that can store up to four meals per day with up to 39 portions.

It operates through an adapter cable as well as batteries to allow you to choose the more reliable option within your home. When the battery is running low, you’ll be alerted to prevent your cat from ever missing a meal. You can set the mealtimes and portion sizes that are best for your cat and record your voice calling your cat to eat. However, the meal portions aren’t always accurate, which is problematic for cats on a strict diet.

For tech-savvy cat owners who enjoy apps and various features, the WOPET 6L Automatic Cat Feeder might be just what you’ve been searching for. You can connect the feeder to your WiFi and to your smartphone to receive notifications as well as be able to schedule or change your cat’s mealtimes.

This feeder allows you to record a message for your cat that will ring out when it’s time to eat. This can reassure your cat to eat as well as bring their attention to the food bowl. Unfortunately, this feeder only works with dry cat kibble that is between the sizes of 5–15mm. This might not be compatible with your cat’s specialized diet.

Another automatic cat feeder that can be customized via an app is the WellToBe Automatic 4L Cat Feeder. However, this cat feeder has something a little extra that is necessary for a multi-cat household—a second bowl. This feeder feeds two cats at the same time instead of one but has a smaller hopper than the previous feeder on our list, with a capacity of 4 liters.

Even with a smaller hopper, this feeder can hold around 1.2kgs of dry kibble, which can be portioned out to last for a minimum of 15 days. You’re able to focus on spending time with your cat in your free moments instead of on the chore of feeding them amidst a busy schedule. It offers a dual power supply, voice recording, and strict meal portions. However, setting up this feeder and connecting it to the WiFi can be both time-consuming and tricky.

Another two-way splitter dispenser option is the HoneyGuaridan 6.5L Automatic Pet Feeder. This option includes two stainless steel bowls, which are more hygienic than plastic bowls. They’re suitable for dishwashers, making them easy to clean. The transparent food bucket can easily be removed and washed between refills too. If you only have one cat to feed, you can remove the splitter and place one bowl under the dispenser instead.

The dispenser does allow you to record a custom message to notify your pet to come and eat, but you can disable that function if it wakes you up or distracts you. You can program the dispenser to provide portion sizes of as little as 5 grams of food or as much as 1.5 kilograms of food per serving to accommodate your cat’s diet. However, this dispenser is not for wet food. The on and off button is in an odd place, which may take time to get used to.

For cat owners who need peace of mind when out of town, the WHDPETS WiFi 5L Automatic Pet Feeder includes a camera so you can check in on your fur babies as they eat. The camera is high definition with a wide angle and has night vision, allowing you to keep an eye on your cats, whether it’s night or day. You’re also given the option to play videos back and take photos.

Another unique feature this dispenser offers is a two-way microphone. You can hear your cats as you watch them on your phone, and they can hear you if you talk to them. This will help you and your cats feel as though you’re together in the same room, even if you’re far away. The dual power supply is another feature that ensures that your cat will be okay in the case of a blackout while you’re not there. However, this dispenser does come at a high price.

The Arespark 6L WiFi 2.4GHz Pet Feeder has a big food bucket that can feed your cat up to six times per day while you’re out or at work. You don’t even have to worry about monitoring the food levels, as the dispenser will notify your phone when they’re low and need to be topped up.

Like so many dispensers on this list, this option also has a voice recording feature, dual power supply, and the ability to feed your cat according to your scheduled mealtimes. However, it can only work with dry cat food that is smaller than 15mm. It also has portion size presets, which you can’t change, but you can set it to pour out multiples of the same amount to end up at the portion size your cat needs.

Although simple, the PETCUTE Automatic Cat feeder Pet food dispenser does still have a lot to offer. It allows you to set mealtimes, but you’ll need to fill each compartment with the exact amount of food your cat needs over the next six meals.

It is made durable and sturdy to last, and the secure lid prevents cats from accessing their food before the correct times. When mealtime has arrived, your customized message will play out to call your cat to their food, and the secure lid will open. Although this feeder only operates off batteries, it does have a low battery light to tell you the batteries will need to be replaced soon. However, the price is fairly high for the few features it does offer.

Buyer’s Guide: Buying the Best Automatic Cat Feeders in the UK

We all suffer from pet-parent guilt at times. Being away from your pet for too long or not being able to play with them as much as you’d like are several factors that many pet parents struggle with at some stage. However, messing up your cat’s feeding schedule doesn’t have to be added to the list because automatic cat feeders are designed to make sure that never happens. As wonderful as they are, there are a few things to consider before buying one.

What Does an Automatic Cat Feeder Do?

Automatic cat feeders release a portioned amount of cat food at the specific times you set them to. They ensure that your cat receives their meals at the exact same time every day to develop a strong routine without ever needing to wait hungrily for food. Some automatic cat feeders help your cat eat slower by releasing their food over a few minutes instead of all at once to reduce regurgitation.

Benefits of Automatic Cat Feeders

This method of feeding is very convenient as it removes the pressure off you and allows you to come and go as you need—and it allows you to sleep in for as long as you want without your cat meowing and begging you for food.

It’s great for cat owners who travel a lot for short periods and don’t want to hire a pet sitter or family member to stay in their home while they’re away. If you’re often away for a couple of days, you should consider an automatic cat feeder with a large capacity to ensure it doesn’t run out of food before you get back to refill it.

They enforce portion control which is necessary for cats who tend to overeat and can release food over a few minutes to ensure slower eating. Some automatic feeders will only release food to registered cats by recognizing their microchips, which prevents other cats and pets from eating your cat’s specialized food.

Some automatic cat feeders work with wet and dry food, which is convenient for a varied diet.

Disadvantages of Automatic Cat Feeders

Although a great tool, many automatic cat feeders can be pretty complicated, require you to set them up yourself, and aren’t very easy to use—especially for people who aren’t tech-savvy. However, you can find simpler models too.

Although reliable for the most part, the feeder does require you to fill it up when it starts to deplete, which requires monitoring on your part. You’ll also have to frequently check on it to ensure that it’s still working, as the batteries may run flat and need changing.

Feeders with USB power sources or ones that are powered by electricity are often recommended over battery-operated options because they tend to be more reliable. However, if your electrical source is unreliable, battery-powered options are better.

Automatic cat feeders aren’t one of those tools that you can set up and forget about because if you do, your cat will suffer. You’ll also need to clean it when necessary.

Of course, using an automatic feeder removes an aspect of the interaction between you and your cat. Cats and their owners often bond when meals are being prepared or dished up, and by using a feeder, you’ll no longer get to experience that. However, bonding can happen through many other activities, such as brushing, bathing, playtime, and cuddling.

Conclusion

An automatic cat feeder is such a convenient tool that ensures your cat receives their scheduled meals and correct food portions. Some are simple and easy to use, while others are a bit higher-tech and offer additional features at a higher price.

The best overall automatic cat feeder is the Cat Mate Automatic Pet Feeder because it comes with ice packs and is suitable for wet and dry food, giving your cat more variety. For an affordable option, we’ve listed the Closer Pets 2 Meal Automatic Pet Feeder, which can feed two cats at once. Lastly, we’ve listed the Closer Pets MiBowl Automatic Microchip Activated Pet Feeder for its many impressive features.

Featured Image Credit: Kylbabka, Shutterstock