How to Match The Perfect Feeder for Your Type of Cat

Choosing the Right Automatic Feeder for Your Cat’s Personality

People always want to choose the best automatic pet feeder for their cats, but do they really get the best unit for their type of cats? In this article, I will explain how to choose an automatic feeder that will satisfy the requirements of your feline friend according to its main characteristics. Not all cats require the same solution— it depends on whether your cat is overweight, a gobbler or a mischievous kitty. Read this article to find out how to select the best one for your pet.

Why Your Cat’s Personality Matters When Choosing a Feeder

Your cat’s personality plays a key role in choosing the right feeder because different types of cats have unique eating habits and needs. For example, gobbler cats tend to eat quickly, which can lead to digestion issues, while social cats may need interaction during mealtime. Understanding whether your cat is a gobbler, beggar, mischievous, or has other specific traits helps you select a feeder that fits their eating style, whether it’s a slow-dispensing feeder, one that schedules meals, or one that provides secure access to food. Tailoring the feeder to your cat’s personality ensures better eating habits, improved health, and a more consistent feeding routine. Here’s the list of types of cats and what you need to look for when choosing an automatic feeder.

1. Overweight or Obese Cats: A Feeder for Weight Management

Excess weight in cats is a progressive condition that can harm organs, disrupt metabolism, and shorten their lifespan. According to the 2022 Pet Obesity U.S. Prevalence Survey, 61% of cats are classified as overweight or obese. Addressing this issue requires changing how we feed our cats. Overweight cats need precise portion control and scheduled feeding to lose or maintain weight without feeling deprived.

Recommended Feeder Features for Overweight Cats:

• Precise portion settings to control calorie intake.
• Ability to dispense 5 or more small meals (up to 15g) throughout the day to help reduce hunger.
• Lock-on lid with press or twist-open mechanisms, designed to be opened only by humans.
• Removable bowl or wide holder to accommodate a slow-feed tray for mindful eating.
• App-enabled feeders for tracking feeding habits and adjusting portions as needed.
• Multi-cat feeders with RFID or microchip technology to ensure only the intended cat eats.
• Tamper-proof designs that prevent cats from breaking in using paws, teeth, or body.

TIP: Overweight cats are food-driven and will try to break into the feeder. Check out this list of cat-proof automatic feeders to find the one that best suits your cat’s needs.

2. Gobbler Cats: A Feeder that Slows Them Down

Gobbler cats wolf down their meals in seconds, leading to digestion issues or vomiting. They need slow, controlled feeding without restricting calorie intake, which could worsen the problem. An experiment published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that calorie restriction led to faster eating in cats. To manage this, choose an automatic feeder that dispenses smaller portions, like one tablespoon, with short intervals between servings. This way, you can divide one meal into two, three, or even four parts, each served a minute apart, instead of all at once. You can also complement this solution by re-educating your cat’s eating habits with a toy food dispenser. These interactive toys make cats work for their food, naturally slowing them down while replicating their natural instincts of hunting, scooping or chasing.

Recommended Feeder Features for Gobbler Cats:

• Slow-dispensing mechanism to prevent fast eating.
• Detachable bowl so you can replace it with a slow-feeding bowl.
• Wide and deep bowl base to accommodate a slow feeder insert instead of the default bowl or tray.
• Ability to dispense small portions multiple times per day.

TIP: The PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed features a slow feeding mode. With this mode you program it to dispense two portions (¼ cup kibble) over 15 minutes, which helps slow down fast eaters. If your cat still inhales the food too quickly, you can improve the feeding pace by replacing the default bowl with a slow-feeding bowl. Since the stainless steel bowl of the PetSafe Healthy Pet is not built-in, it gives you the flexibility to use a bowl of your choice.

3. Beggar Cats: A Device with a Consistent Feeding Routine

Beggar cats are relentless in asking for food at all hours, ignoring your schedule entirely. They need feeders to enforce consistent meal times.

Recommended Feeder Features for Beggar Cats:

• Feeder with both AC power and battery backup to ensure it keeps working without interruptions.
• Reliable clock to prevent skipped or early mealtimes.
• Set-and-forget 24-hour feeding schedule that repeats daily.
• App-enabled controls for remote feeding monitoring and adjustments.
• Secure design to resist attempts to break into the feeder.

TIP: The Feeder Robot is an advanced, App-enabled, reliable automatic feeder. Additionally to selecting a suitable feeder for your purr-sistent beggar, make sure to keep the unit in the same place at all times.

4. Mischievous Cats: A Secure Feeder

These curious and crafty cats will go to great lengths to steal extra food, whether it’s from their feeder or another pet’s bowl. They need secure and tamper-proof feeders.

Recommended Feeder Features for Mischiveous Cats:

• Sturdy, cat-proof designs with no accessible openings to cat’s paws
• Locking lids that only human hands can open
• App-enabled with food indicator so you won’t need a transparent hopper to check the food level. A hopper showing the kibble creates more frustration in mischievous cats.
• Feeders with chute covers or designed in a way that blocks paw access
• Flexible setup, such as wall-mounted or secured base, to keep food out of reach and protected.
• Models with smooth, inaccessible surfaces to prevent tampering

TIP: If your cat is extremely smart, the CSF-3 Super Feeder can be mounted in a wall, away from your cat’s paws.

Watch a Cat Outsmarting an Automatic Feeder

5. Fearless Social Cats: An Interactive Automatic Feeder

These cats are highly social and not easily scared by sounds, movements, or new experiences. They thrive on interaction and enjoy company during mealtime, although they are not disturbed by other people’s sudden actions. This makes them ideal candidates for feeders with cameras or speakers, as they appreciate the connection without feeling bothered. They may even refuse food when alone, preferring companionship while eating.

Recommended Feeder Features for Social Confident Cats:

• App-controlled feeders to schedule meals when you’re home, fostering a sense of connection.
• Built-in camera with live streaming and 2-way audio to stay connected with your kitty, anytime.
• Manual feeding options, ideal for shared mealtime moments when you’re around.
• Voice recorder to call your cat to eat, so they hear your voice even when you’re not home.

TIP: The Wopet Camera feeder allows to watch, talk or listen to your cat during mealtimes.

Camera video taken from the Wopet

6. Routine-Lover Cats: A Set & Forget Reliable Automatic Feeder

These cats value consistency and become stressed if feeding schedules change. They need highly reliable feeders to maintain their sense of routine.

Recommended Feeder Features for Routine-Lover Cats:

• Highly programmable feeders with precise scheduling
• Feeders with backup batteries to ensure consistency during power outages
• Reliable clock to prevent skipped or early mealtimes
• Quiet mechanisms to maintain a calm feeding experience

TIP: When setting up the feeder, carefully choose its location to avoid needing to move it later.

7. Food Guarding Cats: A Feeder that Secures Your Cat’s Mealtime

Food-guarding cats can be protective of their meals, often guarding their bowls or showing aggression toward others nearby. They thrive with controlled and secure feeding setups. Along with using an automatic feeder, creating separate feeding stations is essential to stop a cat from eating the other cat’s food.

Recommended Feeder Features & Setups for Food Guarding Cats:

• Multiple feeders for separate feeding zones to reduce competition.
• Feeders with RFID collar tags for personalized access.
• Tamper-proof, sturdy designs to prevent food disputes.

TIP: You might want to consider creating an individual feeding station for your food-guarding kitty by installing a selective automatic cat door that works with a collar tag in a suitable enclosure, such as a closet, cabinet, or large plastic box. This will help fully separate your food-jealous cat from the other pets.

8. Timid Cats: A Quiet and Stress-Free Automatic Feeder

These shy cats are easily frightened by noise or sudden movements. They need feeders that minimize stress and provide a sense of safety.

Recommended Feeder Features for Shy Cats:

• Ultra-quiet mechanisms to avoid scaring the cat.
• Gradual food dispensing to prevent startling them with sudden movements.
• Models with a low-profile design to blend into the environment and feel less threatening.
• App-controlled feeder that allows you to dispense food when your cat isn’t around, preventing it from being startled.

TIP: Place the feeder away from areas with high traffic.

What If Your Cat Fits Multiple Categories?

It’s not uncommon for cats to exhibit traits from several types. For example, a Gobbler who’s also a Mischievous feline might need a feeder with a slow-dispensing capacity, plus a secure design to prevent tampering. Or a Timid cat that’s also a Routine-Lover may benefit from a highly programmable, ultra-quiet feeder that maintains their feeding schedule without startling them. By blending feeder features based on your cat’s unique combination of traits, you can create a more tailored, enjoyable mealtime experience. Check a list of reviews of automatic feeders to find more details about how each works.

Knowing your cat’s personality will help you to get the right automatic feeder for your cat, according to features that satisfy your cat’s unique needs. Best of luck!