Are you forgetful when it comes to feeding the cat? Does the cat have to constantly come to you meowing and trying to lead you back into the kitchen? Then you should really try out an automatic cat feeder. They are a great way to ensure that you are taking care of your cat’s needs and allow you to maintain their health with minimal work.

            Automatic feeders work similar to a programmable coffee pot only throughout the entire day for several days. You place the dry food into the holding tank of the feeder and program the amount you want dispensed. Then you would program the meal times. Most all feeders will all you to program three meals a day. Feeders will hold about 10 pounds of dry cat food.

            Automatic cat feeders are great for weekends away when you want to leave the cat behind. I would still have someone check in occasionally to make sure the dispenser is working properly. Most dispensers are battery powered so you wouldn’t have to worry about power outages clearing the feeding times. You still want to make sure you have fresh batteries before leaving for an extended period of time.

            Programmable feeders are a much better alternative to the gravity feeders. With the gravity feeders the cat is allowed to eat as much as they want. These usually lead to obesity in the cat. With the automatic feeders, you are able to control the portions dispensed to your cat, and you can control the times during the day in which your cat is eating.

            Automatic feeders come in a variety of sizes and prices. There are some cheaper feeders that are just separate bowls with a lid that has one section missing. The feeder works by rotating at the programmed time over top of one of the dishes. These are rather inexpensive and will be around $30. The nicer feeders will have a holding tank on top and dispense the food through gravity. These feeders will hold much more food and resemble a water cooler. They can get quite expensive for the nice stainless steel versions and can top $200.