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Looking for a collar activated cat feeder? It may be because you need to keep other pets from eating your cat’s food. Or, you could also be looking to implement portion control for one or more of your cats. Regardless of your reasoning, there is really only one highly rated collar activated cat feeder on the market today: The SureFeed Microchip/Collar Activated Pet Feeder.
Let’s dive into why the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is the best option and what other options you have if you want a more general automatic pet feeder.
Collar Activated Cat Feeder Review
We researched all of the collar activated pet feeders on the market and found there was only one that satisfied the criteria and had good reviews by pet owners. While we did find one or two other feeders with collar sensors, the reviews for the products were generally negative enough that we did not want to include them on this list.
Instead, we will provide you with information on the best feeder with collar sensor that we found and a few other automatic cat feeders as well should you want to consider one of those options instead.
Sure Petcare Microchip/Collar Activated Cat Feeder
Best Collar Activated Cat Feeder
Brand: SurePet
Technology: Microchip or RFID Collar Activated
Power Source: Battery Powered
Compatible Food: Dry Food, Wet Food
Key Feature: Cat Feeder works with your cat’s existing microchip or RFID collar included with purchase.
If you’re looking for an automatic cat feeder with collar sensor then the best option on the market is the Sure Petcare Microchip/Collar Activated Cat Feeder. This automatic cat feeder can work in two ways. One is by using your cat’s vet-implanted microchip if they have one. You can program the microchip number into the feeder so that it only opens for that specific cat. You can program multiple cat’s microchip IDs into the Surefeed Microchip Pet Feeder storing up to 32 pet identities into memory.
The other way to use the cat feeder is through collar activation. Each feeder purchase comes with an RFID collar tag that can open the cat feeder. If you have more than one pet you can buy additional RFID collar tags for your other cats.
To use the SureFeed Microchip Feeder, simply place wet cat food or dry cat food into the bowl provided. The lid will lift providing access to your cat when they approach the food bowl. This can help keep unwanted visitors like dogs or other animals from eating your cat’s food.
The cat feeder comes with a scale that sits under the bowl allowing the cat owner to track how much their cat is eating through their phone. You can use the phone app to check when your pet was last feed and how much food is left in the bowl. If you have a larger cat that is on a diet, this feature better helps you track their eating. However, to use the app feature you will need to buy the Sure Petcare Hub separately.
Because this cat feeder with collar sensor is currently the only reliable one on the market, it does come with a hefty price tag compared to some of the other more general automatic feeders. You can check out other dog-proof cat feeders if you are trying to find a feeder that keeps out other pets.
Related: 7 Best Dog Proof Cat Feeders
Why we love it: Using your pet’s microchip or specific RFID collar tag is a great way to ensure that only that pet can access the cat food stored making it a great option for multi-pet households.
What could be better: This collar activated cat feeder is fairly pricey compared to other more general automatic feeders and it does require alternative purchases like the hub to fully utilize the app.
Other Types of Automatic Pet Feeders
While there aren’t many collar activated cat feeders on the market, there are quite a few more general automatic feeders to choose from. Automatic cat feeders tend to work by either sensing an animal’s presence or feeding on a set schedule. Below we listed a few of the best automatic cat feeders out there if you aren’t ready to commit to a feeder with a collar sensor.
- Best Automatic Cat Feeder: PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder
- Best Value Feeder: PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder
- Best Cat Feeder for Multiple Cats: WellToBe Automatic Cat Feeder with Two-Way Splitter and Double Bowls
- PetSafe 5 Meal Programmable Pet Food Dispenser
Automatic Cat Feeder Reviews
Below are some of our favorite non-collar activated automatic cat feeders to try.
PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder
Best Automatic Cat Feeder
Brand: PETKIT
Technology: Scheduled Automatic Feeding or App-Controlled Feeding
Power Source: Corded with Battery Power Backup
Compatible Food: Dry Food
Key Feature: A weight sensor in the feeder will notify you when the food bucket is getting low.
The PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder offers personalized pet feedings on a schedule. When setting up the feeding schedule you can choose how much cat food to dispense at each feeding, helping with portion control for your kitties. You can also dispense food instantaneously from your phone as needed.
The PETKIT automatic feeder features a storage bin that holds up to 11 cups of cat food so you don’t have to refill the cat bowl as often and the duo fresh lock system keeps the food inside the bein dry and fresh.
If you are worried about your cat feeder losing power, this automatic cat feeder features a dual power supply with optional battery backup should you lose regular power.
Why we love it: The PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder features a weight sensor that will alert the owner when the food container is low, ensuring your cats never go without food.
What could be better: The food storage bin runs smaller than some of the other automatic cat feeders meaning you will have to refill it more frequently.
PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder
Best Value Cat Feeder
Brand: PETLIBRO
Technology: Scheduled Automatic Feeding
Power Source: Corded with Battery Power Backup
Compatible Food: Dry Food
Key Feature: Cat feeder comes with a voice recorder that allows you to set a 10-second voice recording clip every time the feeder activates.
The PETLIBRO Automatic Cat Feeder is a good option if you’re looking for an automatic pet feeder. You can program the meal schedule from the LCD screen on the feeder for feedings up to 4 times per day with 9 customizable portions per meal.
You can even record 10-second personalized messages for your cats that can be played during feeding.
The PETKIT Feeder includes a desiccant bag to help keep your cat’s food fresh. The feeder has large storage bin sizes that can hold 17 to 25 cups of cat food.
Why we love it: This automatic cat feeder has two sizes for the dry food storage bin- 17 cups and 25 cups- so you won’t have to refill the feeder as often as other automatic feeders.
What could be better: You can only program up to 4 different meal times per day which may not be enough for some cat owners. The feeder cannot be controlled from an app.
WellToBe Automatic Cat Feeder with Two-Way Splitter and Double Bowls
Best Cat Feeder for Multiple Cats
Brand: WellToBe
Technology: Scheduled Automatic Feeding
Power Source: Corded with Battery Power Backup
Compatible Food: Dry Food
Key Feature: The Cat Feeder comes with a two-way splitter and double bowls making it a great option for households with multiple cats.
If you live in a multi-cat household then the WellToBe Automatic Cat Feeder may be perfect for your household. It comes with a food splitter that can feed two separate cat food bowls making it a great option for greedy cats that hog the food bowl.
The WellToBe Cat Feeder allows you to program up to 6 meals per day at scheduled times and has 48 different food portion settings so you can hone in specific quantities for your cat. The feeder does note that you cannot get kibble larger than 0.47 inches so that it does not clog the feeder.
The storage bin is equipped with an infrared sensor that alerts the cat owner when the bin is empty with a blue light. The feeder is also dual power supplied with battery backups to ensure your pets never go without food.
Why we love it: The cat food splitter and dual food bowls make this feeder a great option if you have more than one cat.
What could be better: There is no corresponding app that lets you control the feeder from your phone. All settings must be implemented at the feeder itself.
PetSafe 5 Meal Programmable Pet Food Dispenser
Brand: PetSafe
Technology: Scheduled Automatic Feeding
Power Source: Battery Powered
Compatible Food: Dry Food or Wet Food
Key Feature: Removable tray is dishwasher safe making it easy to clean for pet owners.
The PetSafe 5 Meal Programmable Pet Food Dispenser comes with 5 separate food slots that rotate on a set interval with one food slot being exposed at all times. Ideally, you would fill the trays during the first feeding with the other 4 meals being served at a later time according to the schedule you set.
Each food compartment holds up to 1 cup of food and you can place either wet cat food or dry food in the slots making it a great option for cat owners whose cat eats both types of food.
Why we love it: The ability to feed your cat both wet and dry food makes this feeder a good option for pet owners. You can set the portion of each meal in its own food slot.
What could be better: Because of the design, you’ll need to refill this automatic feeder more frequently than other cat feeders.
Collar Activated Cat Feeder Buying Guide
When looking for a collar activated cat feeder or general automatic feeder there are a few things to consider including the automatic control feature, storage size, type of food allowed, and cost.
Automatic Control Feature
The most important feature to consider when buying a selective cat feeder is the type of automatic control feature that’s used. There are a few common types of features that work to activate the cat feeder including:
- Feeders that sense your pet’s microchip
- Feeders that sense a programed RFID collar
- Feeders that sense the presence of an animal in general
- Feeders that are on a set schedule
You’ll want to pick an automatic feeder that works best for your situation. If you have dogs that try and steal your cat’s food if you leave it out then you may want to try a cat feeder with collar sensor.
If you have a cat that will eat all of its food at once then you may want a feeder on a set schedule to provide better portion control for your furry friend.
Take a look at why you are wanting an automatic feeder and that will help guide you to which one is right for you.
Storage
Storage size is a key consideration when talking about automatic cat feeders. Some automatic feeders come equipped with large containers for cat food, such that you only have to fill the basin once or twice a week instead of at every feeding. Other automatic feeders are designed to hold one portion of cat food at a time so you’ll have to place the cat food in at every meal.
Type of Food
If you are looking for an automatic cat feeder it’s important to check what type of food the product is compatible with. Some products will only work in conjunction with certain types of pet food or snacks while others can accommodate multiple different types of foods. Some automatic cat feeders will only take dry cat food while others will take wet and dry food.
Cost
Finally, the overall cost of an automatic cat feeder is a great consideration when buying one. Automatic cat feeders vary greatly in price from anywhere in the $50 range to a few hundred dollars.
In general, automatic cat feeders that sense your pet’s microchip or have an RFID collar will be more expensive than automated products with fixed schedules or those that open with a manual feeder.
Automatic Cat Feeder vs Collar Sensor Feeder
You may be wondering if buying an automatic cat feeder is better than a collar activated cat feeder. The basic difference between the two types of products is that an automatic product works without your pet wearing anything while a collar activated type requires your pet to wear a special type of collar with an RFID chip embedded.
An automatic cat feeder works via a programmable timer in the cat feeder and provides around-the-clock portion control for your cat. Automatic feeders usually require less human involvement than collar activated types of products because you can set them up and then walk away without worrying about remembering to fill your pet’s food dish at a certain time each day.
A collar activated cat feeder may be better for your home if you are trying to control the diets of specific cats or keep other animals out of the cat food.
What Are Microchip Feeders?
A microchip-activated cat feeder is an automatic cat feeder that senses your pet’s individual microchip which allows access to the cat food dish. Microchip-activated feeders are great for controlling how much your pets eat because you can regulate the portions for each cat if you have a feeder for each cat.
How Do Microchip Feeders Work?
Microchip feeders work by scanning the unique microchip of each pet and only allowing access to that specific microchip. You will have to link up your pet’s microchip or RFID collar to your feeding station when you first get it, but that is a relatively easy process. You can link up to 32 different identities to the feeder’s memory.
Check out this short video on how microchip feeders work.
If you have multiple cats and the budget for it, you may want to consider getting a collar activated cat feeder for each cat so that you can control their individual food portions. This can be particularly helpful if you have an overweight cat that is on a diet.
Do Microchip Cat Feeders Work?
While there aren’t many options on the market, in general, microchip cat feeders do work by controlling access to food for each individual cat. The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is the best on the market for microchip activated cat feeders and there are many good reviews for this product.
How Do You Feed Cats Separately?
If you have a multi-cat household, keeping everyone’s food separated can be difficult at times. Here are some ideas for feeding your cats separately:
- Use a microchip or RFID sensing cat feeder that only opens for that specific cat
- Feed each cat in a separate room with the door closed so they cannot eat each other’s food
- Set out different cat food bowls and remove those bowls after each cat has finished eating.
Best Collar Activated Cat Feeder – Final Thoughts
The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is the best option if you are looking for a feeder with collar sensor. While on the more expensive side, it’s the best option on the market and sure to help control your cat’s diet while keeping other pets out of the cat food dish.
You may not need an RFID or microchip pet feeder in which case a general automatic cat feeder may do fine for your case.
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