3 Smart Cat Feeders That Let You Monitor Your Pet's Special Diet

The health of your feline friends is important, but you might not realize the significance your cat's diet plays in their overall well-being. There are many varieties of pet food available, but often times the issue isn't the ingredients of the cat food, but the quantity and frequency they're fed. For example, gravity feeders can lead some kitties to consume far too much throughout the day, leading to weight problems. According to VCAhospitals.com, nearly 60% of domestic North American cats are considered overweight. Fortunately, if your furry friend is a bit on the "chonky" side, there are some tech-infused cat feeders that can help you maintain healthy portions. 

There are several advanced products that use things like smartphone applications, cameras, Wi-Fi capability, and more, to track pet meals from anywhere. The following products were chosen because of positive reception at online retailers, included in "best-of" lists from various online outlets, or garnered positive praise from expert reviews.

If you are away from home and want to keep tabs on your tabby's outdoor adventures, the Tractive Cat Tracker is a real-time spy into feline antics. However, for a look inside of your home, the Smart Camera Automatic Cat Feeder by Frienhund, comes equipped with a wide-angle, full high-definition camera so you have access to real-time video from the perspective of the food dish. Using the Smart Life app, you can program as many as 15 meals per day with a wide range of portion options, utilizing a 25 cup capacity. The app includes handy features like meal history, the option to feed outside the schedule, and you can record an audio clip announcing feeding time for your cat.

This product offers dual-band Wi-Fi and 5G compatibility for optimal video resolutions when you select the live view option. If you don't want to miss any furry hi jinks, a built-in motion detector will alert you to movement within view of the camera. With almost 450 reviews on Amazon.com, the Smart Camera Automatic Cat Feeder sits at a 4.4 out of five-star rating and retails for $59.99. Unfortunately, this high-tech cat feeder can't also tidy your home, but RYOBI offers products to help clean up after your pets, so you can spend more quality time with them.

The Feeder-Robot by Whisker holds even more food than the previous entry on the list, at up to 32 cups. With the Feeder-Robot smartphone app, you can keep track of how much food is left in the bowl with a convenient food level percentage displayed. If it seems like your 'Tom' or 'Molly' is extra hungry, you can also provide them a snack via the app. If you have multiple feline overlords and need more than one Feeder-Robot, the application supports connections to more than one device.

One of the standout features of this unit is the anti-jam system built-into the dispenser. When a block is detected, the anti-jam feature enables the mechanism that releases food to reset and attempt to distribute food again, upwards of five times. If all subsequent attempts to disburse cat food fail, a status light will illuminate red and blink repeatedly, indicating an issue. In addition to a smart feeding plan, this unit also offers regular gravity feeding, if you do find your cat regulates their portions well. The Feeder-Robot by Whisker has ranked highly in several online publications such as USA Today, TechnoMEOW, TheSprucePets.com, and Good Housekeeping. While quite a bit pricier than the previous entry on the list at $299 without a backup battery and $339 with a backup battery, many pet owners consider it worth the cost.

This Petlibro Air Wi-Fi Feeder offers something that the other two entries on the list don't, exceptional battery support. While both the Frienhund and Whisker product offer a temporary power backup system in the event of an outage, they both require an outlet to run normally. The Petlibro in contrast, is wireless and includes a robust 5200mAh lithium-ion battery to run the feeder for up to a month before recharging. To charge the battery back up to 100%, you'll only need to plug it for around 8 hours. The wireless design allows you many more options in terms of feeder placement in your home.

The Air Wi-Fi smartphone app, while not nearly as comprehensive as other options on this list, is reportedly simple and quite easy to use. You can still program up to 16 meals, activate/deactivate the schedule, and review previous feedings via a convenient history log. You'll also receive important notifications from the app about charge and food levels, helping you stay informed. Another advantage of the Petlibro Air Wi-Fi, is that it comes with a steel bowl similar to the Frienhund whereas the Whisker uses plastic. With over 6,700 ratings on Amazon.com, this smart feeder features a 4.3 out of five-stars and retails for $69.99.

Each of these smart cat feeders was selected based on a mixture of high-tech features, affordability, and positive reviews. Two of the products on this list are under $70 while still providing unique benefits to cat owners. The more costly Whisker unit offers a greater food capacity, a sophisticated anti-jamming dispersal system, and a more robust backup battery for those who aren't put off by the price. 

Both the Whisker and Petlibro automatic cat feeders were featured by GoodHousekeeping.com and TheSprucePets.com. The Whisker was also positively reviewed by USAtoday.com and TechnoMEOW.com, and the Petlibro was tested by Cats.com. The Frienhund was selected as it was the most affordable, camera enabled smart feeder, with the highest number of reviews, among the top results in Amazon.com. Like these smart feeders have demonstrated, being a pet owner has never been so high-tech, so don't miss out on the best apps every pet owner should have installed, as they could come in handy.