{"id":19260,"date":"2026-02-05T14:30:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/these-10-automatic-cat-feeders-were-the-best-we-tested-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-02-05T14:30:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:30:40","slug":"these-10-automatic-cat-feeders-were-the-best-we-tested-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/these-10-automatic-cat-feeders-were-the-best-we-tested-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"These 10 Automatic Cat Feeders Were the Best We Tested (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p><h2>Compare Our Picks<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><h2>Others Tested<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-fkZDUs kHRAYC asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eEeytc eRSvCP asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-zEXFr koTknX responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cGZhnX jwYQWO AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Front view of the Closer Pets C200 Automatic Pet Feeder two white ovalshaped containers with a timer dial at the top of...\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eNxvmU cfBbTk responsive-image__image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\" src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dae278b9c7f62505b7011\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Closer-Pets-C200-2-Meal-Automatic-Pet-Feeder-Reviewer-Photo-SOURCE-Molly-Higgins.png\"\/><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseText-eqOrNE CaptionCredit-eowWKH bjnqoI gxwcqg caption__credit caption__credit\">Photograph: Molly Higgins<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Closer Pets C200 2-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder for $50<\/strong>: This automatic feeder is super simple, which is both its weakness and its strength. It\u2019s essentially two shallow plastic containers with stainless steel inserts (both dishwasher safe) and tamper-resistant lids that are locked and automatically open using an old-school egg-style timer that runs on a AA battery rather than electricity. Although the container has an ice pack to keep the wet food cool, after one night it lost virtually all of its coolness. There\u2019s a lid-link clip attachment, a small piece of plastic that links the lids to ensure they will open at the same time, which is super helpful for owners of two cats like me. I wish the timer were electric so I could program it to the exact time I want it open, rather than guesstimating the timing on the little marks. However, this is a simple solution to help make sure both my cats are given wet food without me having to wake up at the crack of dawn.<\/p>\n<div class=\"GenericCalloutWrapper-IJXIe iqNIQJ callout--has-top-border\" data-testid=\"GenericCallout\">\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-fkZDUs kHRAYC asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eEeytc eRSvCP asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-zEXFr koTknX responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cGZhnX jwYQWO AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image may contain Hardwood Wood Electronics Screen Computer Hardware Hardware and Monitor\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eNxvmU cfBbTk responsive-image__image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Oneisall%20Cordless%20Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%20Higgins.png 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\" src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685dac3357bb5b00fe84c005\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Oneisall%2520Cordless%2520Feeder-SOURCE-Molly%2520Higgins.png\"\/><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseText-eqOrNE CaptionCredit-eowWKH bjnqoI gxwcqg caption__credit caption__credit\">Photograph: Molly Higgins<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Oneisall Cordless WiFi Automatic Cat Feeder for $50<\/strong>: I had high hopes for this cordless feeder that boasts a rechargeable battery with a 100-day life and an integrated app, but it&#8217;s just too unreliable. Through the app, you can program up to 10 daily meals (in 1-12 portions each), monitor pets&#8217; eating habits, and customize meal calls. Unlike other apps, you&#8217;re not able to choose portion size, but instead have to multiply the number of servings. The app gave me constant problems, and would often disconnect from the feeder and be unable to reconnect to WiFi. Luckily, I was able to program meals via the screen and buttons, but it would&#8217;ve been a whole lot nicer if the app had worked reliably.<\/p>\n<p><h2>Do Not Recommend<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<figure class=\"AssetEmbedWrapper-fkZDUs kHRAYC asset-embed\">\n<div class=\"AssetEmbedAssetContainer-eEeytc eRSvCP asset-embed__asset-container\"><span class=\"SpanWrapper-zEXFr koTknX responsive-asset AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset\"><picture class=\"ResponsiveImagePicture-cGZhnX jwYQWO AssetEmbedResponsiveAsset-cIfZLr fHIkTW asset-embed__responsive-asset responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Image may contain Computer Hardware Electronics and Hardware\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"ResponsiveImageContainer-eNxvmU cfBbTk responsive-image__image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_120,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 120w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_240,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 240w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_320,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 320w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_640,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 640w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_960,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 960w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_1280,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 1280w, https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_1600,c_limit\/Catit%20PIXI%20Smart%206-Meal%20Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png 1600w\" sizes=\"100vw\" src=\"https:\/\/media.wired.com\/photos\/685daac2baeaf4d0e6af62b1\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Catit%2520PIXI%2520Smart%25206-Meal%2520Feeder-SOURCE-Amazon.png\"\/><\/picture><\/span><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"BaseText-eqOrNE CaptionCredit-eowWKH bjnqoI gxwcqg caption__credit caption__credit\">Courtesy of Amazon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Catit Pixi Smart 6-Meal Feeder for $117:<\/strong> Like others on this list, the Catit Pixi wet and dry feeder uses ice packs to keep wet food fresh and rotates the meals in six compartments on a set schedule. The schedule can be programmed via the app or changed on the body of the feeder. At this price point, the app shouldn\u2019t be this limited and glitchy. The schedule is available in military time only, and the app is extremely limited\u2014you can only set the meal schedule for the same day, and when I wanted to do only two to three meals a day spread over two days, I had to reschedule the meals for every new day. The feeder didn&#8217;t keep it cold enough to spread the meals out and the wet food was not at a safe eating temperature. At this price point, just get the Petlibro Polar wet feeder for a few bucks more.<\/p>\n<p><ad position=\"mid-content\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Catit Pixi Smart Cat Feeder for $114<\/strong>: Kibble is stored in the body of this dry feeder, but it doesn\u2019t have a window to visually check food levels. The calendar to plan meals shows only a week at a time, and although it should repeat daily based on the schedule, I found that some days there would be no schedule despite setting one up. The Pixi also doesn\u2019t tell you how much food was dispensed; it just refers to it as a \u201cportion\u201d\u2014I manually measured and found the portion was less than a tablespoon of kibble. After using it continuously for more than a month, I found it was extremely glitchy and almost never reliably stuck to the programmed schedule, sometimes skipping meals altogether. This feeder is potentially dangerous, and I&#8217;d caution pet parents against relying on it.<\/p>\n<p><cm-unit\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Closer Pets C500 for $75:<\/strong> This automatic wet and dry feeder can schedule up to four pre-portioned meals (and one meal given manually) that are opened on a timer system using three AA batteries (sold separately). The user presets the four times they want the bowls, which have ice packs underneath, to rotate. The bowls are quite deep and narrow and aren\u2019t super easy for cats to reach, which could cause whisker fatigue. And although there are two relatively large ice packs, when I checked on the feeder after a night\u2019s sleep, the packs weren\u2019t very cold. This may be OK for kibble, but wet food was kept at unsafe temperatures, and my cats couldn&#8217;t reach all of the food.<\/p>\n<p><native-ad position=\"sponsor-product\" shoulddisplaylabel=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"GenericCalloutWrapper-IJXIe eeEFBd callout--has-top-border\" data-testid=\"GenericCallout\">\n<div name=\"accordion\" class=\"AccordionWrapper-hsYVHT bgMFty\">\n<div style=\"outline:none\" id=\"why\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"AccordionItemWrapper-eWlGuu eNwKZf\">\n<div class=\"AccordionContainer-foSklP iRHdCZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"accordion-item-container\" class=\"AccordionItemContainer-ywYcO eQgPvY\">\n<div class=\"AccordionItemContainerLabel-ioTxOM diANax\">\n<p>Why Use an Automatic Feeder?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"BaseButton-lbLhfD ButtonWrapper-igqDZ gTIqfM hKIiJv button button--utility AccordionItemContainerButton-eSsfaw Wvvyo\" data-event-click=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;Button&quot;}\" data-testid=\"Button\" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"ButtonLabel-cyWivE hvohFn button__label\">AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"AccordionItemContainerContent-bPelIb leTzLN opening-animation\">\n<div>\n<p>Automatic feeders are great for pet owners who want to help manage their pets\u2019 weight and monitor eating patterns. Plus, they allow for a lot more control and precision for owners to learn exactly how much their cat is eating and when. Because cats are naturally more nocturnal, many have the annoying habit of waking you up in the early hours demanding food, and these allow you to set up a schedule that fits more to their schedule without inconveniencing yours.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it\u2019s never recommended to leave pets alone for long periods, but these automatic feeders give more peace of mind and are a whole lot healthier for your pet than leaving a huge amount of food for free-feeding while you&#8217;re away for the night. Simply put, it\u2019s an easier way to feed and monitor your cat\u2019s health with less work for you, the human.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"outline:none\" id=\"how\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"AccordionItemWrapper-eWlGuu eNwKZf\">\n<div class=\"AccordionContainer-foSklP iRHdCZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"accordion-item-container\" class=\"AccordionItemContainer-ywYcO eQgPvY\"><button class=\"BaseButton-lbLhfD ButtonWrapper-igqDZ gTIqfM hKIiJv button button--utility AccordionItemContainerButton-eSsfaw Wvvyo\" data-event-click=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;Button&quot;}\" data-testid=\"Button\" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"ButtonLabel-cyWivE hvohFn button__label\">AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"AccordionItemContainerContent-bPelIb leTzLN opening-animation\">\n<div>\n<p>I have two rescue cats, ages 4 and 5, and they eat two wet-food meals a day and small amounts of dry kibble throughout the day. Vets (and TikTokkers) have successfully persuaded me to move toward a primarily wet-food diet, however, which has a higher water content. This provides more moisture in their diet, which helps with potentially life-threatening problems like\u00a0UTIs, which are especially prevalent in male cats. I still like to give smaller dry-food meals throughout the day for them to satisfy their need for crunch.<\/p>\n<p>For dry food, I use Hill\u2019s Science Diet, and for wet food I use Friskies&#8217; Shreds variety. (Yes, only Shreds. Fellow cat owners will understand.)<\/p>\n<p>I set up the feeders, noting ease of set up, potential problems, and app navigation. I also tested various schedules and manual feedings through the app, noting any issues. I used each of the feeders for at least a week, if not more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"outline:none\" id=\"alone\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"AccordionItemWrapper-eWlGuu eNwKZf\">\n<div class=\"AccordionContainer-foSklP iRHdCZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"accordion-item-container\" class=\"AccordionItemContainer-ywYcO eQgPvY\">\n<div class=\"AccordionItemContainerLabel-ioTxOM diANax\">\n<p>How Long Can I Leave My Cat Alone?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"BaseButton-lbLhfD ButtonWrapper-igqDZ gTIqfM hKIiJv button button--utility AccordionItemContainerButton-eSsfaw Wvvyo\" data-event-click=\"{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;Button&quot;}\" data-testid=\"Button\" role=\"button\" type=\"button\"><span class=\"ButtonLabel-cyWivE hvohFn button__label\">AccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"AccordionItemContainerContent-bPelIb leTzLN opening-animation\">\n<div>\n<p>Although cats are generally thought of as less high-maintenance than dogs, it\u2019s still not good to leave your cat for prolonged periods. Under dire circumstances, you can leave a cat alone for 24 to 48 hours with scheduled feedings and a clean water source, but it\u2019s not ideal\u2014especially for cats with health issues, kittens younger than a year, or very elderly cats. Although these feeders are automatic, and meals can be scheduled in advance and over multiple days, our pets still need their human pals around for enrichment, care, and well, love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Compare Our Picks Others Tested Photograph: Molly Higgins Closer Pets C200 2-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder for $50: This automatic feeder is super simple, which is both its weakness and its strength. It\u2019s essentially two shallow plastic containers with stainless steel inserts (both dishwasher safe) and tamper-resistant lids that are locked and automatically open using an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_daextam_enable_autolinks":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Automatic-Feeders.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}