raw food feeders

[catscratch]

Hi all,

I am in raw food transition with my cat and I am just now starting to get the routine together.  I have a cat feeder that I can use for raw feeding when I cannot get home on time (PetSafe 5 meal pet feeder), but it was created primarily for kibble.  So, I was just wondering if there were any great feeders out on the market for raw food meals. 

Thanks

 

[ritz]

Here is a thread addressing / answering kind of this question http://www.thecatsite.com/t/254514/automatic-feeders-and-feeding-raw  (I haven't bought one yet).  The other idea as discussed is using a regular timed feeder and putting in freeze dried raw food instead of kibble.

I briefly thought about putting out a few pieces of frozen raw food before I left for work under the theory that by the time the meat defrosts, a few hours will have passed, Ritz will eat it and not be so starvin marvin when I return 11 hours later.  But Ritz is a bit food obsessed and would probably eat the food frozen (and throw up).

Do read the reviews and check return policy. 

Let us know if you decide to get one and how you like it.

 

[korina]

Is it just me or is this not very sanitary ???

Now you are talking to a guy who feeds the cats only out of Correlle breakfast bowls (white glass by Pyrex company) and Pyrex 1qt glass mixing bowls for water.  (ie I have no love for dirty plastic, steel imparts taste to me, it prob does to them).

So I am confused why you would want any cat food, let alone raw touching all that plastic, and other components. (Try storing kibble in a plastic container and see how the kibble smell never goes away!)

I see some parts are washable, and Im sure you could do quick sprays with alcholhol or vinegar to sterilize.

I have a simple solution for those who work, but want to do 3 meals a day 

For math sake, lets assume you are feeding 1lb over 24 hours. It starts when you get home from work, lets say 7pm and sleep at midnite (adjust to your schedule).

Schedule:

Arrive home at 7pm, prepare the 1lb of 24 hour period of food

Immediately serve 4 oz.

At 12am, 5 hours later, put out 8 oz.

Right before you leave for work, put out the last 4 ozs.

I usually do the same but feed half when I get home, and half when I leave.

If I have the time, or in rare cases get home before 8pm, I will do the three meals.

 

[catscratch]

Here is a thread addressing / answering kind of this question http://www.thecatsite.com/t/254514/automatic-feeders-and-feeding-raw  (I haven't bought one yet).  The other idea as discussed is using a regular timed feeder and putting in freeze dried raw food instead of kibble.

I briefly thought about putting out a few pieces of frozen raw food before I left for work under the theory that by the time the meat defrosts, a few hours will have passed, Ritz will eat it and not be so starvin marvin when I return 11 hours later.  But Ritz is a bit food obsessed and would probably eat the food frozen (and throw up).

Do read the reviews and check return policy. 

Let us know if you decide to get one and how you like it.

Unfortunately, I have tried all of the feeders mentioned in the thread back when I was feeding kibble.  Not reliable at all!!  That is how I stumbled upon the PetSafe Petmate.  It was the only feeder that my cat either couldn't or was too afraid of to try to manipulate.  I guess I will try lining the bottom of the food holders with plastic wrap and see how that works out.  I only need the feeder when I may not be home in time for a feeding. 

Thanx so much for the feedback!

 

[txcatmom]

Unfortunately, I have tried all of the feeders mentioned in the thread back when I was feeding kibble.  Not reliable at all!!  That is how I stumbled upon the PetSafe Petmate.

I think this is the one I linked further down in the thread, no?

I'd love to know if it is the same one you found to be reliable.  Was it this one...

http://www.petco.com/product/103940...5&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=51515413435

 

[catscratch]

I think this is the one I linked further down in the thread, no?

I'd love to know if it is the same one you found to be reliable.  Was it this one...

http://www.petco.com/product/103940...5&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=51515413435

Yes!  That is the one that I bought years ago that actually worked for me.  The others were easily manipulated and opened by my cat.  I figure that I will attempt to find something to line the food holders with so that the holders themselves don't have contact with the raw food.  That's all that I'm left with for now.

 

[korina]

Ignore me:

Make ground raw ice cubes, use ice tray that makes cubes you know will go down fridge ice maker chute.

Cut the water line to the ice maker.

Fill the canister that holds the ice with raw meat ice cubes.

Connect a chute from the exit point of the dispenser to the food bowl on the floor.

Call your friendly electrician, or friend with engineering degree who likes to fabricate geeky things, and have

them wire the ice release trigger to a timed relay.

So at noon, the ice dispenser will activate for 7 seconds, enough time for 3 oz of cubes to come out, 1 hour later kitty has defrosted meal.

Sorry, I just had to write that, I design software for a living

 

[Willowy]

Hehe, that would be the ultimate techno-geek raw feeding apparatus! Pretty cool.

I wonder if a free-standing unit could be made with the ice cube dispenser from an old fridge and a small freezer. Hmm. . .

 

[korina]

Hehe, that would be the ultimate techno-geek raw feeding apparatus! Pretty cool.

I wonder if a free-standing unit could be made with the ice cube dispenser from an old fridge and a small freezer. Hmm. . .

Why thank you 

 I am flattered, was sitting at work doing my tech stuff and imagined immaginary device that answers all requests.

Another solution, and you might like this (and assume you know a genius geek who will fabricte it for you).

-Follow above steps but substitue a cheap "Dorm Room" fridge.

Cut a sealed hole (google home made keggerators)

Use  conveyor belt with sections (think like tank tracks), in each section (imagine it forms a U), you lubricate it with fish/salmon oil and add your wallop of raw

Via a timer, the conveyor will move a wallop via gravity, and it will be warm enough to eat.

To behonst, I wrote this in jest, because I find the idea of plastic dispensers for any cat food(dry,wet,raw).

My position i that plastic permanent absorbs odors at least the kind petmate uses, another example, those expesnive kible storage containers with the spinnging top, I tried multiple bleach soaks and dawn could not shake the smell of kibble.

I am a glass only feeder now.

If I were the OP, I would follow my formula of two meals of 25% x 2, and one meal that is 50% based on the schedule that works.

For me its 25% when I get home, 50% before bed and another 25% in the morning (I find cats eat far less during day).

And please use glass products like Correlle and Pyrex or stainless steel, plastic is not only pourous, but many refined plastis leach chemicals.

If you feed canned, this is super easy if cat eats one can a day.

Also, I am just sharing my opinion so please noone get offended, to each their own, as long as the kitties are a little bit happier than their parents, Im happy.  

 

[catscratch]

Well, I tried the plastic rap idea and it worked! 

I laced the tray that I needed with plastic rap and I put super cold food that needed hours to reach room temperature in the tray. The cat was fed on time and I was happy that my late arrival did not stress him out.  It isn't the most environmentally friendly way to go, but it certainly gets the job done.  I would be happier of the trays were glass or ceramic, as one responder mentioned, but the plastic wrap is disposable, and I only used the amount necessary to line the bottom of the dish in the tray that I was using (there are five dishes).