Timed feeders for wet ...

SpecterOhPossum

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Looked around and saw a couple, however, I fogured I would ask which specfic brand you a use and which is best. For reference I would probably need it to feed maybe an ounce every 1hr a few times in the afternoon and I'm lost as to which I should be looking at..
 

LTS3

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I like the Petsafe 5 compartment one. There's no ice pack feature but there's a slot in the base where a small mini hard or gel type ice pack would fit into.
 

daftcat75

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I like the WOPET clamshell. They do come with ice packs.

I don't like the rotating one because my girl may not finish her portion before it rotates. You could end up with a lot of inaccessible food in the already rotated compartments.

The PetSafe manual clamshells are garbage and can be easily defeated by an eager cat. I don't like the digital because the compartments are deep and Krista wouldn't stick her face that far into them.

The WOPETs do occasionally fail to open. Once in a few hundred uses? So not terrible at all unless you have a cat who barfs if she goes too long without food and the only food source in hours failed to open. But they are cheap enough to buy and deploy in pairs (or armies.)

The only other "beef" I have with the WOPETs is the accuracy of the egg timers. You don't set when you would like them to open but how many half hours from "now" you want it to open. That wouldn't be terrible if it was more obvious whether your setting is on the half or the whole hour. The egg timer should be easier to use.

For Krista, I deploy them in pairs, and have them offset by an hour or so. I don't need them to open at the same time and it's better if they don't. That way I can provide her food over a longer period while still being insured against a failure to open. They don't fail often (maybe three times in a year.) But it's just better to be covered when they do.
 

Bratcat31

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I use the Petmate C500 and love it. I have a second set of ice packs but bought the rubbermaid ones since they were cheaper.

I have it set to feed every 6 or so hours though so am not having to worry too much about them not finishing it before it turns. They will run to the bowl when they hear the sound. The above comment that the compartments are deep is very true though. Fortunately my two got used to it pretty quickly but it was rather off putting to me ar first.
 

Azazel

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I’ve been using the catmate c20 for 2 years and its never failed to open but the timer is a little slow. I just set it for a little sooner than when I want it to open. I haven’t had any issues with the ones I’ve had for 2 years except that my rambunctious boys have tried to knock it over and open it a couple times so now I wedge it between some heavy books and that does the trick.
 
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SpecterOhPossum

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daftcat75 daftcat75 that one looks really good!! definitely saving it for when I can scramble up some cash. Not really a fan of the big ones I like ones like this that are sleek.. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!!

A Azazel that one is just as intriguing!! I like that it comes with 2 in one because specter is kinda ... Slow, and sometimes won't find food if it's in two different spots, even if they're close together!

I suppose the sound of these just opening are supposed to alert the cat that they can eat, but it would be cool if you could set a specific sound. perhaps I could leave a phone we dont use to ring an alarm after it's open.. thank you both again, i like these two models
 
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SpecterOhPossum

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Additional thoughts now that I'm more awake..

I wonder how well those 5 compartment / rotating ones would preform if i perhaps froze her food before putting inside there, alongside a cooling pack..? like the nearest would be able to be refrigerated, and then the others would be semi frozen and fully frozen depending on the length of time. grr I'm conflicted. It rotating before she finishes isn't an issue as she doesn't even LOOK around before throwing everything into her pie hole. lol

the two compartment and single compartment are cool, but considering specter needs about an ounce an hour / can only eat an once in a sitting, i feel like that would offer more bang for the buck. Although specter is doing well not scarfing with my help, I know without me watching her she will take the chance to just vacuum her food within milliseconds. she's not so into breaking into things so much as throwing it onto the floor (her mason jars of homeade for example,when I am thawing them!!) in frustration but I would probably run a few trials before relying on whichever one we settle on anyways and working around whatever comes up...

I should note that her room stays air conditioned and there is a shelf near the conditioner, so I could sit it on that shelf for extra coolenss. paired with all of that, I would wonder if the food would... Thaw on time. I suppose that's just left to experimentation.
 

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I freeze wet food before putting it in the timed feeder. It takes about 2 hours for it to defrost to a point where it’s still cold but edible. After 3 hours for sure it’s defrosted enough to eat.
 

lisahe

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I’ve been using the catmate c20 for 2 years and its never failed to open but the timer is a little slow. I just set it for a little sooner than when I want it to open. I haven’t had any issues with the ones I’ve had for 2 years except that my rambunctious boys have tried to knock it over and open it a couple times so now I wedge it between some heavy books and that does the trick.
We have a catmate c20 as well and I agree that the timer is a little slow but that's a minor problem. It's definitely sturdy! Our cats have alternately ignored it and savaged it, scratching it and knocking it around pretty hard... the only way they've been able to open it themselves is by (apparently) pawing at a timer dial that was nearing its pop time. I know that probably sounds implausible but one cat is a very vigorous pawer. 😱
 

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One thing to note on the C500 that I didn't realize. The hole/opening doesn't move. The 5 compatment bowl underneath it actually rotates. Not sure if that would bother you or not but it surprised me when I got it cause I'm lazy and hate watching videos so I never looked.

I have found that even the last compartment of food in the C500 is still quite cool even at the very end of the day. I think between the enclosed feeder keeping it in a cooler (basically) and the ice packs and that my husband prefers to live as an eskimo it much colder than I anticipated it would. I also thought I would be freezing their food.

We bought ours for two reasons. 1. We were going out of town and my kittens eat exclusively wet. So, between inly wet food and their young age we needed at least 4 compatments unless we wanted someone to stay at the house. 2. My little female LOVED to wake me up just before 6 to remind me it was close to breakfast time. It solved problem number 1. Issue number 2 still happens like clockwork but at least now she just wants cuddles versus me to get out of bed. :p:dunno:

I would likely have returned it and gone with something larger mouthed like the C300 because my 2 cats could not eat out of it at the same time (because the hole is too small) except that I couldn't get away with only 2 delay feed slots. I needed at least 3. Fortunately in my case my cats sorted it out and they just don't eat at the exact same time like they did.

I actually have 2 now in case I get another foster momma cat that refuses to touch any dry food. That way I can make sure she's getting enough even when I am at work.

Another thing to note is that the C500 (and the C300 for that matter) do not have 5 and 3 (respectively) slots on timers. One slot is open when you fill it up. So, when you put it down one slot is immediately available and the other 2 or 4 are on timers. So, one immediate meal and 2 or 4 delayed meals.
 
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