Smart automatic pet feeder based on Arduino – STEP 1

Thanks to an automatic feeder, your cat will always have enough food. This is especially necessary if you plan to be away from home longer than usual. An automatic feeder will ensure that your cat is well-fed. But where can you get such a miracle device? Option one is to buy. The cost of such feeders depends on the configuration, manufacturer, type and ranges from 900-12,700 rubles.

Option two is to make an automatic cat feeder with your own hands from available materials. This method will help you not only save your family budget, but also show your creativity.

Do-it-yourself automatic cat feeder: how to make an automatic cat feeder yourself?

If you need to leave the house for a long time, problems arise with feeding the cat. Some people ask their neighbors to feed their pets or place them in cat hotels while they are away. What to do if this is not possible? An automatic feeder can solve the problem. What types of these devices are there? How to make such a device with your own hands?

What types of automatic cat feeders are there?

A similar design for feeding a four-legged pet without the participation of the owner is a capacious plastic container filled with food. A special device is connected to it, allowing you to give your pet a dosed amount of food.

Manufacturers offer a wide range of such devices for feeding pets. There are automatic feeders:

Mechanical feeders

This is the simplest type of automatic feeder, which is a container of food attached to the cat's bowl. This product is not equipped with an adjustment mechanism and fills the food bowl after the animal has eaten. It will not be possible to follow any diet with her. Constant use of this device will not benefit your tailed pet, but when it becomes necessary to leave him alone, it can help out. A mechanical automatic feeder is designed to supply only dry granules (croquettes) for one day.

Programmable automatic feeders

Feeders for four-legged pets with programming capabilities are most in demand. This is due to their convenience and the ability to dose the pet in the absence of the owners with fresh food at a strictly specified time. The only drawback of such designs is their high cost compared to other, simpler models.

Automatic feeder "Feedex"

Information about programmable automatic feeders:

Sketch

Flash the controller with a sketch via Arduino IDE.

animal-fider-1.ino#include #include #include // First feeding time#define FEED_HOUR_1 6#define FEED_MINUTE_1 0#define FEED_SECOND_1 0 // Second feeding time#define FEED_HOUR_2 10#define FEED_MINUTE_2 0#define FEED_SECOND_2 0 // Time third feeding#define FEED_HOUR_3 15#define FEED_MINUTE_3 0#define FEED_SECOND_3 0// Time of the fourth feeding#define FEED_HOUR_4 20#define FEED_MINUTE_4 0#define FEED_SECOND_4 0// Time of the fifth feeding#define FEED_HOUR_5 24#define FEED_MINUTE _5 0#define FEED_SECOND_5 0#define SERVO_PIN A0 // Pin to which the servo drive is connected // Flag “Already fed” boolean flag = true; RTC clock; Servo servo; void setup()

{ // Initialize the clock clock.begin(); servo.attach(SERVO_PIN); servo.write(180); // Set the time clock.set(__TIMESTAMP__);} void loop() { clock.read(); //Check if it's time to feed the animal if (((clock.getHour() == FEED_HOUR_1) && (clock.getMinute()

== FEED_MINUTE_1) && (clock.getSecond() == FEED_SECOND_1)) || ((clock.getHour() == FEED_HOUR_2) && (clock.getMinute() == FEED_MINUTE_2) && (clock.getSecond() == FEED_SECOND_2)) || ((clock.getHour() == FEED_HOUR_3) && (clock.getMinute()

== FEED_MINUTE_3) && (clock.getSecond() == FEED_SECOND_3)) || ((clock.getHour() == FEED_HOUR_4) && (clock.getMinute() == FEED_MINUTE_4) && (clock.getSecond() == FEED_SECOND_4)) || ((clock.getHour() == FEED_HOUR_5) && (clock.getMinute()

== FEED_MINUTE_5) && (clock.getSecond() == FEED_SECOND_5))) { // If the time has come, set the “Already fed” flag flag == false; // Open the damper servo.write(90); // Damper opening time delay(500); servo.write(180); } else { flag == true; long timeMs = millis(); while (millis() – timeMs < 10) {} servo.write(180); }}

Puzzle feeders for smart cats

This type of automatic feeder is made in the shape of a labyrinth. To get food for itself, the pet will have to seriously break its head. In other words, as a reward for his ingenuity, the cat gets his favorite food.

When leaving your four-legged pet alone, you first need to make sure that he is able to independently overcome the labyrinth that separates him from food. If the cat cannot figure out this clever design, it will be forced to starve while its owners are away. The most popular model of the puzzle feeder is “Cat it Senses”.

Design advantages

First of all, you should understand what is good about an automatic feeder and why it is so indispensable for pets. The main feature of this design is the portioned food supply. This property is very important, since all cats can be classified into several groups:

Most often you can find the third type - the glutton. The problem is that they cannot control the amount of food they consume. Even if the owner leaves the food in the bowl for several days, the cat will eat everything in 2-3 sittings. Of course, excessive oversaturation and subsequent hunger should not be allowed, because in this case the cat’s digestive system will suffer.

Installing a feeder with an automatic feeding mechanism will help to successfully distribute the load on the animal’s digestive system. In addition, such a design will be useful when the owner wants to form a certain food discipline in the pet. There are a number of reasons why it is recommended to purchase or make your own automatic cat feeder:

1. Many pets like to eat at night, late in the evening, and also early in the morning. The automatic device is convenient because the owner does not have to get out of bed to feed the pet in the dark.
2. The next argument is the cat’s optimal diet. It is preferable that the animal eats every 1.5-2 hours, but in small portions. In this case, such a device will become an indispensable assistant.
3. Another reason to get an automatic feeder is the predatory nature that lives in every animal, despite domestication. The main instinct of cats is to independently obtain food. The purchased structure will not be able to provide game elements, but a homemade unit can easily cope with this purpose.

If the owner is attentive to his pet, you need to think about making the device yourself. Even a novice craftsman who does not have any special knowledge or education can make an automatic cat feeder with his own hands.

Of course, you can go to a pet store and buy a fashionable device equipped with a timer and other functions, but the cost of such products varies from 3 to 20 thousand rubles.

How to make an automatic feeder with your own hands?

The easiest way to purchase such a device is ready-made. However, you can do it yourself, especially since it will not take much time and will not require significant financial costs.

The easiest way is to build a basic mechanical product. With just a little effort, you can please your four-legged pet with an interactive or smart feeding product. Information on how to make your own automatic cat feeder:

First, the pet will empty those containers from which it is easiest to get food, and only after that it will begin to take on deeper containers.

DIY automatic cat feeder

A do-it-yourself automatic cat feeder is an excellent solution for those who don’t want to throw money away and are able to make something on their own.

However, it is worth noting that only a person with at least minimal knowledge in programming and/or electrical engineering can make a programmable automatic cat feeder on their own. Although there are craftsmen who assemble automatic feeders even from old disk drives and alarm clocks. But you need to understand that, as a rule, such devices look untidy and often break, since they are made handicraft; in addition, they may not meet safety requirements. Therefore, it is better to buy automatic feeders and make simple, interactive feeders and puzzle feeders yourself.

Important criteria

You can evaluate a product purchased and made by yourself based on a list of certain factors. Some of them:

1. The first thing you need to think about is hygiene, which is often determined by the material of the case. For example, budget plastic devices often emit harmful substances, absorb dirt, and emit an unpleasant odor for cats. The pet may refuse to eat from such a feeder, and if it agrees, subsequent poisoning may occur. Such an outcome cannot be allowed.
2. The next important factor is safety. When purchasing a device, you should pay attention to various little things. So, if the structure is not strong, then if the parts break, they can harm the pet. In addition, when the product contains loosely attached decorative elements in the form of butterflies, fish or bows, you need to understand that if they fall off, the animal will eat them along with the food.
3. An important aspect is the durability of the device. A person must take into account that a cat’s intelligence is at the level of a 3-4 year old child, so it will be simply impossible to explain something to the animal. Scolding a cat for overly active interaction with the structure is unacceptable, since it may think that the owner is forbidding it to eat from the feeder.
4. The game moment is also an important factor that will remind the pet of the nature of the predator. To maintain normal mental and physical health, the cat must be given the opportunity to fight for food. It is very good if the feeder dispenser is made in the form of some kind of toy, so that the food spills out when interacting with it.

Do-it-yourself automatic cat feeder No. 1 (simple)

Perhaps simple automatic feeders, i.e. not equipped with mechanisms - this is the case when it is better to work a little than spend money at the pet store.

• 2 plastic water bottles 5-8 l

• Glue gun\flat string\tape

We cut off the bottom of one bottle and cut out a tray from it so that it resembles a scoop in shape: we leave the sides in front, we remove them in half from the sides, we remove everything from the back. In the second bottle, cut a small hole at the very bottom, the same height as the sides of the pallet. We insert the tray into the hole and attach it to the bottom of the bottle using glue or an awl and cord/plastic tape. Don’t forget to fasten the edges of the sides of the pallet to the main bottle.

You can see how to make such an automatic feeder yourself in the video presented in the video

Comparison table of characteristics

For a more clear comparison of the models presented above, we use a comparative table of characteristics.

DIY automatic cat feeder No. 3 (puzzle)

• Plastic container with lid\plastic bottle

We make several holes of different sizes in a plastic container/bottle. If the edges of the holes are too sharp, they can be scorched. We put cat toys and treats in the container and hand them to the cat.

Below the text is a video instruction for making an interactive cat feeder

DIY automatic cat feeder No. 4 (puzzle)

Another popular type of automatic feeder that is easy to make with your own hands is a puzzle automatic feeder. Such game feeders consist of assorted tubes, posts, molds, etc., arranged on a board or even on a shoebox lid. Food or cat treats are scattered throughout the puzzle, and the cat tries to get all the pieces and eat them.

An example of a puzzle-automatic feeder for cats can be seen in this video:

Work order

1. I assembled a rectangular structure from 4 boards. At the same time, I pre-cut a round hole in the board that will be located below.
2. The next step was to attach two boards at an angle so that between them there was a distance 2 times smaller than the diameter of the cat bowl.
3. To regulate the feed supply, I install a moving mechanism. The strips that end the mechanism should fit snugly against the elements from point No. 2.
4. In the middle of the planks I cut out a round hole, which should be the same size as the hole in the lower section of the structure.
5. I cover the body of the automatic feeder on one side with a furniture plywood sheet, and on the other with transparent plastic material. You can use glass, but plastic will be safer and it will be easier to cut a hole in it to adjust the moving mechanism.
6. I drill a hole for wiring the wires to the mechanism. The cable will be connected to the programmed microcontroller and servo motors. The operating instructions for the devices contain all recommendations for setting up.
7. To protect the animals, I recommend hiding the control devices; for this, you can make a special compartment in the structure.
8. To fill the feed, you will need to turn the structure over or make another hole at the top of the device.
9. The automatic feeder for cats with your own hands is ready, all that remains is to put a bowl for your pet.

Programmable cat feeder

The process of creating and attaching boards for the feeder

preparation of the mechanism

Installation of feed sensors

An automatic cat feeder will help solve everyday problems. It will give you the opportunity to leave your cat during the weekend or vacation. In this case, you will not need to ask someone you know to look after the animal. And finally, when leaving, do not forget to leave drinking water for the cat.

DIY cat feeder with dispenser

An automatic cat feeder with a dispenser is not very common, but it has many advantages and is an ideal solution to some problems. You are on vacation, your whole family is flying to the sea, and your pet is left completely alone. It is not always convenient and safe to ask your friends and neighbors to come into your apartment every day and feed your pet. An automatic feeder will also be useful for owners of cats suffering from obesity, diabetes and similar diseases. With such diagnoses, the animal needs to follow a strict diet and you will have to constantly monitor the cat’s nutrition, which is not so easy in such situations. But using a feeder with a dispenser, you can ensure a comfortable life for yourself and your cat. You can order it online or purchase it in a special store, but is it faster or easier to make it yourself using improvised means? In this article I will talk about several ways to make feeders with a dispenser with your own hands and their features.

Content

Model No. 1 - Feeder made without automatic devices

This is the simplest manufacturing method, which does not require special skills and will take about 5 minutes. No soldering iron, no power sources, no motors are needed here. However, if you want to make this particular model, you will already need to have a large feeder with a lid, which you will only need to improve.

Mechanism of action

This model is a self-regulating dispenser that is controlled by the cat herself. The pet taps its paws on the structure, and several granules are poured into the bowl when the feeling of hunger prevails over laziness. Having satisfied the need, the cat will not make additional efforts to get satiated. This allows you to balance energy consumption and energy consumption.

What you will need

How to make it yourself

1) First, prepare the above container. Its main advantage is the protrusion on the top, thanks to which the tray can be hidden in a future dispenser.

2) So that the food can fall out into the designated place, you need to work a little with scissors. We make 2 cuts on the bottom of the bath, the length of the cut will depend on the size of the food granules (1 cut = 2 granules).

Then insert scissors into the resulting cuts to widen them, pressing with your finger to secure. I would like to note that the cut should go not only along the bottom of the bath, but also along its side. The end result is shown in the photo below. Ideally, the gap forms 90 degrees, but you can make it smaller.

3) Repeat step 2 two more times. This is the most optimal dosage for the average cat.

4) Consider everything already done! Close the feeder with a lid and you can train your pet with a new invention.

Cat training

Model No. 2 - a bulky but long-lasting automatic feeder

This option is most suitable for owners of a large number of cats and for those who decide to go on a fairly long trip. This is due to the fact that the design has a lot of space for storing the food offered (about 4 kg, this amount is enough for many animals for 2 weeks). For manufacturing we will need wooden sheets, linear actuators; I recommend using servo motors as motors. To control these motors, you need a microcontroller (it is better to choose the Arduino brand), with the help of which time intervals for starting are set. In this article you will not find a guide to setting up microcontrollers, since this does not completely correspond to the theme of the site, so you will have to use additional sources. For example, a lot of useful and understandable information about such programming is contained here.

Mechanism of action

The most important thing will be in the microcontroller you programmed, which will start the motors that open the feeder at specified intervals. In all other respects, this is a completely ordinary cat food container.

What you will need

How to make it yourself

1) We assemble a rectangular structure from several boards (as shown in the photo). We don’t add anything or connect anything yet, we just prepare the general form. We cut a round through hole in the lowest board.

2) Closer to the middle, attach 2 inclined boards, so that between them there is a distance slightly less than your kitten’s bowl.

3) In order to regulate the feed supply, you will have to make a moving mechanism, the general appearance of which is shown in the picture below. The boards that end this mechanism should fit snugly against the inclined planes from the previous point. A round hole is cut out in the middle of these boards, the same size as the hole in the lowest board. In order for this structure to move, it is necessary to attach it with movable links to the lower bar. You can use your own version, not only the one shown in the photo, but I advise you to stick to it at least in general terms.

4) Now comes the most difficult part. We cut a hole to route the wires to this mechanism. We connect these wires to the programmed microcontroller and servomotors (see below).

5) If you have completed point 4, then that’s almost all. All that remains is to pour the food into the designated place and cover the structure with glass so that the cat cannot get to the food directly. Enjoy the result! Don't forget to place the animal's bowl under the cut hole.

Model No. 3 - an intermediate option for those who know a little programming

I can call this model the best of today’s article, however, it does not hold as much food as the second one, and requires basic knowledge of programming microcontrollers (unlike the 1st model).

What you will need

How to make it yourself

1) Clear the cavity of the glue stick of the glue itself to form an empty cylindrical container. We will use it as a feed dispenser.

2) We make the “arm” of the dosing mechanism.

To push the glue of the pencil forward, you rotate the bottom of the pencil. The composition moves in a spiral to the length you need. This property of this office tool will be useful to us. We will place a brass tube in the free space (it has the required strength and is widely available), securing it in a pencil using construction glue.

Homemade production

At the present stage, a wide variety of drinking bowls for chickens are being produced. Numerous photos serve as proof of this. However, not all devices are suitable for a large number of chicks. For this reason, it is better to make them at home with your own hands from scrap materials.

Use of plastic

Using a plastic bottle you can make a good device for chickens. And numerous photos and videos serve as excellent proof of this. Creating such a drinking bowl will not be difficult. Among the tools with materials, you will need to use a plastic container, a screwdriver, screws, and cutting devices. You also need to take two bottles.

To build a water device for chickens with your own hands, you will need to follow some steps:

1. The top part of the bottle should be cut off, moving 5 cm away from the neck. You should get a kind of cup.
2. The plastic container must be attached with screws to the resulting container from the inside, creating a kind of lid within the lid.
3. Stepping back 5 cm from the neck of the smaller bottle, it is recommended to make small holes. Their height should not exceed the depth of the large bowl.
4. The structure must be inserted into a pre-made frame or screwed to the wall with screws. Can be filled with water.

Nipple design

Even if the household is not large in size, there may be a need for automation. It will help simplify the care process. If you plan to breed broilers, you will need to feed them well. And in such a situation, nipple drinkers would be the best option. For broilers, making such a device from scrap materials will not be difficult.

You can build a drinking bowl with your own hands using a pipe, an outlet, a plug, a drip eliminator or nipple, a water tank and a liquid level regulator.

To get a homemade drinking bowl, you need to perform a few fairly simple steps:

1. Mark the places on the pipe where you need to drill holes for the drip eliminator. There must be at least 20 cm between them. The diameter of the holes is 9 mm.
2. It is recommended to screw nipples into the holes.
3. Install a plug on one side of the pipe.
4. He recommends cutting a hole for the hose at the bottom, inserting a thread into it and screwing the hose itself in directly.

The homemade drinking bowl is completely ready for use. You can find out what nipple devices are by watching the video.

Creating an automatic device

For broilers and other breeds of chickens, an automatic homemade drinker may be required. It’s not difficult to make it yourself. To do this, you will need to use a shallow container, a 1.5 liter bottle, and clamps for fastening.

In order to obtain a homemade design for broilers, you will need to perform some simple steps:

1. Attach the clips to your chosen container.
2. Fill the vessel with water and insert the fasteners so that they are 0.5 cm from the bottom.

At this point, the homemade drinker for broilers and chickens of other breeds is completely ready for use. In order to understand how such devices are created, you can look at numerous photos and videos.

We are fed well here too: an automatic cat feeder

You have decided to get a cat. Many questions immediately arose: what food to choose, litter for the toilet, how often to bathe and others. Your pet’s health, appearance, coat quality and life expectancy depend on nutrition. It is not uncommon for cats to live more than 20 years with good care. Not only the diet matters, but also the dishes from which your pet will eat. Let's try to choose the appropriate option.

Rules of care

An automatic feeder is a very convenient design, and if it is made by hand, it is also budget-friendly, so we can confidently say that the device is beneficial in all respects. But it is necessary to take into account that the feeder is different from ordinary bowls; when caring for it, you need to adhere to certain rules.

Such units must be thoroughly washed. Residues of food can get stuck in the cracks of the structure and remain on its walls. Because of this, a large number of bacteria will accumulate in the feeder, which, if they enter the cat’s body, can provoke the occurrence of various pathological conditions, for example:

• disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas;
• acne on the chin;
• vomiting, stomach upset;
• lesions of the oral cavity.

Each animal should have its own feeder. Of course, if cats live together and are ready to eat from the same device, this is very good. However, cats are often jealous of their dishes, so it is advisable to make a separate copy for each pet.

If your pet eats dry food, there must be a container of clean water next to the feeder. Since the animal will not only eat, but also play, the likelihood of fluid loss increases. It must be replenished.

Read also: Sponge dough with dry yeast

It won’t be difficult for a caring owner to spend a little free time to make an automatic feeder for his pet. Any cat will be happy with such a gift and will repay the owner with affection and warmth.

Dining room for a cat

Organizing a cat's feeding area requires a serious approach. Your pet should have several bowls: for main food, for water and for treats. Dishes must always be kept clean. Water must be constantly poured, and it must also be changed regularly to keep the drink fresh. It is better to choose a permanent place for feeding, so the pet will be more comfortable. You need to choose dishes that are quite heavy so that they can’t be overturned while eating and you don’t have to carry the bowl around the entire kitchen. Some containers have silicone pads on the bottom; such dishes do not move, but stay firmly in place while the cat eats.

Properly organized feeding is the key to your pet’s health and longevity.

When choosing dishes, you should also consider the breed of the cat. If you have a Persian or a Scotsman, then it will be inconvenient for him to eat from a deep bowl, but if he is a Norwegian Forest or Siamese, then they will most likely like a deeper bowl. A flat, shallow plate is also suitable for a kitten. But for cats of large breeds such as Maine Coon or Serval, it is worth buying a larger plate. For water, it is better to choose a deeper container and place it so that pieces of food from the neighboring saucer do not fall into it.

Types of dishes for cats

Specialty stores sell different types of bowls and stands for feeding pets. All of them are beautiful and practical in their own way, but they have a number of advantages and disadvantages:

Stainless steel bowls last a long time and are easy to clean

Plastic utensils are popular among owners

Pets love heavy ceramic bowls

If you are away from home for a long time, are often away and the cat is left at home alone, then you can use an automatic feeder and water bowl as dishes.

What kind of miracle bowl is this?

Such devices are notable for the fact that they automatically give the animal a dosed portion of food, maintaining the time interval set by the owner. Automatic feeders are bought by people who do not always have time to feed their cats.

Important! The feeder should be as convenient as possible for the cat. For example, individuals with flat faces are unlikely to be suitable for containers that are too deep... And the majority of them are working, business trips, and they also want to relax with friends

In addition, in the whirlwind of things to do, it’s easy to forget about the cat’s dinner, so technology comes to the rescue here too.

Thanks to this device, you don’t have to worry about the mustache’s health—he’ll get his portion on time. This is especially true for kittens, for whom a special diet is important: they eat little but often, and it is sometimes physically impossible to keep up with their appetites. Therefore, you can’t do without an automatic feeder here.

And the majority of them are at work, on business trips, and they also want to relax with friends. In addition, in the whirlwind of things to do, it’s easy to forget about the cat’s dinner, so technology comes to the rescue here too.

Thanks to this device, you don’t have to worry about the mustache’s health—he’ll get his portion on time. This is especially true for kittens, for whom a special diet is important: they eat little but often, and it is sometimes physically impossible to keep up with their appetites. Therefore, you can’t do without an automatic feeder here.

It is also very useful when caring for sick animals, for whom hourly split meals or dosage medications are recommended at a strictly defined time.

We advise you to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of such cat foods as: “Friskies”, “Sheba”, “Happy Cat”, “Origen”, “Go”, “Gina”, “Gourmet”, “Hills”, “Our Mark” ", "Royal Canin", "Whiskas", "Monge", "1st Choice", "Brit", "Akana" and "Felix".

Automatic cat feeders

Automatic feeders are a useful invention for pet owners. During your absence, the feeder will dispense dry or wet food at certain intervals. This is convenient when you need to go away and leave the cat alone at home for a few days. When the animal needs to be fed frequently and hourly during the diet. And even if you simply forget to feed the cat on time.

Types of automatic feeders

The simplest device is a regular non-electronic mechanical feeder. Its principle is simple: a container for dry food is attached to the food bowl, from which pieces are constantly added to the bowl in the free space after the cat has eaten a certain amount of food. In this case, it will not be possible to program the portion dosage, and the animal can quickly destroy food supplies.

Convenient to use, but does not dispense portions

My cat definitely won’t eat little by little and stretch out the food over several days. He will eat everything at once, then he will vomit, he will eat what is left in the feeder and will spend the next day of my absence starving. For my Siberian cat who is always hungry, I would choose an electronic feeder with a portion dosing function.

The cat will eat all the food from the feeder if it is not dosed

The electronic automatic feeder can be programmed for a certain weight and exact time for dispensing a portion. In some models, you can even call your pet in the owner’s voice after making a recording. The feeders are powered by mains power and batteries, which ensures that the device will operate even during a power outage.

The electronic feeder dispenses a dosed portion of food over time

Automatic feeder with compartments

An automatic feeder with compartments can have 2 or 4 compartments. At a given time, the compartments rotate clockwise, making one of the food compartments accessible. The food can be used dry or wet. Some models have an ice bin to keep food fresh. If it is necessary to feed the animal for 2 days, then a 2-time portion supply is programmed; when for 4 days, the feeder will dispense a portion of food once a day.

At the programmed time, opens one compartment at a time

Video: automatic feeder with 4 compartments

Automatic dry food feeder with timer

This feeder has a container for dry food with a capacity of up to 2 kg, is equipped with a timer and a dispenser. At a given time, one portion of food is measured by a dispenser and dispensed into a bowl. The built-in sensor monitors the fullness of the tray and prevents food from spilling out. Such feeders are not cheap, but they are easy to use, last a long time and are popular with owners. This feeder can feed an animal for 90 days, but is intended only for dry food.

The feeder is ideal if the cat eats dry food

Automatic feeder with timer for wet and dry food

The feeder consists of several compartments closed with lids.

Suitable for dry and wet food

The lids tightly and securely hide the contents. At a predetermined time, one of the lids opens based on a timer signal, giving the cat access to food. Depending on the number of compartments, it can feed an animal from 2 to 5 days.

The lid opens according to a timer signal

Puzzle feeder

In the wild, cats were predators and it was not easy to get food for themselves. No one will put a couple of mice or birds in their tray. To entertain your pet and develop their interest, they came up with puzzle feeders. There are many variations of puzzles, but they are all aimed at obtaining food and the need to make decisions and find ways to extract treats from the feeder. Cats enjoy this process and accept the game with pleasure. It is also beneficial for cats that are prone to regurgitation when eating quickly, as the treats are absorbed slowly.

Device comparison

For ease of comparison, we have combined the main characteristics of the reviewed automatic feeders into a summary table.

How to choose an automatic feeder

The choice of an automatic feeder should be approached with all responsibility. The choice depends on what food you feed your pet, how often and how long your cat stays home alone.

Modern electronic automatic cat feeders allow you to record the owner's voice; they can be programmed for 1 or 2 feedings per day, depending on the number of compartments. Recent developments allow you to control the feeder via a computer via the Internet. It is worth noting that automatic waterers for cats are also sold along with automatic feeders. In my cat's diet, the main place is given to wet food. I don’t leave him alone for more than 2 days, so for me the best option is a feeder with a timer and four compartments.

The feeder should be:

Popular models of electronic automatic feeders:

Plastic product

This version of the cat feeder can be called the most popular today. It would be fair to classify the device as mechanical, because it does not have sensors, timers or other modern options. But as the amount of feed decreases, it is automatically added to the container. These designs have the following advantages:

• ease of manufacture;
• requires minimal investment of time and money;
• The products are highly efficient.

Making a plastic pet feeder doesn't require many tools. It is enough to take two containers, the total volume of which will be in the range of 5-7 liters, an awl, scissors, and tape. The step-by-step procedure for assembling the structure is as follows:

1. Take one bottle and cut off the bottom. The height of the latter should be approximately the length of a finger.
2. Cut the resulting container on one side so as to completely cut off the wall. The walls on the other two sides also need to be shortened, and the fourth side must be left unchanged.
3. Then you can start working with the second container. On one of the sides, near the bottom, a hole should be made, the height of which will correspond to the same height as the sides of the first pallet.
4. Insert the tray into the resulting hole.
5. Cover the formed structure with tape. It is desirable that the parts fit as closely as possible to each other. This is necessary to improve the stability of the product.

The automatic feeder can be considered ready, now you just need to fill it with food. The resulting design is best suited for dry food. If an animal eats natural products, it makes no sense to put porridge or minced meat in a container, because such food quickly disappears. In addition, the food will stick to the sides of the feeder, making it difficult for the cat to get it out.

Dry food for this product is the most suitable option. Today, the market for pet products is saturated with premium foods, so every caring owner will be able to choose something suitable for their pet.