Microchip controlled cat feeders

desdemona01

We have two cats and one of them is a piggy and hogs the food when it is put down. The other, much smaller cat hangs back until the bigger one's finished. We often shut 'piggy' cat away while we feed the little one. It occurred to me that it may be a good idea to buy the each a food bowl that is activated by their microchips. However I've just looked on Amazon and they're almost £80. Each! Obviously, we would need 2 so it really adds up. Can anyone point me in the direction of less expensive versions please?

Laconic

I wouldn't bother. Your little cat's problem is being forced off the food. If you get a dispenser the large cat can still force her off.Better would be a place only she can access to eat.

Lily-Rose_3

desdemona01 wrote: »

We have two cats and one of them is a piggy and hogs the food when it is put down. The other, much smaller cat hangs back until the bigger one's finished. We often shut 'piggy' cat away while we feed the little one. It occurred to me that it may be a good idea to buy the each a food bowl that is activated by their microchips. However I've just looked on Amazon and they're almost £80. Each! Obviously, we would need 2 so it really adds up. Can anyone point me in the direction of less expensive versions please?

Sorry but your post made me LOL! Piggy!

Anyhoo, I agree that you should just feed them separately. (In separate rooms.) Makes sense!

I do this with mine. My younger one is a gutsy git, (sometimes) and she scoffs hers as quick as poss, so she can start on my older cat's food!

Then she is sick!

But when I feed them in separate rooms; it doesn't happen.

Lilyjade

I actually bought one of these feeders so my old cat could have free access to biscuits, as the younger three scoff the lot in one go.

She's almost 15 but it only took her two weeks to get use to it. Unfortunately it took my most piggy boy the same amount of time to work out how he could also get to the biscuits.

So now whenever he hears the lid go up, he comes running. He will then reach over the side (he's a tall boy) and steal while she is eating. Or he will slip in beside her to eat (he is the only one she will tolerate doing this). Luckily both ways limit the amount of biscuits he can eat, as soon as she walks away the lid closes on him.

Six months on the other two are still scared of the feeder, which is great for now.

spookylukey

I have the SureFeed microchip feeder, it's worth it's weight in gold - I'm a stinge but would actually pay double if it needed replacing tomorrow.

Why would you need two feeders if you only have one 'piggy'? I have one piggy and one non-piggy, non-piggy has the microchip feeder and gets to eat as and when it wants without fear that piggy will scoff the lot. Piggy has it's food in a regular bowl and once it's gone, it's gone.

Piggy hasn't ever tailgated non-piggy, you can set the speed of the lid closure if this was to become an issue. I saw online they do an add-on adaptation cover if you have a particularly piggy cat who manages to manouvre their face into the bowl from an angle that shouldn't be possible! Pic on their facebook page and from reading the comments looks like the cover is free to customers who are in need of one - https://www.facebook.com/sureflap/photos/a.10150541827814766.431067.242667279765/10154118182479766/?type=3&theater

Their customer service is second to none, my non-piggy cat has two microchips (one has migrated) and it was confusing the feeder - I emailed them initially then they rang me and very patiently talked me through some hidden settings to fix the issue.

I just had a quick look online and MedicAnimal have it for £82.60, but they have 15% off everything at the mo (ends today) so £70.21 delivered. I find they tend to have 'sales' ie 10%, 15% off pretty much every week as they bombard me with emails!

Lilyjade

Thanks spookylukey, mines also a Surefeed microchip one. I will contact them and see if I can get a cover for it. Then I just need to discourage old cat from allowing piggy to squeeze in beside her as she eat.