Petory Timed Automatic Cat Feeders - 4L Programable Dry Food Dispenser for Cats and Small Medium Dogs 6 Meals with Desiccant Bag Dual Power Supply 10S Voice Recorder

The media could not be loaded. I have a *very* food-driven feline who would be a good model for those "don't believe the cat, she's been fed 3x times today," memes. While I love my cat and I love it when she decides to be affectionate, she was getting to where she was being affectionate/begging for food almost all day long and I felt like my constantly saying "no" to her wasn't a good dynamic for us. Plus, she's under vets' orders to lose weight, so I felt like I needed to take this step and buy an automatic feeder.One of the challenges I had finding the right feeder for her was I needed one that provided 4 meals/day of very small portions because again, she's food-driven, and she scarfs down her food - then immediately throws it up - if she's given large portions. You'll need to run the "Feed Now" process twice to get the bin filled properly, then this feeder's portions are 3 Tablespoons, or 6 teaspoons, which was perfect for my needs.On the wish list, I wanted a feeder that would let me record the phone alarm I've been using to let her know when she could eat, so she'd easily transition to the automatic feeder. The plan worked perfectly, and she quickly learned I'm the daily source for her kibble, PLUS, she's learned to better manage her food to last between meals, which was another goal.I also wanted a feeder that was battery-operated because I feed my cats away from electrical outlets in case of water spills, and I didn't want to run an electrical cord several feet across the room. Batteries aren't included with this product, but I always keep my preferred brand on hand anyway.While this feeder came with a stainless steel dish, which I love, I replaced it with a small ceramic saucer because my finicky little cat gets upset seeing another cat (her reflection) in her food and water bowls.The window on the front of the feeder is a great way to monitor the food level! I've found that the dispenser for the feed is in the back of the bin though, so sometimes the feeder looks like it has enough food in it through the window, when it's getting low. My super smart kitty has also figured out how to let me know when I need to lift the lid and check the supply! lolThe controls on the feeder are super easy to use once you figure them out. The directions aren't quite in the proper order, so I've included a video that demonstrates the process. SF = Scheduled feeding time, F = Feeding portion, the numbers below the clock describe which scheduled feeding you're scheduling - I scheduled 3 feedings for this video. I've also shown how to record a bell alarm for the dispensing, do the "Feed Now" option to set up the dispenser, and lock the system so it's ready to go.This feeder's also a good weight - easy for me to pick up, so far my kitty hasn't tipped it over when she's rubbing against it while waiting for it to dispense. It's easy to clean with a damp cloth, using care around the digital panel. The locking lid, and lock on the control panel prevents my kitty from pulling the lid off to get into it, which I know she would if it allowed it.Overall, I'm really satisfied with this product, and glad I finally found it to meet all my needs.

We have had two of these feeder for about a month now.Power:One is always plugged in using the batteries as a backup power source, and the other one is running off of batteries. So far, the batteries have yet to be needed to be replaced. The battery powered feeder doesn’t display the time unless you touch a button, but that is minor.Food Storage:The food bins are large and easy enough to refill. Minor issues are that lids don’t always lock in to place on my first attempt and I have to test it to make sure it can’t be easily opened by one of my pets. The other inconvenience (depending on where the feeder is kept) is that you need access to fill from the top. It would be nice if I could just quickly remove the food bin and leave the rest of the feeder in place. I like that you can break the portion up into several parts and even slightly delay the time between each serving. My dog eats to fast so this forces her to eat only a bit at a time.Programming:Fairly straightforward programming instructions. I like that the instructions are available on the lids since they are not the most intuitive. Since I don’t mess them very often, if I ever need to make a change, the instructions are always right there. I appreciate that there are multiple timers so that I can customize portion controls based on each feeding time per day.Other Features:The is a voice memo you can play when it’s feeding time. I haven’t used this feature as my pets are very aware of when it is ‘almost’ dinner time and sit in front of their feeders waiting for their food.Observations:The feeder delivers food like the old gum ball machines. There is a piece at the bottom that spins and catches food as it falls into a lower section of the gray. The food that is caught there then falls into your pets food dish. I noticed that the amount of food that is caught with each spin is not always a consistent amount. It seems to be most obvious with the larger food pieces. I feed my cat 3 portions per feeding so if 1 is a little small it isn’t a big deal, but if you were only feeding your pet a single portion, it is possible the amount served will be different each time.One feature request I would like to see is the ability to PAUSE the feeder either indefinitely or for a set number of days/feedings. E.g. I don’t want to feeder putting food in the dish while I am on vacation or if my pet will be fed out of the house for a meal. As far as I can tell the only way to do it is to unplug/remove batteries or cancel the existing programs and then reprogram again when I return. Missing one meal is not a big deal if I can get to the dish before my pet, but if I am gone a week, then it would be nice to maintain my setting but not have it feeding temporarily.

So far it’s working as expected. The voice recording seems to only work for the first feeding though, unless I messed up the setup, not an issue, the cat perks up when it hears the food drop anyway!

This has been a hit with our cats. We have two now, both this same style. It's good quality and for a great price. I suggest the backup batteries, it's good to know that if the house were to lose power while we're away our cats would not miss a meal. It makes traveling much easier and keeping their meal schedule consistent. It's easy to program and you're able to adjust how much the feeder dispenses per meal. I like that I can throw the metal bowl in the dishwasher once a week.