Is there a recommended cat food to use with this that helps with the gravity issue? I have this feeder and its great but the food doesnt dispense automatically. I have to shake it for the food to come down... Is there a recommended cat food to use with this that helps with the gravity issue? I have this feeder and its great but the food doesnt dispense automatically. I have to shake it for the food to... » Read More Is there a recommended cat food to use with this that helps with the gravity issue? I have this feeder and its great but the food doesnt dispense automatically. I have to shake it for the food to come down... « Show Less
69049
I also have that problem. I placed a piece of wood under the back side to tilt the feeder. This corrected the problem. Do not change your cat food to accommodate the feeder issue - just block (elevate) the back side.
690290
I don't know of any other cat food dispenser. However, we filled this dispenser with chockful of cat food pellets because we were going on vacation. We left this outdoor in the patio because we have an outdoor cat. This was a big mistake. All of the animals in the neighbourhood devoured it within the same day. They toppled the dispenser and was able to shake out every last bit of food. My poor cat had to fend for itself while we were away. We are now back to giving the pet daily portions.
690291
I have always found with these "automatic" feeders that you have to help the food come down and flow out fully into the feeding bowl. I've had a few of them and it's the same with them all. Obviously smaller sized food bits are better but you will still need to help it along as far as my experience goes.
690292
Aloha..I have never came across this issue since only one cat, kibbles very small. I fill weekly. I purchase from Amazon the Merrick before grain, tuna favor. That's a great question. I have a habit of checking once in awhile, never shake use my finger once in awhile. I trust this container, since my kids never check on my cat, she ran out of food. The water dish she likes small, took the filter out use different type of mineral water. Hope it helps.
9243
I have not had a problem with the amount dispensed. My petmate seems to be fairly accurate. Does your cat mess with the dish. Mine does try to steal from it and has occasionally messed it up. You could try for 2 bars, half cup. I had to rig the dish with a large bucket to fall over it if my cat tries to steal. It works, she cant stand for the dish to be hidden. I have been very satisfied with my petmate dish. Without it my cat would constantly be begging and pestering me for food.
1923985
Is he/she actually "eating" it? I haven't experienced that with any of my cats but it would be simple to cover it in a pillow case (flannel maybe) if you wanted. My cats (4) love the texture and while they like to claw it to "fluff" it, I've never seen them eat one.
94050
I was asking the exact same question.........I want to buy a low table to set two different size bowls on for dogs; a larger bowl for water, and a smaller bowl for food. I cannot find an elevated feeder that accommodates different sized bowls.......so this seemed like a possible solution: just buy a low table, and set out whatever size bowls you want. Did it work for you? Was it sturdy enough with legs extended to keep from wobbling?
1273149
Our cat could sucessfully do that with the previous feeders but not with the Pet Feedster. Our cat has tried but no luck, I think he has given up trying and just patiently waits for his food.
624751
Go for the expanded capacity model and try it for at least a week with your kibble. Spherical definitely works better than triangular food. My cat loves his kibble, so this helps give him small amounts throughout the day.
1468825
I wish I had a clear answer for you but I just believe that as convenient the feeder should/could be it's just not that well designed. I would suggest asking the manufacturer or sending it back and getting a new one or a refund.
1378677
It comes off EXTREMELY easy! It's so loose in fact, that at times it comes off on its own - but don't let that discourage you from purchasing it! This is a really good feeder. My cat has no problems with it whatsoever!
1351396
As suggested by another purchaser, you could remove the inner plastic "bowl" and set your non-plastic bowl inside it. However,there really isn't a "bottom" to the feeder, so if your pet tips it over (which my cat has done several times), the dish would fall out and so would the food. So, removing the dish might work against you if you want the feeder to open at a set time, which seems to be the point of an automatic feeder.
1512366
I feed my cats dry food from these bowls. There has always been spillage around their bowls, no matter what bowl I've used and there still is. I think it is more of an issue of how they eat rather than the bowl design. I use black "cafeteria" type trays under their bowls (and placemats under those!) to try to catch most of the mess.
1765882
I have not had any issues with any of the cat food national brands. However, be sure not to empty the bag at the end up side down and let the powdery, sandy Kibble go to the bottom of the hopper. This will cause the mechanism that dispenses the food to jam up and possibly burnnup the motor. Disassembling the mechanism to clean it is not hard if this happens.
1005370
I would NOT feed directly from the can of cat food. Two reasons...it's too small a space for the cat to comfortably feed in,,,and most cans, once opened, have a SHARP edge around them on the inside!! Give the poor little kitty his or her own bowl.
1794632
I use it for my cat as her food dish. I put 1/4 cup of food in it in the morning and another at night. I have had the dish for 2 yrs and she has gone from 14 pounds to 11.75. Sometimes she knocks it over but not frequently. I dont know how well this would work in a multi cat family.
1692298
My cat feeders topped worked after the first couple of months. It also has to be on battery or electric so when the electricity goes out it stops working. I am so disappointed, so we are back to leaving a humongous bowl of food out. We do leave her for up to a wake at a time. Thank heavens my automatics littler box seems to be a Trojan house! Good luck
1794629
I would not recommend it for feeding, my cats sometimes just dump it over to get the treats out. I suppose you could use it by portioning out how much you want them to have in a day, but they may just knock it over and make a mess. Plus, I have a few cats that won't even use it for treats so that's a problem if your cat doesn't like it and won't stick their paws in it. I would recommend just using a regular dish and measuring out portions. Try a quality food designed for weight loss.
1602265
I did something similar. I put the tag on my chubby cat and leave the feeder open all the time. He is not supposed to eat the food in the feeder so it closes when he comes up to it.
2119102
I have the same problem with my cat... After a visit to the vet, we added a pro-biotic, slippery elm bark, grass and the MOST important... I built a raised feeder so my cat didn't bend her throat or tummy when she ate... THE FIRST DAY NO Vomiting!!!! Been a week and still none!!!! I've been picking her some young fescue grass and she's eating that so am ordering this asap... She was having terrible constipation problems, the pro-biotic and slippery elm bark helped that, added a couple teaspoons water to her WET food, OMG in a week even her coat feels and looks silkier! This Cat threw up EVERY DAY.. The raised Feeder and Fiber, a miracle!!! I have the same problem with my cat... After a visit to the vet, we added a pro-biotic, slippery elm bark, grass and the MOST important... I built a raised feeder so my cat didn't bend her throat or tummy when she ate... THE FIRST DAY NO Vomiting!!!! Been a week and still none!!!! I've been picking her some young fescue grass and she's eating that so am ordering this asap... She was having terrible constipation problems, the pro-biotic and slippery elm bark helped that, added a couple teaspoons water to her WET food, OMG in a week even her coat feels and looks silkier! This Cat threw up... » Read More I have the same problem with my cat... After a visit to the vet, we added a pro-biotic, slippery elm bark, grass and the MOST important... I built a raised feeder so my cat didn't bend her throat or tummy when she ate... THE FIRST DAY NO Vomiting!!!! Been a week and still none!!!! I've been picking her some young fescue grass and she's eating that so am ordering this asap... She was having terrible constipation problems, the pro-biotic and slippery elm bark helped that, added a couple teaspoons water to her WET food, OMG in a week even her coat feels and looks silkier! This Cat threw up EVERY DAY.. The raised Feeder and Fiber, a miracle!!! « Show Less