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.
1822646
I had to put my cat in the top basket, to try to get her used to it. But eventually she kept jumping down, which is a foot drop down to the floor. Plus since my cat's full grown, the middle flat tier kept tipping over; so its not that reliable if propped up properly. Eventually I took my top tier basket down since she never slept in it; & my cat tore the heck out of the top scratching post. But my cat still likes to jump up on the rest of the cat pole.
391212
I have a feeding matt with a rubberized backing underneath the feeder and it stays in place. The bowl to the feeder is held pretty firmly by the feeder itself, but try setting the feeder on a matt with a rubberized backing. Hope this helps.
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
2208161
I stopped feeding it to my cats. I have one who has food/protein allergies. After feeding it to my girls for a couple of weeks the cat with the food allergies started to vomit within 10 to 15 minutes after eating. She is the only one who reacted. I am not saying something is wrong with the food, but my allergic cat could not tolerate this food after a couple of weeks. I think I would hold off on feeding it to a young kitten.
351891
I only feed my cat wet food and use the automatic feeder all the time. He gets fed a small amount every 4 hours, and it seems to stay fresh when I fill it up with 5 servings. The food does not get hard and stale on top like it does if it is sitting out in a dish for hours. My kitty eats it without complaining, so it must be fine. He is picky so if it did not taste good, he would not touch it.
624754
I use the superfeeder with both clear plastic food holders (shown in the picture) plus I have the 1 Gallon hopper attached to the top of those 2. I have 1 cat who gets 1/3 of a cup three times a day and I only fill it once every 1.5-2 months. I have been using mine for about 3-4 years now and its the greatest thing ever! I have never had an issue with it and it has been running for 1200 + days straight. Nicest thing is I don't get woken up at 4 AM everyday by my cat wanting food! Such wonderful sleep I get now! Worth every penny!
1830418
My cats will not eat this by itself. I give them a 1/4 teaspoon in their wet food. They get about two tablespoons of wet food. I'm not sure how it mixes with dry food. Is having separate bowls an option for wet food?
1923274
Did you try mixing it with regular food for a week or so? I have 6 cats, no problems.
1053824
We fill the 10 pound holder with kibble, and our cat still happily consumes the dregs at the end. I can't say I have specifically tested the "freshness" for myself, however. The main thing to realize about the set-up with the large holder is that the entire unit becomes top-heavy when filled to the brim. We needed to brace the back using a 2X4 and a bracket that fits around the top of the holder. Even with having to make this modification, my husband and I would recommend this to anyone. Our cat cannot reach her paw inside and "steal" food, which was the problem with the $50 pet store auto-feeders. We fill the 10 pound holder with kibble, and our cat still happily consumes the dregs at the end. I can't say I have specifically tested the "freshness" for myself, however. The main thing to realize about the set-up with the large holder is that the entire unit becomes top-heavy when filled to the brim. We needed to brace the back using a 2X4 and a bracket that fits around the top of the holder. Even with having to make this modification, my husband and I would recommend this to anyone. Our cat cannot reach her paw inside and "steal" food, which was the problem with the... » Read More We fill the 10 pound holder with kibble, and our cat still happily consumes the dregs at the end. I can't say I have specifically tested the "freshness" for myself, however. The main thing to realize about the set-up with the large holder is that the entire unit becomes top-heavy when filled to the brim. We needed to brace the back using a 2X4 and a bracket that fits around the top of the holder. Even with having to make this modification, my husband and I would recommend this to anyone. Our cat cannot reach her paw inside and "steal" food, which was the problem with the $50 pet store auto-feeders. « Show Less
1434961
My cat really didn't like it. Not sure if it was her age (she's 9) or like Marie's, too lazy to try or too set in her ways. Although I had no other food beside this unit. Since she didn't use it, I can't tell you if it can tip over. Probably good exercise if the cat will do it. Thank you for asking.
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.
864987
my cat actually learned to eat out of the top of it, so what I did was placed his old bowl which was heavy ceramic on the top and that can both weigh it down and keep the kitty from eating out of the top of it, hope that helps
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.
1362194
Water would be a bad idea; just stick to dry food. It would really surprise me if a cat were able to pull off a cylinder. The large tube size is mostly to keep the food out of easy reach. You don't have to fill the tubes to the top, and I doubt that many people fill them. We distribute the food so that all of the tubes have some food, and the food is as physically low as possible. The whole point is slowing down the cat.
1688749
You can try this method. It might be wiser to attach the feeder from the base to the pole with a base plate. The bird food will add weight to the feeder and an animal can make it unstable and tip.
2231586
We have three cats. Two have always been big, one of them actually fat, the other just a large cat. The third is the most food obsessed, but also the smallest. Since we've had the feeder, our relationship with them has improved - like we can go into the kitchen without getting yell-meowed at. As for the cats, their weight has stayed the same with the feeder. If anything, it may have helped, they used to lie to us - trying to convince a human that the other humans had not fed them. Unfortunately, the only way to really put your big one on a diet is probably to feed them all separately.