A new wet food feeder gadget

[Robert and Echo]

I got an email from Dr. Pierson tonight -- she was in contact with a man that is creating a timered wet food feeder who is looking for market research. I let her know that we've got plenty of opinions and will share at will!

Check it out at: http://www.catzenpup.com/

Garret Wilson will be posting here to get our feedback about it. I believe he's still in the design phase and looking to see how it could be designed more effectively.

 

[rhiannon and shadow (GA)]

looks interesting...

I'd be wondering how often it can fail at taking off the lid....
I'm leery of relying on technology to always get it right.


but it's nice that it does sealed foods....

now if they could just make us more low carb food options in these type of containers....

 

[Critter Mom]

I'd be wondering how often it can fail at taking off the lid....

That's the first thought that came to my head, too. Sometimes the foil lids may tear and don' t come off with a single peeling action.

Great idea in principle for general feeding.

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

I met this guy at the Pet Expo in NJ earlier this month and saw his feeder. I gave him my feedback there and told him my concerns.

1) it does not open cans only those containers with the foil openings - like Meow Mix -- therefore, not all of those food options is diabetic friendly and most of us are using canned foods that this product won't open

2) it only opens one container, not several like a traditional timed feeder

3) it's going to be quite pricey - he was asking price options and started at $65 to over $100

4) if you want to add water or other supplements to the food, you can't

The only thing this does is take a foil container and open it when you want it opened. After having seen it, personally, I think the timed feeders that are already on the market are much better suited for most people's needs, as while yes the food is already open, it's also kept fresh with ice packs under the feeders as well as freezing the food.

Sadly, I don't see this product being a success. Now I didn't come out and say that directly to him, but I did mention the rest of the above.

 

[Garrett Wilson]

Hi Everyone!

I finally found this thread discussing thoughts and comments on my Catzenpup automatic wet food feeder. I'm super siked to get feedback from the FDMB members... First I've added a demo video i created for Global Pet Expo a few weeks ago, to show the feeder working for people who may not have seen it before. after that, i'll answer a few questions that have been raised:

1. As to the lid opening tearing failure question - in all honesty, the feeder i use daily for my cat, Amber, almost never tears. I mean over 95% success rate, and that's with a handmade prototype using a can opener motor and clamp screwed to an aluminum tube. So ultimately, even for a hack feeder, its surprisingly extremely reliable. Granted nothing is perfect, but as a startup business, if and when the product would be available for sale, tearing will not be an issue. I think the torques and forces of the method the feeder uses separate the foil lid adhesive very evenly across the top, from a physics and engineering perspective, and this has never been an issue i've had to address in my own use.

2. as for food options, there 8 cat food brands i've found, with a myriad of flavors made by each company, so while the plastic tray food segment is only 5% of overall wet food product sales in the USA, that's still $240million dollars of food someone is buying. and granted the quality is not like a raw food diet, but the concept has much potential for food producers to simply package their foods in plastic trays with pull lids as an existing technology, so there is no barrier other than their desire and will to do so to make more options available. below is a quick photo montage of a recent tour at my local petsmart showing all of the different food brands (dog and cat) in 3oz containers for reference, as many people don't realize how prevalent these food containers are in pet stores when they don't typically shop for them:

3. supplement additions: these type of custom options would make the product more complex, and only address a small segment of the pet population to enable adding custom or medication to the food using the device. its a great idea, but as far as products go, it is only a feeder and can only be designed to achieve to majority of pet food needs.

4. price: ultimately the price is very much up in the air at this early stage, but with potential features like a smartphone video app and wifi webcam on the device, tracking feedings, food inventory, and such, many people love the idea of staying connected to their pet and automating and simplifying parts of their lives using their smartphones. so there could be a non-tech simple feeder only version that is less expensive - it all depends on what pet parents ask for to determine various models, features, and final pricing.

these are just a few responses to questions asked. i am but a humble inventor, and i hope they come across as honest and sincere responses and not defensive. so as a bootstrapped startup, there is a lot to be done and many things still unknown about how the product will end up, if it ever gets made.

feel free to ask me anything (AMA). i'm an open book, and members of the FDMB are part of an amazing community that i feel so honored to be allowed to ask for your comments to help me in this venture to make this feeder available to cat and dog parents.

THANK YOU!!! Garrett

 

[Garrett Wilson]

i also forgot to mention i am working on a multi-container food design too...

 

[BJM]

I'm feeding 13 cats at a time; got one designed for multi-pet situations using larger cans?

 

[fun2doimpossible]

Hi Garrett,
I looks interesting. However, as it stands it is not something I would ever use with my cat because it is too limiting compared to a traditional timed feeder.

What do I mean by this? It requires the use of sealed foil packs. While this may be good for many people it doesn't work for me.

Clyde is an obese cat, which is an unfortunate growing problem. In an effort to get him to loose weight I need to be able to more finely control how much food he eats. He may only get a total of 5 oz of food a day split between several meals, which is less then two of the small containers of foil packed food the feeder works with.

I think it is a good start on a connected feeder, but for me I would want to see the following:

• a small mat that can take the cat's weight so it can be monitored
• be able to recognize which cat it is in a multicat household and how much they actually ate
• have multiple spaces that I can put the appropriate food portions in (this would also have the benefit of being able to mix in medication and other supplements)
• have the system tell me how much food I actually put in each space (if the space is only supposed to have 3 oz and I put in 3.5oz I'm over feeding him)
• some way to keep the food fresh that is not in foil packs.

 

[Garrett Wilson]

Hi All. As always, thanks for your comments...

BJM - 13 cats, wow! I can't think of any feeder that can feed 13 cats at a time, LOL. I wish I could help you there...

fun2doimpossible - great comments. I'm assuming when you mention a "traditional timed feeder" you mean for dry food, correct? Those dry feeders I'm not trying to replace or compete directly with, there are too many already and they are very inexpensive, which is great for dry food feeding pets. If a pet parent wanted to or was required to only feed wet food, then my product is more appropriate. on your bullet notes, i have seen some new tech feeders for dry food only that include a scale to weigh the cat, and also cat "facial recognition" to tell cats apart in multi-cat households. to my knowledge they are not for sale yet, but they are in development. regarding food weight and medications, my feeder likely will not be the solution for these needs, and I'd venture a guess no feeder company would want the liability associated with dispensing medicine specifically. as others have mentioned, food can be kept cool using ice packs in some feeders available today, but i would suggest that food is not "fresh" as it is with my feeder opening the food container at the scheduled feeding time.

ultimately, my product won't solve all pet needs, nor is it intended to become the sole feeding method or means for feeding cats and dogs. I believe it fills a definitive gap in feeding today that can reduce the need for dry food free feeding and help pets consume healthy, fresh wet food when pet parents are away from home or unavailable.

there is also more info on our basic website at www.catzenpup.com and we also have a youtube channel you can view videos of the product in action too at www.youtube.com/catzenpup

thanks for your feedback, and feel free to keep asking any questions i can answer!

 

[Hillary & Maui (GA)]

Actually, no she doesn't mean a dry food feeder. She means a timed feeder that is like this one, sold at Petsmart: http://www.petsmart.com//WFS/PETUS/...?green=2ddfd400-ef0d-5faa79-6ee9-70082a984e3b

While it shows dry food in the space, we put canned food in there instead. Some will open the wet food, add water and freeze it before putting into the space. It keeps it moist longer.

The problem as I mentioned previously, with only using foil lidded foods, and the example of Meow Mix you pictured, most of that product is not low carb and for cats with diabetes that is our main concern, feeding low carb foods. To give you a better idea of what we consider low carb food choices (which is 10% or less in carbs) check out Dr. Lisa's food comparison chart http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

That being said, you stated, "but the concept has much potential for food producers to simply package their foods in plastic trays with pull lids as an existing technology, so there is no barrier other than their desire and will to do so to make more options available."

And therein lies the problem.... why would Purina for example choose to use plastic trays and pull lids to sell their fancy feast, Friskies and other products? They wouldn't, cause it's more than desire, they have to buy equipment, change the factories and retool the factories, train employees, etc and for what? To get a bigger share of that 5% market place that is using this delivery method today. They don't need it and most likely won't do this. It's not cost effective or profitable.

Conceptually what you are looking at may work for those that do use Meow Mix, but I just don't see how there will be a large market for this, not when the only food option to put in your feeder has a foil lid. While there is no timed feeder that I know of that will actually open a can of food. As I stated, we have found ways around that problem, by freezing, adding water, etc. that ensures that the food is still fresh when the timer opens.

Sorry if this bursts your bubble, but I am not the only one who thinks this.

 

[fun2doimpossible]

Hi All. As always, thanks for your comments...

fun2doimpossible - great comments. I'm assuming when you mention a "traditional timed feeder" you mean for dry food, correct? Those dry feeders I'm not trying to replace or compete directly with, there are too many already and they are very inexpensive, which is great for dry food feeding pets. If a pet parent wanted to or was required to only feed wet food, then my product is more appropriate. on your bullet notes, i have seen some new tech feeders for dry food only that include a scale to weigh the cat, and also cat "facial recognition" to tell cats apart in multi-cat households. to my knowledge they are not for sale yet, but they are in development. regarding food weight and medications, my feeder likely will not be the solution for these needs, and I'd venture a guess no feeder company would want the liability associated with dispensing medicine specifically. as others have mentioned, food can be kept cool using ice packs in some feeders available today, but i would suggest that food is not "fresh" as it is with my feeder opening the food container at the scheduled feeding time.

I'm looking for a web enabled/souped up version of something like - http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Eatwe...eder/dp/B000GEWHNS/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

I currently use it with wet food that is either frozen or with ice packs to keep it usable/safe. As long as the food is being held in an environment that will minimize bacterial growth, it is as good as opening a can from a human food safety standpoint. This means keeping the food under 40 degrees F and having a way to minimize the exposure to air to keep it from being dried out. If it is between 40F - 140F for more then 4 hours, it is no longer considered safe to eat. (Some foods have less then that.) I know looking at it from a human food safety standpoint may be overkill, but the amount of bacterial growth doesn't change based on who is eating it, just what it could do.

The advantage to that is you can use any food you choose with it - wet/dry/raw and the owner can mix in whatever they choose.

I don't need to be able to see my cats eat, but being able to track how much they actually ate and weigh would be extremely useful. In order to calculate how much they ate, you need to know what was there in the first place. Weight loss/gain and a change in eating habits can be an early sign that something is wrong with the cat.

My vet loves the fact I come in with spreadsheets of data about insulin use, food consumption, weight, etc. It makes her life so much easier because it helps her get a clearer picture as to what is going on.

 

[Garrett Wilson]

The problem as I mentioned previously, with only using foil lidded foods, and the example of Meow Mix you pictured, most of that product is not low carb and for cats with diabetes that is our main concern, feeding low carb foods. To give you a better idea of what we consider low carb food choices (which is 10% or less in carbs) check out Dr. Lisa's food comparison chart http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

why would Purina for example choose to use plastic trays and pull lids to sell their fancy feast, Friskies and other products? They wouldn't, cause it's more than desire, they have to buy equipment, change the factories and retool the factories, train employees, etc and for what? To get a bigger share of that 5% market place that is using this delivery method today. They don't need it and most likely won't do this. It's not cost effective or profitable.

Conceptually what you are looking at may work for those that do use Meow Mix, but I just don't see how there will be a large market for this, not when the only food option to put in your feeder has a foil lid. While there is no timed feeder that I know of that will actually open a can of food. As I stated, we have found ways around that problem, by freezing, adding water, etc. that ensures that the food is still fresh when the timer opens.

Hi Hillary & Maui: here are some thoughts in response to your notes... no bubble burst! I'm learning as I get everyone's feedback, so this is helpful for me!

The meow mix "image" is actually a video, if you watch it, you can see the myriad of brands and flavors i found a local petsmart. on the cat food side, brands I'm aware of are Whiskas, Fancy Feast Appetizers, Meow Mix, Nature’s Recipe, Grreat Choice, Wellness, Authority, Sheba, and Applaws. here is an image from my website and i've uploaded a few of the photos from the video montage above for reference....

to your point about container tooling, cost, change out, etc., i'm not an expert on the pet food companies' businesses, but i do know manufacturing, so i understand what you're saying. it all comes down to customer demand - if customers want food in plastic trays, or pouches, or whatever then the food companies will do it. ultimately most tray shapes have been consistent for a few years, and most major pet food brands already make product in trays, or using a co-packer with those capabilities is an option, wherein it may be minimal cost to package the food if pet parents demand it. i'm not suggesting you're statement is incorrect, i'm only stating there are more companies and products out there that it may be very easy and low cost for them should the market want it. you can slice it many ways, such as $240,000,000 annually suggests that if a cat is fed approx. 1 tray per day, or choose 300 days for simplicity, so less than one per day on average, that suggests 800,000 pet households/parents already purchasing food in these plastic trays - and market data shows this segment is experiencing double digit growth.

Also i quickly reviewed Dr. Pierson food chart, though I couldn't find foods that were exact matches for the food in the plastic trays to say none of them are 10% carbs or less. Perhaps none of these foods are a good choice for cats with diabetes, that i cannot say. as i mentioned before, my feeder allows for feeding fresh wet food over dry free food feeding if desired or required. its not for everyone, and it won't make everyone happy, i get that. and i do see how standard timed carousel feeders can work with wet food frozen to thaw or have it sit at room temp contained in the device, i only present my feeder as a new idea and concept option that provides food that is arguably fresher at feeding time.

last thought to share, is that as i mentioned earlier i am working on a multi-contianer feeder prototype, currently planned to hold 4 of the 3oz plastic food trays for scheduling feedings.

 

[Garrett Wilson]

I'm looking for a web enabled/souped up version of something like - http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Eatwe...eder/dp/B000GEWHNS/?tag=felinediabetesfdmb-20

I don't need to be able to see my cats eat, but being able to track how much they actually ate and weigh would be extremely useful. In order to calculate how much they ate, you need to know what was there in the first place. Weight loss/gain and a change in eating habits can be an early sign that something is wrong with the cat..

Hi fun2doimpossible: I do know of products that one of which is for saleo for the "souped up version" 5 day feeder and one in development that record weights and food consumption in different ways. feel free to PM me and i will share them with you. I'd prefer not to post about them in this thread just to keep focus on my concept product as well to not muddy the waters providing free advertising for other companies in the context of learning from the FDMB community here. THX!