automatic pet feeder

[akbahsMum]

I'm looking about for a good automatic pet feeder...
I notice Gayle suggested this one
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2751315

And my husband found these for me
http://www.mypetwarehouse.com.au/store/ ... ER-5-DAYS/

http://www.ozpetshop.com.au/product_inf ... cts_id/758

that last one looks like the best so far, it has an ice chamber to keep food fresh...

Anyone got any experience with these? Any thoughts?

One drawback I can see is I would like one that I can set for four hour feeds; that ozpetshop one, the most frequent it can get to is 8 hour feeds (four per day).
I could use it to do the 4am feed, which is my main issue, so if there are no better then I think at present, that's the one I'm going for.

 

[squeem3]

The PetSafe 5 compartment one can be programmed for any time you want :smile: It has a digital timer thing that you set. It doesn't use ice packs but I've heard that the small Catmate feeder ice pack will fit into the rectangular depression inside the feeder. You don't really ned to use ice packs. Most people add extra water to the canned food to keep it from drying out too fast or freeze canned food into chunks to slowly defrost in the timed feeder.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

I've had the yellow feeder (the last one you've listed) for about 5 years now. I really like it--Bandit ripped apart two other feeders (the PetSafe and a Lentek) before we settled on that one, which he couldn't rip open. It's actually cheaper on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Fee...TF8&coliid=I22UYS58Q3QF8D&colid=2V0ZX9IK45UT8. It's a very sturdy feeder--Bandit can't rip the top off or make the tray rotate with his paw like he could with the others. It also has the option to record a voice message to play when the food is released. I only ever use it once, sometimes twice a day, so the 4 compartments are more than enough for Bandit.

The same company makes a 6 compartment feeder, but it doesn't have the ice pack slot: http://www.amazon.com/6-Meal-automa...?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1329406209&sr=1-5

 

[doombuggy]

I had the cat mate 50 but exchanged it for the cate mate c20. it only feeds for 2 meals, but that was better for me (2 daytime meals). I put a cold portion on one side and a frozen portion on the other, time them to open at about 3 and 8 hour intervals after I set it. Works good and neither cat tries to open it. Now, getting them to eat out of their own is another story....