Start with the food and the care plan
Write down the exact food, its format and the amount your existing plan calls for. Keep the target separate from the equipment used to serve it. WSAVA’s nutrition resources support an individualized plan with the veterinary team. A feeder, bowl or portion calculator does not determine whether that target or food is appropriate for your cat.
WSAVA: nutrition resources ↗ — Resources support an individualized nutrition plan with the veterinary team. Our calculator only converts a supplied target.
Read a serving claim in its actual unit
A feeder may describe a portion as a setting, a volume or an approximate mass for a particular kibble. Those are different things. Check the exact model’s food-size and format requirements, then establish what its selected setting actually dispenses with the food you use. Keep measured results separate from an app confirmation that a scheduled event occurred.
Include the food path in the cleaning plan
Look for the bowl, chute, hopper and any seals that contact food. Read how each part is removed, cleaned and dried under the equipment instructions. Check the food’s handling and storage directions too; a large hopper is not permission to ignore them. Keep the exact food packaging information available if you transfer food into another container.
FDA: handling pet food and treats ↗ — US food-handling guidance. Follow the exact food and equipment instructions too.
Plan for a missed or disputed meal
Read what happens if power, batteries, connectivity or a dispensing part fails. An app alert is useful only if someone can check the actual situation. In a household with several cats, note who can access the food and what you observed each cat eat. A changed appetite or difficulty eating belongs with the veterinary team, rather than being explained away as a feeder preference.
Keep these details together.
- Food format and size compatibility
- Measured dispensing rather than app claims
- Accessible cleaning and spare parts
