Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this whole “smart home” thing for my cats, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey! I wanted to share my experience with setting up an automatic wet food feeder, specifically one with that fancy pet ID tech. It’s not as simple as the ads make it seem, folks.
The Idea
I’ve got two cats, Mittens and Socks. Mittens is a little…chonky. Socks, on the other hand, is a picky eater and needs a special diet. I was tired of the constant food-stealing drama, and the whole “who ate whose food?” mystery every morning. So, I figured, why not get a feeder that only opens for the right cat? Sounds simple, right? Wrong.

The Hunt
First, I spent hours online looking for the perfect feeder. There are surprisingly few options that specifically handle wet food AND have pet ID. Most are for dry kibble, which is a no-go for Socks. I finally found a couple that looked promising, read a million reviews (some good, some…not so good), and picked one that seemed to have the best balance of features and reliability. It was a bit pricey, but hey, happy cats, happy life, right?
Setting It Up.
The box arrived! I was so excited. Then I opened it. Inside all kind of parts in the box and it was time to put the stuff * instructions weren’t the worst I’ve ever seen, but they definitely weren’t written by a cat owner. First problem: the microchip programming. The feeder came with these little RFID tags that you attach to your cat’s collar. You have to “register” each tag with the feeder, which involves pressing a bunch of buttons in a specific order. It only took me three tries and one near-meltdown to get both cats registered. Phew.
Filling and Placement
Next, actually filling the feeder. It has these little compartments that you fill with wet food, and then it rotates to serve them at set times. Sounds great, except wet food is…well, wet. It can get messy, and if it sits out too long, it gets gross. So, I had to figure out the timing. My cats are on a schedule of several small meals a day, so I set it to dispense fresh food just before their usual feeding times.
I also had to find the perfect spot for the feeder. Not too close to the water bowl (because, splashing), not too close to the litter box (obvious reasons), and in a spot where both cats could easily access it, but also…not be tempted to just hang out near it all day, staring at it, willing it to open. (Yes, Mittens, I’m looking at you.)
The Test Run (and Subsequent Chaos)
The first few days were…interesting. Mittens, being the food-motivated one, figured it out pretty quickly. She’d hear the motor whir, see the food compartment rotate, and BAM! Dinner time. Socks, however, was suspicious. She’d approach it cautiously, sniff it, stare at it, then walk away. I had to coax her a few times, even put a little bit of her favorite treat near the open compartment to get her to associate it with good things. Eventually, she got the hang of it, but it definitely took some patience.
Tweaks and Adjustments
I’ve had to make a few adjustments along the way. I realized that the timing of the meals needed tweaking – sometimes they were a little too early, sometimes a little too late. I also had to adjust the portion sizes, because, again, Mittens is a vacuum cleaner. And cleaning? Don’t even get me started. You have to take the whole thing apart regularly to clean it, because, you know, wet food. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s definitely not as simple as just wiping down a bowl.

The Verdict?
So, is it worth it? Honestly…yeah, I think it is. It’s definitely taken some effort, and it’s not a perfect system. But the peace of mind knowing that Socks is getting her special food, and Mittens isn’t gobbling down everything in sight, is huge. Plus, it’s kind of fun to watch them interact with it (when they’re not being weird about it, of course). Would I recommend it? If you’re in a similar situation – multiple cats, different diets, food stealing – and you’re willing to put in a little work, then yes. Just be prepared for a learning curve, and maybe a few frustrated meows along the way.