Tested by Jake the Savannah

Best Smart Pet Feeders (Cats & Dogs) — 2025 Picks
Updated October 2025
App connected feeders portion meals on a schedule, send low food alerts, and add backup power that keeps meals on time when Wi Fi drops. When you combine a feeder with a smart fountain, a smart collar, and for cats a smart litter box, you can spot meaningful changes in appetite, hydration, and bathroom habits sooner. This guide compares the best feeders for reliability, portion accuracy, jam resistance, noise, and app quality. It also links to setup and troubleshooting resources so your routine stays smooth long after day one.
Top 5 Smart Pet Feeders Compared
1. PETLIBRO Granary Wi-Fi (5L)
PETLIBRO Granary sets the baseline for what a dependable smart feeder should do. You get accurate scheduling, anti jam dispensing, desiccant storage to slow staling, and battery backup that keeps meals on time if Wi Fi blips. The app is simple. Create meals and portion sizes, toggle slow feed to stretch a serving over several minutes, and enable low food alerts before the hopper runs dry. It works for cats and for small and medium dogs. If you have two pets, add the splitter kit and separate bowls so both get a fair share.
To build a routine that supports health tracking, align Granary meals with your smart fountain cleaning schedule and then review weight or activity trends in our smart collar guide. If a pet starts leaving food behind, cross check litter visits in your litter box app or camera clips from our pet camera picks. Those small signals often surface issues early, which is the real benefit of connected feeding.
Reliable scheduler with slow feed, desiccant storage, and anti jam dispensing for consistent portions.
Pros
- Easy app scheduling and alerts
- Slow feed helps curb gulping
- Dual power with AA backup
Cons
- 2.4 GHz Wi Fi only
- Splitter and bowls sold separately
2. PetSafe Smart Feed (2nd Gen)
PetSafe Smart Feed is the voice assistant pick. Scheduling in the app is straightforward, and Alexa support lets you trigger meals hands free when your hands are full. The conveyor design handles odd shaped kibble better than basic paddle feeders. A low, stable bowl helps prevent tip overs for small dogs. Use slow feed to spread one portion over fifteen minutes if your pet gulps.
If you add a camera from our pet camera roundup, you can confirm that the bowl is cleared at the intended time and catch early signs of anxiety or food guarding. If you ever see missed meals or erratic portions, run through the fast checks in Troubleshooting Smart Feeder Errors to clean the chute, reseat the hopper, and check for stale kibble that bridges under humidity.
Alexa friendly feeder with anti jam conveyor and optional slow feed for gulpers.
Pros
- Works with Alexa voice control
- Conveyor handles varied kibble
- Stable bowl reduces spills
Cons
- Adapter and cord placement matter
- Voice control relies on Wi Fi uptime
3. Petkit Fresh Element Infinity
Petkit Fresh Element Infinity fits neatly into the Petkit ecosystem. If you already use a Petkit fountain, litter box, or collar, keeping everything inside one app simplifies your day. Infinity adds weight aware portions, a clog resistant dispensing path, sealed storage with a desiccant pack, and polished scheduling. Separate pet profiles help keep portions fair. For mixed cat households, consider pairing Infinity for scheduled meals with a microchip feeder for the grazer that needs access control.
For small apartments, the quiet motor and clean design blend in. The sealed hopper slows staling, which can reduce picky behavior. If you ever notice meal delays or light portions, jump to Troubleshooting Smart Feeder Errors and work through the jam, humidity, and firmware checklist. To tie feeding to the rest of your smart home, our Pet Tech Integration guide shows how to create routines and notifications that combine feeders, cameras, and room sensors.
Ecosystem feeder with accurate portions, sealed storage, and smooth scheduling in the Petkit app.
Pros
- Ecosystem app for feeder, fountain, litter
- Weight aware portions are consistent
- Quiet motor and modern design
Cons
- Premium price compared to basics
- Best value if you own other Petkit gear
4. SureFeed Microchip Feeder Connect (Cats)
SureFeed Microchip Feeder Connect solves two of the hardest feeding problems in multi cat homes. It blocks food theft and it protects special diets for seniors or cats on meds. The lid opens only for the registered microchip or the tag, so your grazer can eat calmly while a food motivated littermate looks on. The app logs access and portions if you add the optional scales, which helps you catch appetite dips early. Think of this as access control rather than a bulk scheduler. Use it beside a scheduled feeder so every cat gets the right calories.
Place the microchip feeder in a quieter zone and keep bowls scrupulously clean. If your cat resists new gear, borrow the slow introduction approach from our fountain adoption guide for picky cats. For hygiene, follow the filter and pump steps in How To Clean a Smart Pet Fountain so water tastes fresh and does not undermine your feeding plan.
Microchip controlled access so only the intended cat can eat. Great for special diets.
Pros
- Stops food stealing
- Optional scales track portions
- Ideal for meds and prescription diets
Cons
- Not a high capacity scheduler
- Batteries to maintain
5. WOPET 7L Wi-Fi Feeder
WOPET 7L is the budget large capacity choice. The hopper is roomy, scheduling is basic but reliable, and the app can play a short voice note for anxious eaters who settle when they hear you. If you have two pets that crowd the bowl, consider a splitter and place the unit where both can approach from the sides. Upgrade to a stainless bowl if your model ships with plastic so cleanup is easier and odor does not cling.
Keep humidity in mind with big hoppers. Stale or oily kibble can leave residue that builds toward clogs. If portions look light, work through the storage and cleaning steps in Troubleshooting Smart Feeder Errors, then wipe down the interior and replace the desiccant.
Big hopper, simple scheduling, and optional voice note. Good value for multi pet households.
Pros
- Large 7 L capacity
- Easy app programming
- AA backup plus voice note
Cons
- Fewer advanced profiles
- Plastic bowl on some bundles
Buying Guide: Capacity, Portions, Power, and App Features
Capacity sets how often you refill and how sensitive the system is to humidity. A 5 L hopper fits most cats and small dogs. Larger 7 L hoppers are helpful for multi pet homes, but use fresh kibble and a desiccant pouch to reduce clumping. If you live in a humid climate, store the bag in an airtight bin and refill weekly rather than monthly.
Portion accuracy depends on the drive system and the kibble shape. Conveyor and dual impeller paths handle odd shapes better than basic paddles. If your pet is on a weight loss plan, confirm grams per portion with a kitchen scale, then lock the schedule. For cats that need access control, mix a scheduled feeder with a microchip feeder so one cat can graze without stealing calories from the others.
Power and backup matter for reliability. Pick a model that runs on AC and keeps a set of AA batteries installed. Schedules should keep running even if Wi Fi drops. App features, notifications, and video routines will pause without the network, but your pet still eats. If you travel often, add a camera from our pet camera guide so you can verify meals remotely.
App quality shows up in real life as fewer mistakes. Look for clear logs, fast alerts, and a simple way to add a one time snack. Ecosystem gear such as fountains and litter boxes in the same app can reduce friction. If you want to tie everything together with your smart home, see Pet Tech Integration for routine templates.
Setup, Placement, and Calibration Tips
Place the feeder on a hard, level surface with a little space behind it so pets do not wedge bowls into a wall. Keep the cord tucked away or routed through a cord cover. If you have a puppy or a cat that chews, use a stainless bowl and elevate it slightly to reduce playful pawing. For multi pet homes, distance matters more than you expect. Put the microchip feeder around a corner and keep the scheduled feeder in the kitchen so each pet has a safe path to food.
Calibrate portions by dispensing three meals into a bowl and weighing the total in grams. Divide by three to get a per meal estimate. Adjust the app until you match the calories your vet recommends. If you hear the motor strain, the hopper may have stale kibble bridging over the auger. Empty, wipe, and refill with fresh food. Our feeder troubleshooting guide covers motor stalls, jam prevention, humidity control, and the quick checks to do before you replace parts.
Finally, sync feeding with hydration and litter. Clean the fountain on a predictable cadence using these steps and confirm your litter system logs visits normally. If bathroom trips drop, consider a slower portion ramp or schedule review. If they spike, crack open our Smart Litter Box Troubleshooting checklist and move the feeding station farther from the box to reduce crowding stress.
How We Test and Maintain These Feeders
We run each model for several weeks with dry kibble in different sizes, then chart portion accuracy, jam events, noise, and app stability. We simulate power outages to confirm that schedules continue on battery. We also place feeders next to a camera and a fountain to watch how changes in one device ripple through the routine. For ongoing maintenance, wipe the chute and bowl weekly, wash bowls in warm soapy water, and replace desiccant monthly. Combine that with a quick camera check after a firmware update so you can confirm that meals are still on time. If you are building a fully connected routine, the patterns in our integration guide will save time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do smart feeders replace mealtime supervision?
No. Use them to automate timing and portions, but still watch for appetite changes and pair feeding with hydration and litter or yard checks. A camera with good night vision makes this easy when you travel.
How many meals per day is best?
Most adult pets do well on two or three meals. Kittens and some small breeds may need more frequent, smaller feedings. Ask your vet for calorie targets. Use the app to divide grams per meal so you hit that number reliably.
Can these dispense wet food?
The models above are for dry kibble. If you need wet food automation, look for refrigerated tray feeders or combine wet meals you serve by hand with dry meals from the smart feeder.
What happens in a power outage?
Pick feeders with AA battery backup and keep fresh batteries installed. Schedules should continue. App features may pause until Wi Fi returns.
How do I stop food stealing in multi pet homes?
Use a microchip access feeder for the grazer and a scheduled feeder for others. Separate the stations and stagger mealtimes. For stubborn cases, record short clips with a camera to spot which pet is causing the mischief, then adjust placement.
Continue building your routine with our Pet Tech Integration guide, then compare water stations in Best Smart Cat Water Fountains and solve common issues in Troubleshooting Smart Feeder Errors.