Closer Pets MiBowl Automatic Microchip Pet Feeder - Automatic Microchip Feeder For Cats and Small Dogs (Formerly Cat Mate), White

**EDIT**Now April 2025 time, and current updates on how the microchip feeder is doing. The microchip reader I can confirm works without the collar and recognises Jinx's chip. No issues with it, been using it everyday without fail. Only thing I took off the plastic "defence" guards as jinx didn't like it so much, so they are permanently removed. Moonie still can't access it so I'm pleased overall with the product.------I originally brought this to help my first cat (Jinx) who is a natural grazer help get her food as normal, without my other chonky cat (Moonie) trying to steal it. (He was adopted in the streets originally and takes any opportunity to get food including human food if he can find it. He still healthy and monitored by the vet before internet cat warriors mention about his weight in the photos.)So I have been trying to find a way to keep him out of Jinx's food but hard when you live in a one bedroom flat and have so little wiggle room to prevent him without him getting smart about it. I did find another similar product on Amazon but smaller and minimalistic design but costed over £100+. So I thought I would try it and see if it works out and test run it as nearly £80 wouldn't be as bad as over £100+. If the product would work with my cats. So far it's worth it's money.However I wasn't suspecting Jinx to take to the food bowl so quickly and learned quickly how to use it (She also 8 years old). I tested as recommended on the book to put treats in the bowl and she went in with confidence. So I tried registering her microchip (without the tag first) it did flash to registering her microchip. (Also did it with the tag and working okay with the tag better so far still early stages of testing it out.) As you can also see in the photos Moonie the culprit of stealing food isn't able to access it!! Woo hoo 🎉The product itself is an okay size, it's not too bulky and the instructions were simple enough to follow. I did find it more troubling to find C batteries in shops for the product but got some in the end!🤣Still trying to test out if the scan by just her microchip along without the tag as it mentions in the book. The product itself is a sturdy quality the noise is very minimal, little robotic sounds for the opening and closing so it's a bonus, didn't freak out jinx much , more confusion than anything 😂The tray is easy to take out the food bowl and clean as it's plastic. I'm cautious of the side clear parts to take apart as it's still a bit stiff at the moment and I dinnae want to break the plastic.(I should also mention Jinx is used to wearing a collar/ harness which helped a lot for wearing the tag on the collar. But to folk who might have indoor cats that's not used to wear a collar often or at all to try and practice run or get used to a collar with a tag shape before trying the product out, just incase they hate the collar altogether)

First of all I need to mention that I have 3 cats and one of them is very shy and nervous around strangers. I've purchased this feeder as I'm going to be going away in a few months time and a friend (who is a stranger to my cats) will be feeding them. I am concerned as the shy cat will definitely hide away whilst my friend is at my house and the other more outgoing cats will eat all the food that is put down. I am a cat sitter and I am familiar with the Sureflap automatic feeder as some of my clients have one, but felt it had a flaw in that it is vulnerable to attack from other cats as the eating area is exposed. I purchased this MiBowl purely because it cannot be attacked from the back or the sides. If you have a very jumpy cat you will need to train them gradually to use this. It was easy to program my cat's microchip, but she was initially very scared of the noise of the closing mechanism. It's not loud, but it is noise and might freak your cat out. I initially left mine in the open position and just put some tasty treats in it. After a few days of this, I put her meals in, still with the lid up. Eventually I did it with the lid closed. My cat would be at first run off when the lid raised, but eventually over a period of about 2 weeks got used to it. It takes a lot of patience with a more nervous cat, but if you take it slowly and steadily and entice them with favourite foods you should get there in the end. In case you a wondering, the Sureflap feeder also makes a noise when opening (this one is about the same in sound level) but the side and back protection is definitely helpful as my other two cats have not stolen anything despite coveting the contents of the feeder.I've read in some reviews that the batteries don;t last long. but mine have been in for 8 weeks now and there's no sign of them needing to be changed yet.

We have five cats, with most of them on different foods, so having individual feeders is essential.They have all increased in price significantly this year, I’m if you can even get one, but they are amazing.Compared to the others, this does register the chip slightly slower, however the design of this is MUCH better. No other cats sticking their heads in and a much slimmer fit, which is particularly handy if you have a lot of cats.I would recommend this wholeheartedly.

My cat eats specialised, expensive food because of a medical condition - he can’t eat anything else as it makes him really ill so I have to feed him separately. Also he has to eat a little and often as his stomach can’t cope with a big meal so he throws it back up! I’ve now started a new job which means I’m out more hours. Bought this feeder so he can graze all day long without my other 2 cats eating it too. He was a bit dubious the first 2 days and I had to keep encouraging him to approach it and take him to it. We are on our 5th day now and he approaches it like a pro! The other cats have stopped trying to muscle in because there’s just no room. So easy to set up - i’m a technophobe so if I can do it, anyone can! Well worth the money in my opinion. No regrets!

Bought 2 for cats with different needs. Paired both with their own chips, but both either fail to open or close whilst they're eating if they do open. Still awaiting response from seller. Re set them, still don't work. Very expensive if they don't work. If they do not contact me in the next 24hrs, I will be returning.

To start I have to say that I like the look of this and it sits nicely in the place I always put the cats' food.As someone else reviewed it is a bit slow to open but I'm hoping my cat will get used to that too. The only problem, if you can call it a problem, is the bowl is too deep for my cats comfort so I have rigged something to elevate the food until I can find a shallower dish. If it comes with a divider in the middle that will be even better!!