One Fat and One Healthy Barn Cat: Microchip Feeder?

[Jump314]

I have two barn cats who are brothers and both were weighed at the vet yesterday. Both have microchips. The healthy-weight one is 10.1 pounds and looks great. The fat one is 14.2 pounds and should probably be closer to 11.5 pounds (he’s a little taller and wider than the healthy one so should weigh a bit more than him). I was thinking of getting a SureFeed microchip feeder for the healthy one only so I could leave extra food out for him but restrict the fat one. The feeder is pretty expensive though… This is the cheapest I have found.

Has anyone used one of these before? Do you have any other ideas? Thanks!

[trubandloki]

Not a comment on the feeder itself, but will the fat cat learn to simply wait for the healthy cat to approach the feeder and then push that cat away and take the food?

[Jump314]

Maybe…some reviews mention that but they also said there is a setting to make the cover close quickly. I don’t think both cats could fit side-by-side so I’m hoping it closes fast enough.

[SummerRose]

I have one and it worked perfectly for one earlier set of cats but it isn’t so effective with the current set.

The door does close quickly so when Chloe steps back, Atticus can’t get to the food. The opening is small enough that Atticus can’t get his head to the food while Chloe is eating. And I got an optional shield to block access on three sides.

But sly Atticus is reaching in with just his paw to pull out pawfuls of food while Chloe eats. He can’t get too much as he’s pulling it out one pawful at a time, but it’s enough that I’m having trouble figuring out how much to decrease his own food to compensate.

Still, I think it’s better than letting him steal all of Chloe’s food.

My other cat, Marie, also has access to the feeder and I’ve never seen Atticus trying to grab food while Marie is eating. So it may depend on the personalities of the cats.

[Simkie]

Do either of these cats really need to be free fed?

I feed my cats in crates. They each go into their own, eat their meal, and are let out. It’s a lot less $$, and a lot less complicated, than a feeder that reads a microchip.

[shiloh]

Hmmm…I think I might use this to keep Baler on his diet. Anyone who weighs 20 needs to go on a diet for sure.

[red_mares]

Can you just put the food for the skinny cat in box with a hole that is too small for Chubs to get through? My sister has a similar problem with a profoundly obese cat and 2 skinny Sphinx. Apparently the obvious solution isn’t obvious.