Is there a microchip feeder out there, besides the SureFeed, that:
- handles wet food
- works with 9-digit AVID chips (this rules out the MiBowl — my cats won’t wear collars, so the RFID tag isn’t an option)
The only alternative I’ve been able to find is the Sphynx (technically uses facial recognition instead of microchips), and that’s a Kickstarter project that isn’t expected to ship until February (and how many Kickstarter projects ship when planned?)
Mixed reviews of the SureFeed give me pause, so I was hoping to find an alternative. Is there an option I’ve missed?
Hi WRDICKSON, that's a good question. There are only a handful of decent wet food feeders out there, let alone any that accommodate microchips. One feeder you didn't mention is the Petlibro Polar, but that's just a regular wet food feeder.
Something I've seen other cat owners do that could be worth trying is setting up a feeding station inside a big plastic tub. You'd put the wet food feeder inside then install a microchip cat door in the side of the tub. There are a couple options that read implanted microchips and don't require RFID tags. I believe SureFlap has one that's well reviewed.
There's actually a product that is similar but I imagine you could recreate it yourself. Here's a link just so you can see what the setup would look like: https://meowspace.biz/product/meowspace-microchip-timer-system/
Hope that helps!
- Kate
@kate That’s an interesting idea, thank you. I didn’t mention the PetLibro Polar because one of my four cats needs different food, and another needs some strict portion control; I love the idea of keeping the food fresh and wasting less of it, but I think I need to control which cat can use which feeder. The MeowSoace concept certainly meets that criteria — definitely an alternative worth considering.