Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by StavrosK on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @01:09PM
(#13272316)
My cat is completely blind, making her an ideal test subject for a homemade cat feeder, but she also doesn't overeat, so I just leave three days' worth of cat food in her bowl and she eats a bit every so often.
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Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by fn42 on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @01:34PM
(#13272511)
I'm surprised to see this is the only comment mentioning leaving a bowl of food out 24/7. This is how it's done at every shelter I have volunteered at (and how I do it at home) - the cats should always have access to water and some form of food. The wet (canned) food is what you have to be more careful with because the cats will compete for it.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by pweissbrod on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @02:56PM
(#13273145)
Yep. We tried this before making the automated feeder. Gave it a 2-week trial period. The initial reaction was surprise and delight with the abundance of food. Initially they decided to eat 3-4X what I normally feed them twice a day. I was hoping once the initial party tapered down they would get sensible. Two weeks in I had 2 happy tigers and two very sluggish fat sad tigers that did pretty much nothing but eat and poop. And Oh man the litter boxes were a nightmare. I needed to clean them 3x day to keep up. I never figured out a way to get _all_ tigers to be responsible with open buffet policy.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by mahyarm on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @06:41PM
(#13274653)
It depends if they went hungry at some time in their life.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by Zachery on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @01:36PM
(#13272524)
Some cats will pig out, even if food is regularly available and not scarce. You don't want to overfeed them. This gets way more complicated as the number of cats increase.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by mschuster91 on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @01:49PM
(#13272618)
Cats will also fight over dry food. Source: have two cats who like to steal each others' food (dry or wet) and bash each other regularly... and occasionally I'm the victim of full paw bashing in the morning, when they're hungry.
Sadly OP solution wouldn't help me because they 'd just kick the food under thr sofa where it can rot...
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by pweissbrod on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @03:42PM
(#13273448)
food hockey!
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by kayla210 on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @01:53PM
(#13272651)
I guess it depends on your animal's feeding habits. My dogs don't overeat, so we just leave the food out and refill it when needed. Dry food, that is. For wet food, they'd just about fight over it.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by cortesoft on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @03:08PM
(#13273222)
If given as much food as he wants, my cat gets really fat (I am talking 25 pounds fat). I have to control his food intake.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by mschuster91 on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @03:59PM
(#13273592)
Whoa, 12 kg?! That's either Garfield level of fat, or you've got a massive Coon/Norwegian Forest megacat...
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by cortesoft on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @04:16PM
(#13273733)
He is a Siamese... he is back down to 13 pounds or so, with some diet changes and portion control.
Re:Build your own hackable automated cat feeder for $20
by mschuster91 on Wednesday December 28, 2016 @04:48PM
(#13273971)
Good to hear your cat has managed to avoid hepatic lipidosis during weight loss!