Getting the right pet feeder for your Cat or small Dog is tough task as not all pet feeders might suit the feeding needs of your pet. The Cat Mate C500 automatic pet feeder is an ideal all round tool that delivers fresh food to your pet at a defined pre-set time. The pet feeder is made out of high quality materials and is suitable for both wet and dry foods. Go through the reviews to find out more about this feeder and why you need it for your pets.
Important features
1. Size and design
The Cat Mate C5OO is 12 inches in diameter and weighs about 3 pounds. The pet feeder a battery port and a digital timer on it for you to pre-set to reveal feeds for your pet. Though the pet feeder is light once filled with the pet’s food and ice pack it will be too heavy for a house cat or a small dog to flip it. The pet feeder can also be fastened on a wooden board in order to increase its stability. The pet feeder is designed with five feeding compartments; the first compartment is for the initial feed while the other four compartments are set on the digital timer to reveal feeds on intended time.
2. Timer Function
The pet feeder has a digital feeder that is visible on a LCD display. Once the feeds are set they can all be seen on the display. The timer can be set on a minimum of four hours to reveal the second feeding, and six hours for the second feeding. If your cat needs more than one or two feedings in a day then the Cat Mate C500 is an ideal tool for you. The tool helps the pet owner to set up timed feeds for the pet while he is at work or out for the weekend as the pet feeder can be pre-set for up to 90 hours.
3. Twin ice Packs
The manufacturers of the Cat Mate C500 designed the pet feeder with an ice compartment and provided two ice packs to come with the pet feeder after purchase. The twin ice packs are non-toxic and will not harm the food of your pet but rather keep it fresh over long period of time. The ice packs can be frozen in a freezer and can absorb high amount of heat before they warm up above zero degrees due to the high latent heat fusion of water.
4. Feed capacity
The Cat Mate C500 dispenses up to 5 meals one at a present time. Each of the 5 meals for your pet are put on 5 different compartments on the pet feeder. Each of the 5 large compartments can hold 0.75 lbs. of food that is equivalent to 330 grams; the capacity of the pet feeder’s compartments is large enough to feed two cats or a small dog.
5. Clean Up
Unlike pet feeder brands the cleaning up part for the Cat Mate C500 is very easy especially when dealing with wet foods. The food bowls are safe to be cleaned in the dish washer and one can easily purchase additional food bowls to keeps as spare. It is quite easy to remove different compartments on the cat feeder for you to thoroughly clean it and very easy to set it up back again.
6. Ease of setting up
The Cat mate C500 automatic pet feeder is an ideal tool for people who work full time and want to feed their pets on a regular schedule. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to set up the pet feeder as the manufacturers has made it as simple as possible to pet owners. All you have to do is:
- Freeze the twine ice packs and put at the bottom of the feeder.
- Install the AA battery as directed.
- Load food into each compartment on the food bowl.
- Place lid over food bowl and set up the timer.
At the pre-set time, the pet feeder will rotate and fresh food will be accessible.
Pros
- The pet feeder is easy to clean and the bowls are dish washer safe.
- The toll can dispense both wet and dry foods.
- You can easily set up the pet feeder
- The twin ice pack helps to keep your pets food fresh for long period of time.
- The pet feeder contains a digital timer for accurate meal times
- Can be attached to a wooden board to increase stability and the pet feeder has been designed to be tamper proof from your pet.
Cons
- The only power source the pet feeder uses is AA batteries.
- Ice packs may not last too long during warmer temperatures.
- The pet feeder is limited to 90 hours and is not suitable when the pet owner is making week long trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do can you line up the bowl if it gets out of alignment?
Answer: There are two remedies to this problem, first you can manually move the bowl back into place or you can either press or hold the Adj/set button and the Up arrow for 5 seconds and the unit will realign.
Question: Is there any time of indicator or alarm when the food is available?
Answer: No, there is no bell or alarm indicator on the pet feeder but the rotating motor is pretty noisy and your pet will hear when nearby.
Question: Can the ice packs stay cold over a few days?
Answer: once frozen overnight the ice packs can stay cold to an average of 1 day. There is no insulation on the pet feeder to keep it colder for longer.
Question: How well does the pet feeder keep wet canned food wet?
Answer: In order to keep the food wet all day refrigerate all night first before putting it on the pet feeder, also use the ice packs to maintain wetness.
Final words
Few pets can self-monitor their food intake; most seem to have no ‘full’ switch and will eat until their sick. The Cat Mate C500 is the pet feeder for you with digital timed feedings for the health of your pet and peace of mind. The pet feeder is the most ideal tool as it is a very high quality product that is pet tamper proof. The feeder is a good value for money as you can use it on both dry and wet foods.