Best automatic feeder for Persian cats switching to dry

Switching a 5-year-old Persian from wet to dry is a real adjustment — portion control matters a lot here because cats coming off wet food often overeat kibble at first, and Persians are already prone to weight gain. With an automatic feeder, the most important things are portion accuracy, ease of cleaning, and mechanical reliability. Cheap feeders jam constantly, dispense wildly inconsistent amounts, and the hoppers are nearly impossible to clean properly, which becomes a hygiene issue fast. Before I point you toward anything specific: is this feeder for just the one Persian, and what's driving the switch — vet's advice, convenience, or something else?

That makes complete sense — consistent timing actually helps the transition too, because it trains her stomach to expect food at set intervals rather than grazing. A few more quick things: does she have a flat face? Persians vary quite a bit, and some struggle with deep bowls or standard-depth feeders. And roughly what kibble size is the vet recommending — small breed, regular, or something dental-specific like Hills T/D or Royal Canin Persian?

Royal Canin Persian is a good choice — the kibble shape is actually designed for brachycephalic cats, so she should be able to pick it up easily. For the feeder, I'd go with the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect. It's not a bulk hopper — it opens on a schedule and gives a set portion from a sealed bowl, which is ideal for a cat in dietary transition because you're not risking her gorging between meals. The shallow, wide bowl suits flat-faced cats well, and the lid seals between feeds so the kibble stays fresh and she can't sneak extra. It connects to an app so you can set feeding times and monitor intake remotely, which fits your long-hours situation perfectly. It's reliable, the bowl lifts out and goes straight in the dishwasher, and because it uses her microchip, you don't have to worry if you ever have a second cat. It's around £150 on Amazon UK, which isn't cheap, but it's a genuinely well-built piece of kit that won't jam or need replacing in six months.

During the transition, three to four smaller meals a day works better than two larger ones — it keeps her from feeling hungry enough to reject the new food, and it's easier on her digestion while her gut adjusts. Royal Canin's packaging will give you the daily gram amount for her weight; divide that by four and set the feeder accordingly. After four to six weeks once she's fully on dry food and eating consistently, you can drop to two or three meals if you prefer. The app makes it easy to adjust without reprogramming anything from scratch.

Good choice. One practical tip: for the first week or two, sit the feeder near where you used to put her wet food bowl so the location feels familiar. Cats are creatures of habit and a new-looking device in a new spot can put them off eating initially, which you don't want while she's already adjusting to the food. Once she's comfortable with it you can move it wherever suits you.