Automatic feeder for flat-faced Himalayan cats

A Himalayan with a flat face changes the feeder equation significantly — most automatic feeders dispense into a narrow, deep bowl that's genuinely uncomfortable for brachycephalic cats to eat from, and that's before we factor in slow eating habits. The most important features in any feeder are portion accuracy, ease of cleaning, and mechanical reliability — cheap models jam, dispense inconsistent amounts, and harbour bacteria in crevices you can't reach. For a flat-faced cat those problems are compounded. Is this mainly for managing her portions day-to-day, or are travel and work schedule the bigger driver? And is it just her at home?

That's a very common issue with Himalayans — the flat face means they scoop food rather than bite down cleanly, so they rush and swallow air. Multiple small meals is exactly the right approach. Before I point you at a specific feeder, a couple of things worth knowing: does she eat wet food, dry, or a mix? And roughly what portion size is the vet recommending per meal?

Perfect — dry food makes this much more straightforward, and small kibble pieces will dispense reliably. Five or six meals at around 5g each is well within what a good feeder handles. For your Himalayan specifically, I'd go with the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect. It's not the cheapest option, but here's why it fits her situation better than anything else: the feeding bowl is wide, shallow, and slightly raised at the rim — genuinely designed with flat-faced cats in mind. You can programme multiple small meals, the portions are accurate to the gram, and the bowl and lid are fully dishwasher-safe so there's no hygiene guesswork. The microchip locking lid is a bonus if you ever have other pets visit, but the real reason to choose it is that bowl shape and the precision on small portion sizes. Some of the cheaper feeders struggle below 10g and you end up with inconsistent dispensing. That's the last thing you want when the whole point is steady, controlled meals.

Two things worth knowing upfront. First, register her microchip before you do anything else — the feeder needs to learn it before it will open reliably, and people sometimes skip that step and wonder why it isn't working. Second, do a calibration run with her exact kibble before you commit to a schedule. Small prescription kibbles can vary in density, so dispense a few test portions and weigh them to confirm you're hitting your target. Once you've done that, the feeder is very consistent. The app is also genuinely useful — you can see meal logs and adjust timings without touching the feeder, which matters if her routine changes. Clean the bowl every two to three days at minimum; it's quick because the bowl detaches cleanly, but flat-faced cats leave more slobber residue than most.

Good choice for her. The combination of that bowl shape and portion precision is genuinely hard to find in one unit. Set up five or six meals spread across her waking hours, keep the first and last meal roughly two hours from when she's most active, and you should see the vomiting reduce quite quickly once her stomach adjusts to smaller, steadier intake. Good luck with her.