Automatic feeder for Persian cat weight control

A vet flag on weight gain from a free-fill feeder is worth taking seriously — Persians are prone to putting on condition quickly, and constant access to food makes it almost impossible to know how much they're actually eating. The most important things in an automatic feeder are portion accuracy (so 30g means 30g every time), ease of cleaning (wet or mixed food in a badly designed bowl is a hygiene problem fast), and mechanical reliability — cheap units jam or over-dispense, which defeats the whole point. Before I point you in a direction: is this just for the one Persian, and are you feeding dry kibble only, or do you mix in wet food?

Good — dry-only makes this straightforward, and one cat means you don't need a microchip-locked feeder to stop another animal stealing portions. For your situation, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect is overkill unless you get another cat. What you actually want is a reliable timed dispenser with a proper portion wheel, not a gravity bowl with a flap. How many meals a day did the vet suggest, and do you need it to run while you're away for full days or overnight?

Three meals, one cat, dry kibble, and you're mainly solving the midday gap — that's a clean use case. My recommendation is the PETLIBRO Granary Automatic Cat Feeder (the 6L version). It has a rotating drum dispensing mechanism rather than a gravity chute, which means portions are genuinely consistent — this matters when you're trying to hit a specific daily calorie target. The meal timer handles up to 6 meals a day with portion sizes adjustable in small increments, the bowl detaches and is dishwasher safe, and there's a twist-lock lid that stops a determined cat learning to knock portions out early. It runs on mains with a battery backup, so a power cut doesn't mean a missed meal. It's widely available on Amazon UK, well-reviewed for accuracy, and straightforward to programme. For a single cat on a vet-directed weight plan, it does exactly what you need without unnecessary complexity.

Most cats adapt within a week, though the first few days she'll probably sit by the feeder looking accusatory. Persians are not usually aggressive about food so you're unlikely to see stress-related behaviours — mostly just impatience. The transition is easier if you don't go cold turkey on day one: reduce the free-fill amount over two or three days before switching to timed meals. Once she learns the feeder makes a sound before dispensing, she'll start turning up on schedule herself. Keep an eye on her weight monthly — the vet will want to see gradual loss, not rapid, so if portions need trimming further, do it in small steps.

The PETLIBRO Granary runs quietly — the drum mechanism produces a low hum rather than a sharp click, and dispensing takes a few seconds rather than one sudden drop. Most reviews from owners of anxious cats are positive on this point. If you want to be safe, when it arrives run a manual dispense cycle with her nearby before the first timed meal so she associates the sound with food arriving rather than something alarming. That usually takes one or two exposures. She should be fine.