Collar feeder failed? Switch to microchip feeders

Collar-activated feeders are a real weak point — the tag frequencies can be close enough that the wrong cat triggers the wrong bowl, which defeats the whole purpose. Microchip feeders solve this properly, because every cat's microchip number is biologically unique, so there's no overlap possible. They're honestly one of the most genuinely useful innovations for multi-cat households, especially when cats have different dietary needs, medical requirements, or one is simply a determined food thief. Before I point you to the right model — how many cats do you have, are they all microchipped, and what's the main reason you need them eating separately?

That's a really common and frustrating experience with collar feeders, and with a kidney diet cat it's genuinely not just an inconvenience — the wrong food repeatedly can cause real harm. The good news is that microchip feeders are exactly what you need, and they'll work reliably here. Can I ask — is your kidney diet cat the only one who needs a locked bowl, or would it help if all three had their own dedicated feeders? That affects whether you need one unit or three.

Perfect — three individual microchip feeders is the right call, and it makes management much simpler. The one I'd recommend is the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It reads your cat's existing microchip, the lid opens only for that cat and closes when they walk away, and it works with all standard chip formats including 9-digit and 15-digit chips. It's well-built, easy to programme (you just hold your cat near it once), and the sealed bowl keeps wet prescription food fresh between meals which is a genuine bonus for a kidney diet cat. You'd want three units — one registered to each cat. They're available individually on Amazon UK and worth every penny compared to the collar feeder faff.

It works better with a bit of distance — ideally at least a metre or two apart — because a pushy cat can still physically nudge another cat away from their open feeder, even if they can't trigger it themselves. If space is tight, putting them in slightly different rooms or on different levels works well. Some people feed the prescription cat in a separate room entirely, which also reduces stress for a cat who may already be feeling under the weather. The feeder itself won't malfunction with proximity — it's purely about managing the cats' behaviour around it.

That setup sounds ideal — separate rooms at mealtimes is honestly the most stress-free solution for everyone, cats included. Three SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeders, one per cat, each programmed to their own chip. Once they're set up you'll wonder why you ever wrestled with collar tags. Good luck with the kidney diet cat — consistent feeding really does make a difference to how well managed those conditions stay.