Microchip feeders for kittens and adult cats

Microchip feeders are one of the most genuinely useful innovations for multi-cat households — they make sure each cat only ever gets their own food, which really matters when you've got cats at different life stages needing different diets. Kitten food is rich and calorie-dense for a reason, and adult cats absolutely should not be grazing on it long-term. So: how many cats are involved, are they all microchipped, and what's the specific feeding challenge you're dealing with — different diets, a medical need, or something else?

That's a really common situation when you introduce kittens to a home with an adult cat — and it matters more than people realise, because kitten food has significantly higher protein and fat levels that aren't appropriate for an adult cat long-term, and adult food simply doesn't have the nutrition growing kittens need at 12 weeks. Before I suggest anything, are the kittens getting their microchips soon, or is that still a way off? Microchipping at or around 12 weeks is standard, so it's worth knowing your timeline.

Good news — once they're chipped, you can stop the mealtime supervising entirely. The product I'd point you to is the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It reads each cat's unique microchip and the lid closes the moment an unauthorised cat approaches. You'd set up two feeders for the kittens with their kitten food, and one for your adult cat with their adult formula. It works with standard 15-digit ISO microchips, which is what UK vets use. The lid mechanism is quiet enough not to startle cats, and it's straightforward to register chips using the feeder's programming button. No subscription, no app required.

Yes, ideally three feeders — one per cat, so each has their own dedicated station. Trying to have two kittens share one feeder can cause competition, and at 12 weeks they're already developing feeding habits. As for learning, kittens this age are remarkably fast. Start with the lid open so they eat from it normally for a day or two, then introduce the lid — they'll connect the approach-and-open pattern very quickly, often within a few days. Your adult cat will likely figure it out even faster. The SureFeed is sold individually on Amazon UK, so you can buy three and register each cat to their own unit.

Just a couple of practical things. The SureFeed runs on four AA batteries or a mains adapter — the adapter is sold separately but worth it for a permanent setup. The bowl inside is a small-ish portion bowl, which is fine for measured meals but if you're doing ad-lib feeding you'll be refilling it often. For 12-week kittens on frequent small meals, that's actually ideal. Also position the kittens' feeders somewhere your adult cat isn't tempted to hover — a little physical separation helps the system work as intended from day one.