Microchip feeders for senior and adult cats

Microchip feeders are one of the most genuinely useful innovations for multi-cat homes — they make sure each cat only gets into their own bowl, which matters enormously when you've got cats at very different life stages with very different nutritional needs. To point you in the right direction: how many cats do you have, are they both microchipped, and what's the main driver here — is it specifically about keeping senior food away from the younger one, or is the younger cat the one doing the stealing?

That's a really common and genuinely frustrating situation. Senior food is formulated specifically for older cats — lower phosphorus to support kidney function, adjusted protein levels, often joint-support ingredients — and it's wasted if the young one is hoovering it up. Before I point you to the right feeder, can you tell me a bit more about your older girl? Is she eating well when she does get access to her food, or is her appetite already a bit reduced? And does she wear a collar, or is microchip-only the way to go?

Perfect — microchip-only is actually the more reliable option anyway, so that works in your favour. Given that your older cat's appetite is good and this is purely a speed-and-access problem, you don't need anything complicated. My clear recommendation is the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It reads your cat's microchip and the lid closes the moment she walks away, so the younger one physically cannot get in. You'd programme just the senior cat's chip to that feeder and leave the younger one on an open bowl. It's straightforward to set up, works with standard 15-digit microchips, and the sealed lid also keeps the food fresh between visits — useful for senior cats who sometimes graze slowly across the day.

Most cats pick it up within a day or two, and SureFlap have designed it with exactly this concern in mind. You can start it in 'open' mode — lid stays open all the time — so she gets used to eating from the bowl. Then you gradually introduce the closing lid once she's comfortable approaching it. The lid moves slowly and quietly, so it doesn't startle nervous or older cats. At 10 with a healthy appetite, she'll likely crack it faster than you expect. The main thing is not to rush the transition.

Great choice. One last practical tip: place the SureFeed feeder somewhere your older cat naturally likes to settle — away from the younger one's feeding spot — so she doesn't feel crowded while she eats. That alone can make a big difference to a slower, more relaxed eater. You'll notice the difference quickly once the food competition is removed.