Switching to a microchip feeder for wet food

Microchip feeders are one of the most genuinely useful innovations for multi-cat households — they make sure each cat only accesses their own food, which is a game-changer when cats have different diets or one is prone to stealing. You're making a smart move switching from open bowls. Before I point you to the right feeder, can I ask: how many cats do you have, are they all microchipped, and what's driving the switch — is one cat eating the other's food, or do they have different dietary needs?

That's exactly the situation microchip feeders were designed for — prescription food being stolen is a real health risk, not just an annoyance. The good news is you're already sorted on microchipping, so setup will be straightforward. One thing I need to check: are you serving the wet food directly from the pouch into the bowl, or do you mix it or portion it differently? That affects which feeder will suit you best.

Perfect — that makes this easy. I'd recommend the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It has a wide, shallow bowl that sits inside the unit and is very easy to clean, and the lid seals shut when the wrong cat approaches. It works brilliantly with wet food straight from a pouch — the bowl is the right size and depth for that. You'll register each cat's microchip to their own feeder (one feeder per cat), and it learns to open only for that chip. The sealed lid also keeps wet food fresher between meals, which is a nice bonus. It runs on AA batteries, so no cable fuss. You'll want two units — one per cat — and they're widely available on Amazon UK. The key thing with a kidney diet is consistency, and this feeder genuinely delivers that.

It's a fair concern, but most cats adapt within a few days and some take to it immediately. SureFeed has a training mode built in — you start with the lid open so it's just a familiar bowl shape, then gradually introduce the closing action over a few sessions. The lid opens slowly and quietly, which helps. For a cat that's motivated by food (and a thief usually is), the learning curve tends to be short. The kidney cat may need a day or two longer since prescription-diet cats are sometimes more cautious eaters, but the training mode handles that well. Just take it at their pace and don't rush the transition.

Exactly — two standard SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeders, one registered to each cat. No hub or app needed for basic use, just batteries and a quick microchip registration which takes about a minute per feeder. Place them a reasonable distance apart so neither cat feels crowded during meals, and you're set. It's a straightforward switch from bowls and it will protect that prescription diet reliably from day one once registered.