Microchip feeders for cats of similar weight

A weight-sensing mat was always going to struggle with two cats of similar size — it's essentially guessing, and when the numbers are close, it gets it wrong. Microchip feeders work completely differently: they read the chip under the skin, so it doesn't matter if your cats weigh the same, look the same, or even try to eat at exactly the same moment. Microchip feeders are honestly one of the most genuinely useful things to come out of multi-cat households — especially when one cat is on a prescription diet or has medical needs that make food-stealing a real problem. Can I ask: how many cats do you have, are they both microchipped, and what's the main reason you need them eating separately — is one on a special diet, or is one just a shameless food thief?

That's exactly the situation where getting this right really matters — low-phosphorus food for kidney disease isn't optional, and if the wrong cat is eating it half the time, your sick cat is being underfed her medicine and your healthy cat is eating something that isn't good for him either. Weight-sensing simply isn't precise enough for this. What you need is the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It reads the microchip and only opens the lid for that specific cat — no other cat can access the food, full stop. It works with standard 15-digit ISO microchips, which is what UK-registered cats have. Can I ask: does your kidney cat eat wet food, dry, or both? And is she a slow eater — does she graze, or does she finish her portion in one go?

Good to know, because that's actually handled really well by the SureFeed. The lid closes when she walks away, so her food stays covered and fresh between visits — which matters with wet food sitting out. When she comes back, it recognises her chip and opens again. Your greedy cat will quickly learn it doesn't open for him and will stop trying. The feeder runs on four AA batteries or a mains adapter, the bowl is dishwasher safe, and setup takes about two minutes: you just hold your cat near it once to register her chip. The one I'd recommend is the standard SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder — not the Connect version, which adds an app but nothing you actually need here. It's widely available on Amazon UK, usually around £60–65, and it's built to last. Given that your cat is on prescription food for kidney disease, this will pay for itself in peace of mind very quickly.

No fixed position required — the reader is sensitive enough to pick up her chip whether she approaches head-on or from the side. The only thing to be aware of is that the chip needs to be reasonably close to the feeder, so it won't open from across the room. In practice cats approach their feeder face-first anyway, and at that distance it reads reliably every time. Some people find it opens very slightly slower on the first approach of the day versus subsequent ones, but we're talking a second or two — nothing that would frustrate a hungry cat.

The standard bowl holds around 400ml, which is enough for a full 85g–100g pouch or a generous portion from a tin. It won't hold an entire large tin in one go, but for a slow grazer with kidney disease you'd be portioning her food anyway rather than leaving a full day's worth out. The shallow, wide shape is also good for cats who dislike their whiskers touching the sides — worth mentioning since cats with reduced appetite, which can come with kidney disease, are often more sensitive about that. You're set: SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder, register your kidney cat's chip, and you won't have to police mealtimes again.