Petmate Le Bistro Portion-Control Automatic Pet Feeder
We purchased this feeder for our small cat. Just received yesterday. It will dispense in 1/4 cup increments up to 2 cups, 3 times per day. It is VERY easy to program, unlike the horror stories in the reviews for the previous LeBistro models. We ran it through several test feedings and it completed this morning's feeding without a problem. The bowl/chute combo covers the hopper entrance very effectively to prevent a clever cat from accessing the food. A paddle wheel inside rotates to dispense the food, but the paddles are sectioned and made of soft flexible material to prevent jamming. So far so good!
One of my two cats was recently diagnosed with a slew of food allergies. He was also referred to as obese during that vet visit. The result: He now requires expensive cat food at measured intervals and quantities during the day. The problem with that is that my wife and I work long hours and can't always be there when he needs to be fed, and if we leave out two servings, he demolishes them both instantly, which either leaves him hungry later on or requires that we feed him more than he needs which is hard on his weight and our pocketbook. This feeder has solved all of our problems. Even better, it appears Petmate took the negative reviews of their previous electronic feeder and fixed every common bug. This device is light, portable, VERY easy and intuitive to use, is not easily sabotaged by overly intelligent felines, delivers well measured (not perfect, but close enough) portions when it is needed. The bowl is removable for cleaning and it has an AC port. The only drawback is that the cord is a separately purchased item, but at least it's an option. I would recommend this to anyone, and for the price, it's pretty hard to beat.
I've had the Petmate LeBistro feeder for over a year now, so I suppose I'm qualified to post a review.
I purchased this feeder to replace the size small Ergo feeder I tossed in the trash (after two replacements and several times being broken down). If you're comparing this one with the Ergo, just take the Ergo off your list. This one is far more reliable for half the price.
I really love this thing. It works great, I've had no issues with it, the cats like it, and it affords me all kinds of freedom. No more worries about getting home to feed kitties or leaving for a couple of days...the feeder takes care of everything.
It's easy to program, the batteries last for a long time (no worries if the power goes out), and the parts don't get jammed up.
I see that several folks here have made modifications of all types. I have not. I have two kitties, one of whom is extremely food driven. While she will shove her paw up into the hopper, all it does is loosen food designated for her next meal. She isn't getting anything extra.
I have yet to see her "empty 1/5" of the feeder (which could only happen if, perhaps, the feeder were dispensing too much kibble due to incorrect measurement by her owner). The most I've ever been able to shake loose by jostling the feeder is a couple of kibbles.
Regarding the issue of too much food coming out, the food I feed my cats is far smaller than 1/2", but I just decreased the amount to be fed according to how much actually comes OUT of the feeder, not by how much the selecter says. You don't have to buy different food, just measure it with a measuring cup and decrease the amount selected.
I also paid attention to how much weight the cats seemed to be gaining/losing and adjusted accordingly. More active kitties need more food. For a while I fed 1/2C (more came out due to small kibble) in morning and evening (at total of 1 C). The cats started gaining too much weight, so I changed it to 1/4 C at morning, noon, and evening (total of 3/4 C). They dropped down to a healthy weight easily and seem quite happy.
I've found that spreading out meals to three times a day instead of two stops her from shoving her paws into the feeder at all, even though they are getting less kibble. don't feel like you should only feed them twice a day...the feeder gives you options!
