12 Best Outdoor Cat Feeders + Buying Guide

If your cat loves to go outdoors especially when you’re not home, it will get hungry sometime during the day. Want to know the trick to keep your furry friends well fed while you’re away? Outdoor cat feeders.

Outdoor cat feeders are a game-changer. They automatically schedule the feeding time of your cat.

They properly store your cat’s food to keep it fresh and nutritious whatever the weather, and they protect the food from getting stolen and eaten by other animals. 

If you’re worried about racoons or other animals going after your cat’s food, a raccoon-proof cat feeder is the best way to guard your fur baby’s food supply. To make it even more pest-proof, you can install the feeder in an outdoor cat feeding station. 

So you won’t feel overwhelmed by the countless choices of outdoor cat feeders online, we searched far and wide for the best options out there, and we came up with our top 12 choices! Read on.

12 Best Outdoor Automatic Feeders for Cats

Can an outdoor automatic cat feeder replace your cat sitter? Only way to find out is to keep reading! We’ve narrowed down the best outdoor automatic cat feeders to 12 products that are purrfect for fur parents on-the-go.

1 – Petory Timed Automatic Cat Feeders – Best for Big Cats

The Petory Timed Automatic Cat Feeder is our first pick. This 4-liter digital feeder can keep your cat fed on schedule and in customizable portions. The feeder’s 10g portion size makes it purrfect for big cats that require larger servings.

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Features: 

• It can preset up to 6 meals per day, dispensing between 10 grams to 500 grams per meal.
• It can be powered by a backup battery.
• It has a 10-second voice recording feature that allows your recorded voice to play while it dispenses your pet’s food.

Pros:

• Its airtight design ensures fresh food every feeding time.

Cons:

• Programming can get tricky if you don’t follow the instructions properly.
• It’s loud while dispensing.

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2 – Voluas Automatic Cat Feeders – Easiest to Assemble

The Voluas Automatic Cat Feeder is one of the easiest digital feeders to assemble, fill and clean. You can keep your cat full and happy with just a few clicks.

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Features:

• It can set up to 4 meals a day, dispensing between 1-40 portions of 7g per meal.
• It can be wired or powered by batteries.
• Its meal call feature lets your pet hear your recorded voice when it’s time for their meal.

Pros:

• It’s convenient to assemble, refill and clean.
• It has an intuitive LCD display.
• It has an easy meal reset command, by just setting the portion to “0.”

Cons:

• It has an opaque tank so you will need to open it to check the food level

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3 – Van Ness Pets Small Gravity Auto Feeder – Best Value for Money

If you want to try an automatic feeder without having to spend a lot of money, you don’t need to get a digital one.

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The Van Ness Pets Small Gravity Auto Feeder is the cheapest among the products on our list, and it’s the common choice of a fur parent who’s on a budget.

Features:

• It’s made of USFDA-approved BPA-free plastic.
• It has a wide base for smooth dispensing.
• It has side cutouts for easy relocation.

Pros:

• Its see-through container lets you know if it’s time for a refill.
• It requires no assembly.

Cons:

• Plastic material is not sturdy enough, as it warps after days of sunlight exposure.
• It does not dispense consistent portions.

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4 – Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder – Best Dual Programming Feeder

Form your cat’s healthy eating habits through the best dual programming feeder on our list, the Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder.

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If you want to feed your cat right before you leave the house, or if you want to do a one-time custom meal portion, you can use its manual dispense button.

Features:

• It has a twist lock lid and patent rotor base to ensure a mess-free feeding.
• Its mobile app allows you to program your pet’s meals whenever wherever.
• It sets up to 10 meals per day, dispensing 1-50 portions per meal.

Pros:

• It has a manual feeding option.
• It is secure enough to keep your cat from sneaking in to get more food.
• Its app sends you smart notifications regarding meal time.

Cons:

• It is not easy to assemble and clean.

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5 – Whdpets Automatic Cat Feeders – Premium Choice

If you can’t go a day without seeing your cat and you don’t mind paying more to stay in touch with it, the Whdpets Automatic Cat Feeder is the premium choice.

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It has an HD camera for monitoring and its double food bowl’s adjustable height makes eating easier for cats with mobility issues.

Features:

• It has a built-in camera that helps you monitor how your cat is eating.
• It can program up to 10 meals per day, dispensing 1-20 portions per meal.
• Its double food bowl can be adjusted up to 3 heights. 
• It includes a feeding mat to keep the feeder and bowl in place.

Pros:

• It has an anti-clog design that keeps the feeder from getting jammed.
• Its adjustable bowl height helps reduce stress on your cat’s neck and joints while it’s eating.
• Its 2-way audio makes it easy for you to record meal calls and talk to your pet real time.

Cons:

• It doesn’t have control over how much food goes out to each bowl.
• Its camera needs to be wider for a fuller view.

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6 – Papifeed Timed Automatic Cat Feeders – Best Battery Powered Cat Feeder

Unlike most D battery-powered digital feeders, the Papifeed Timed Automatic Cat Feeder uses AA batteries that are more commonly used in other household devices, making it hassle-free to set up the backup power for your feeder. Best believe that your cat won’t miss any meal with this.

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Features: 

• It dispenses up to 4 meals per day, and up to 6 portions per meal.
• It has a see-through food tank that helps you monitor food consumption.

Pros:

• It uses AA batteries that are easier to find than D batteries, and it can take care of automatic feeding for more than one month.
• Its memory function stores the previous settings in the event of power loss.
• It has a simple-to-use control panel.

Cons:

• Its tank can only store up to 3.5L of food.

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7 – Xtuoes Automatic Cat Feeder – Best Minimalist Choice

If you like to keep things simple, your furniture, devices and house items, you will love the Xtuoes Automatic Cat Feeder’s design. Trust there won’t be any eyesore in any room because it looks elegant everywhere.

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Features:

• It can schedule up to 10 meals per day, dispensing 1-20 portions of 8-10g.
• It features a thickened silicone sheet for smoother food dispensing.
• Its detachable design makes it easy to clean.
• Its smart app allows you to set the schedules and portions on your phone.

Pros:

• Its 30-second voice feature allows you to record longer messages for meal calls.
• Its minimalist design makes it look neat and elegant.

Cons:

• It does not send alerts to your phone when it’s empty.

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8 – Prupet WiFi Automatic Cat Feeders – Best Jam-Free Feeder

A jammed feeder is no doubt a nightmare to you and your cat. Good thing the Prupet WiFi Automatic Cat Feeder has a special impeller brush that reduces the chances of food getting stuck. You can accurately distribute your cat’s food with Prupet’s jam-free design.

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Features:

• It can program up to 10 meals, dispensing 1-12 portions of 7-9g.
• It has an ABS impeller brush that ensures the food rolls out smoothly and doesn’t get stuck inside.
• It features an app remote control to program your pet’s meals.

Pros:

• It’s easy to take apart and clean.
• The impeller brush minimizes the chances of food jam.

Cons:

• Its design is not secure enough as it can let food out when shaken continuously.
• It is non-heavy duty and is best used indoors.

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9 – Hipidog Automatic Pet Feeder – Best Feeder and Waterer Set

We know you’ve been waiting for us to show you a 2-in-1 feeder. This is it! The Hipidog Automatic Pet Feeder comes in a 2-piece set of feeder and waterer. 

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Why rely on electricity when you can harness the power of gravity? This feeder has a cool gravity supply system that fills the food and water bowls. 

Features:

• It comes as a set of feeder and waterer.
• It has a natural gravity supply system that gradually fills the bowls.
• It is made of food grade plastic that is safe for your cat.
• It has a 3.8L capacity that can last a week for small pets, and 3 days for big pets.
• Its waterer has a spring that auto-closes when the water reaches its maximum height.

Pros:

• Its bottle is easy to take out, and its mouth is wide enough for easy cleaning.
• It has a waterer, so you don’t have to worry about your cat’s water supply.

Cons:

• Its plastic material is flimsy, so it requires extra care for it to last longer.

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10 – Super Feeder Automatic Cat Feeder – Best Custom Mount Feeder

Mounting your feeder can ensure a secure placement at your preferred location.

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If you’re thinking about mounting your automatic cat feeder to an outdoor cat feeding station, the Super Feeder Automatic Cat Feeder can make your life easier with its custom mount feature.

Features:

• It has an analog timer that lets you schedule up to 48 feeding times per day.
• It has a customizable mounting option so you can securely place it anywhere you prefer.
• Its bowl is locked in place right in the middle of the dispenser and the base.

Pros:

• It’s made of durable polycarbonate.
• It’s free from software glitches because it uses an external analog timer.

Cons:

• It only holds less than 5 cups of food so you will need to purchase extensions to increase the feeder capacity.
• It requires assembly using a screwdriver.

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11 – Ciays Automatic Cat Feeders – Clumsy-Proof Choice

Okay, admit it. Who’s clumsy, you or your cat? Every zone can become a danger zone, so Ciays Automatic Cat feeder is here to the rescue with its secure lid-locking mechanism.

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Features:

• It can customize up to 4 meals a day, letting out 1-20 portions of 5g each meal.
• Its backup battery mode can last up to 45 days in the event of power outage.
• Its tank can hold up to 5.6 Liters of food.

Pros:

• Its secure lid lock minimizes the chances of accidents.
• Its 5.6L capacity keeps you from frequently refilling the feeder. 

Cons:

• Its portion size is smaller than other automatic feeders.

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12 – Aluke Automatic Cat Feeder – Best for 2 Cats

It’s hard enough to take care of two cats, so you need a worry-free way to automatically feed them both.

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The Aluke Automatic Cat Feeder has a tank that holds 6.5L of cat food, and can distribute 2 meals equally and accurately between your 2 felines.

Features:

• It can program up to 6 meals a day, from 1 to 48 portions of 6g each meal.
• It stores up to 6.5L of cat food.
• It has an auto-rotating motor to prevent food from getting stuck.
• It has a double food bowl that can feed 2 cats at the same time.

Pros:

• It distributes food to the 2 bowls accurately and divides the meals equally.
• It has an easy-to-use interface.
• It holds a lot of food which makes it perfect for a fur parent who has 2 cats.

Cons:

• It requires 4 D batteries while most feeders only require 3.

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Buying Guide for Cat Owners

When you’re in the market for an outdoor cat feeder, consider these key features to ensure that every automatic feeding goes smoothly and without a hitch.

Capacity

Large capacity feeders with longer battery life are perfect for you if you’re usually away for long periods of time, if you have many pets, or if you have a big cat that requires larger food portions.

You won’t need a large capacity feeder if you have a small to medium-sized cat, or if you’re only out and about for shorter time periods.

Durability

The best options for outdoor use are feeders that have thicker material and secure locking mechanisms. Rain or shine, know that your cat’s food is protected.

Portion Management

Before you set up every meal on your automatic cat feeder, it’s best to check your cat’s body condition score, your cat’s weight, the directions on the food label and most importantly, your vet’s recommendation.

Knowing these can help you determine how much food to feed your cat and how many times you need to feed it in a day.

Managing your cat’s food portions will improve your cat’s overall diet and help it form better eating habits.

Simple Installation

Some feeders have intricate parts that can test a cat owner’s patience. So it’s best to look at the product design and installation guide usually found in the product description.

That way, you can choose a feeder that you find easy to set up and clean. This will save you so much time.

Cat Feeding Station Alternatives to Consider

How pawsome would it be to have a stray cat outdoor cat feeding station to shelter our furry felines from harmful elements like weather and wildlife?

Also, just like any machine, automatic outdoor cat feeders can lose their functionality over time, and it’s up to us pet owners to take good care of them so they can last longer.

And what better way to preserve your outdoor cat feeder than getting an outdoor feeding station? Here are our Top 2 favorites.

Cat Feeding Stations That Are Enclosed or Covered

How to keep birds out of cat food? Buy or build an enclosed cat feeding station. As your cat goes on an adventure, it is important to keep its food intact. You can get a pre-built easy-to-assemble feeding station or you can have one custom-made to your preference.

Elevated Cat Feeding Stations

Why an elevated cat feeding station for your yard? Well, you don’t want dogs, raccoons and opossums reaching for your cat’s food. If you install it high enough, the critters won’t even bother climbing up and will rummage for food elsewhere.

The Meowment of Truth – Outdoor Cat Feeder FAQS

It’s time to answer your most pressing questions outdoor cat feeding.

How Do I Feed My Outdoor Cat On Vacation?

If you’re worried about how to feed your outdoor cat while you’re on vacation, outdoor cat feeders can keep your furry friend full and hydrated on schedule.

If you don’t want to miss your cat too much while you’re apart, there are cat feeders with high quality cameras and two-way audio so you and your fur baby can stay in touch.

What Is The Best Way To Feed Feral Cats?

As an animal lover, the best way to show some love to feral cats you see outdoors is to install an elevated cat feeding station. Cats love to climb high. Putting up that high platform with an outdoor cat feeder is the best way to feed feral cats and stray cats.

How Can I Feed My Outdoor Cat Without Attracting Pests?

Feeding your outdoor cat without attracting pests is possible if your outdoor cat feeder and feeding area are cleaned regularly. Food scraps can draw the attention of bugs and critters.

What Is the Best Food for Outside Cats?

Cats’ healthy treats come in both dry and wet form. But the best food for outside cats is dry kibble as it’s the cheapest and most accessible to us fur parents.

It is also the easiest type of cat food to store, preserve and distribute outdoors. Because it’s dry, you can prepare it without making a mess.

Conclusion

We shared this list so you’ll know whether or not it’s a good idea to automate your cat’s feeding schedule. If the benefits of auto-feeding your cat apply heavily to you and your cat’s health and wellness, not to mention your peace of mind as a pet lover, then this is your sign to move forward with your purchase.

If you are still wishy-washy about investing in it, you know what they say, “when it doubt, don’t.”

If you are looking at an outdoor automatic cat feeder model that isn’t on our list, hit us up and we’ll share an honest product review with you!

Feeling extra curious today and want to know can cat eat fish bones? Don’t feed them fish bones until you’ve read this article.