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Felines have feelings, too. Of course, these feelings often range from the irrational to the vaguely homicidal, but their emotions are just as valid as ours. And, when they’re lonely, their negative feelings can easily snowball into severe behavioural problems.
At the same time, no matter how much you’d like to give your little cuddle bandit the attention they deserve, you also have to go to work to afford things like a fancy cat drinking fountain and an array of toys to make the time you do spend with them more rewarding.
However, leaving them alone, even for a weekend or longer, doesn’t have to mean dumping a pile of kibble into their food bowl and hoping for the best. This automatic cat feeder is the next best thing to actually being in the room with them.
A Nanny Cam for Cats that Also Dispenses Food
The thing that sets the Petlibro automatic cat feeder apart from most other options is its special camera, covering a wide arc in front of the food tray. This not only works well (in black and white, anyway) in the dark but actually sends push notifications to your mobile phone whenever your cat is in view.
These alerts can be triggered either by sound or motion seen by the camera. If you like, you can then use your phone to check that your cat is eating enough (a sudden loss of appetite may be the first sign of various health and dental issues). You can also confirm that it is, in fact, your cat and not the neighbour’s tabby who’s wandered in for a snack.
Furthermore, the Petlibro feeder supports two-way voice communication. This means that you can either yell at the strange cat to get lost or congratulate your own kitty on what a good job she’s doing by remembering to chew. In case you can’t always drop what you’re busy with when it’s time for the cat to eat, you can also record a short voice message that will be played back whenever the automatic cat feeder dispenses food. (“Persephone, it’s time for nom-noms!”)
This pet feeder is also suitable for dogs, though the average German Shepherd will find the stainless steel food bowl a little small. You can always just schedule more frequent feedings, though: the kibble reservoir holds 5 litres and is sealed, so it’s not likely to run out or go stale very quickly. You can use the app to dispense more food whenever your pet is in view and meowing at the machine, or if you see the bowl is empty.
What’s It Like Owning a Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder?
Putting an overweight cat on a diet often seems like an exercise in futility. It’s not the cat’s willpower that enables it to lose weight; it’s yours, and not many of us can resist their nagging and moaning.
This brings us to a great yet easily overlooked feature of this automatic cat feeder: electronic portion control. Using the app, you can set a meal schedule and specify how much food should be dispensed each time. You can spell this out either in terms of volume (millilitres or cups) or weight (grams or ounces).
The app is pretty straightforward and easy to use, even for somebody who’s all thumbs when it comes to mobile phones. Several users, for instance, flatmates or family members, can also link their phones to the same Petlibro feeder.
Aside from letting you alter the basic settings and use the camera and loudspeaker, the app thoughtfully includes a couple of cool functions. For instance, you have the ability to take snapshots of your cat remotely, as well as keep track of how much food they consume per week. It will also warn you when the food dispenser is running low or there’s some kind of snag in the system. If this should happen, though, you’ll just have to call up the original automatic cat feeder: a friend or relative with a key to your place.

Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder Features
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Camera with Wide Arc | Covers a wide arc in front of the food tray; works in black and white in the dark. Sends push notifications when motion or sound is detected. |
Push Notifications | Alerts you via mobile phone when your cat is in view, allowing you to monitor feeding habits and detect potential issues. |
Two-Way Voice Communication | Enables you to talk to your cat through the feeder, providing comfort or commands. Allows recording a short voice message to play during feeding. |
Voice Message Playback | Plays a pre-recorded message when food is dispensed, useful for keeping the cat engaged. |
Suitable for Dogs | Can also be used for dogs, though the food bowl may be too small for larger breeds. |
Large Kibble Reservoir | Holds 5 liters of kibble, preventing frequent refills. Sealed to keep food fresh. |
Remote Food Dispensing | Allows extra food to be dispensed when the pet is detected or the bowl is empty. |
Electronic Portion Control | Lets you set meal schedules and portion sizes in milliliters, cups, grams, or ounces through the app. |
Multi-User App Access | Multiple users (family members or flatmates) can link their phones to the feeder and control settings. |
Snapshot and Food Consumption Tracking | App can take snapshots of your pet and track weekly food consumption. |
Low Food and System Snag Alerts | App warns when the food is running low or there’s a system issue. |
Micro-SD Card Slot | Allows recording video directly to a micro-SD card, though its usefulness is debatable. |
Fixed Camera Field of View | Camera cannot be moved but is described as a “privacy feature” by the manufacturer. |
Wi-Fi and Internet Connectivity | Feeder relies on Wi-Fi for remote functionality, but will continue to dispense food according to the schedule even if connection is lost. |
Not Suitable for Wet Food | Only dispenses dry food; not designed to handle wet food. |
Easy to Use App | Intuitive app interface, even for those not tech-savvy. |
Backup System Recommendation | Advisable to have a backup plan (e.g., a neighbor) in case of extended absence. |
What I Didn’t Like About The Petlibro Automatic Cat Feeder
Of course, there are a few drawbacks, chief among which is that this feeder just isn’t designed to handle wet food. If your cat turns up their nose at the dry stuff, you’ll probably want to go with something like the Catit PIXI, which allows you to keep its contents cold.
There are also a couple of functions I personally can’t think of any use for, though you might. For example, you can plug a microSD card into the feeder to record video, but how does this help anyone? I certainly have enough footage of my cats doing funny, stupid, and adorable things already. Thank you very much.
It would also have been nice if you were able to move the camera up and down and from side to side; the manufacturer, however, describes its fixed field of view as a “privacy feature.”.
On that same point, I’m a little wary of any device that relies on wi-fi and internet connectivity to do its thing (a trait I share with many former engineers). Of course, the automatic cat feeder will keep doing its thing even if it can’t make contact with your phone. The possibility of a cat-hating hacker writing malware to stop Petlibro products from working is also remote. Still, it seems like a good idea to have some sort of backup system in place if you’re going to be gone for long periods; mine is called Jessica and lives next door.