Our pets have had it pretty good over the past couple of years. Covid has meant that we could spend more time with our furry pals thanks to lockdowns, working from home and limited travel. However, with things opening up again, many of us have less time at home with our beloved cats and dogs.
I for one have had to travel internationally three times in the past two months, meaning I’d need to find a way for caring for Mittens, my little tuxedo cat, while away. Thankfully, there are some clever “pet tech” options to help. I purchased Tech4Pets’s Smart Pet Feeder (4L) before my last trip for added peace of mind. While I had someone come in and check on my cat regularly, I still wanted to be 100% sure that there would always be food in her bowl in case there were any problems. I liked the Tech4Pets Smart Pet Feeder because it did everything I needed without anything I didn’t, and was just $179. You could spend more for feeders with bells and whistles like built in cameras and two way microphones, but I already had security cameras in my flat.
The Tech4Pets automatic feeder connects to a home’s Wi-Fi and is controlled by an app. It was quick and easy to set up, but keep in mind that it uses a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection rather than 5GHz. Nearly all home Wi-Fi networks will have a 2.4GHz option, thankfully.
From the app, I could schedule regular feedings or manually add some biscuits to the attached food tray. And since it has a 4 litre capacity, I could put quite a bit of food into the hopper, which should last for a few weeks. Keep in mind that your food pieces should’t be any larger than 10mm or they might not fit through the system. There’s a bigger unit for that – the 7 liter Tech4Pets Smart Pet Feeder, which is $299, and also comes with a build-in HD camera.
During my travels, I could see the feeder from my security camera and keep an eye on my cat’s comings and goings. When her bowl was empty, I could add some more food in small increments or fill it up entirely.
There’s also a cute little feature where you can record your voice, which plays every time a new portion of food is dispensed. I could see via the camera that my cat became very aware of my voice and would quickly head to the feeder as soon as she heard it, and enjoy an extra treat. There’s also a feeding log so you can keep track of how much your pet has been eating just in case they are on a diet!
Overall, I was happy with the build quality and design of the Tech4Pets Smart Feeder too. The neutral white case fit nicely into my décor, and the sealed top will keep out prying paws. There’s also an anti-moisture packet on the underside of the lid. For those with small dogs, the Tech4Pets Small Pet Feeder should work quite well too, but if you have a larger dog, go bigger and choose the 7 litre model.
Now that I’m back from my travels, I use the smart feeder to keep my cat’s bowl topped up during the day, or if I’m going to be working late. It really helps remove the stress of not being home as much, as at least I can be confident that my cat is well fed while she’s waiting for me to come home and give her lots of pats and under-the-chin scratches.
Tech4Pets has a range of affordable pet products that I’m excited to try out including smart water fountains and treat dispensers, with more options appearing soon. Click here to see the Tech4Pets range, and you can pick one up at JB Hi-Fi.
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