PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder with Camera: features, specs and who it suits

The PETKIT Automatic Cat Feeder with Camera serves meals on a schedule you set in the PETKIT app and lets you see, hear and talk to your pets while you're out. Its camera also recognises individual cats and dogs, so in a home with several pets you can tell who has eaten and who hasn't. Here is what its features do and what to check before setting one up.

Camera and night vision

The built-in camera records in 1080p with a 140° wide view, enough to take in the bowl and the area around it. Infrared night vision picks up movement in the dark, and you can see and hear your pets live from your phone. After each meal, before-and-after photos of the bowl show how much food was left.

Clips are sorted on a timeline into three types: feeding, eating and pet visits. That makes it quicker to find a particular meal than scrolling through hours of footage.

Telling pets apart

Facial recognition works for cats and dogs, up to 15 pets. You upload a photo of each pet, and the app then logs which one came to eat. This is a record, not a lock: the bowl is open, so any pet can still eat from it. For owners who worry that one cat eats another's share, the log at least shows who visited and when.

Feeding plans and portions

The feeder connects over 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. In the app, you set feeding times and choose one to five portions per meal. Phone alerts flag low food, a power failure or other problems.

Because the portion is a fixed unit set by the dispenser, it's worth weighing a few portions on a kitchen scale to match them to the amount your pet should eat.

Two-way audio and meal calls

Two-way audio lets you call your cat over and talk in real time. You can also record up to five meal calls, each up to 20 seconds long, which play automatically as food is served. To add a sixth, you delete an older one first.

Freshness, power backup and cleaning

PETKIT describes a triple fresh-lock system that keeps moisture out of the hopper, and a desiccant pack comes in the box. The feeder has two power sources: the included adapter, and battery backup. On battery power, the feeding schedule keeps running even when the feeder is offline.

The bowl is 304 stainless steel with a non-stick coating, which makes it easier to wash between meals. An elevated stand raises the bowl off the floor. PETKIT lists two years of after-sales coverage.

Privacy settings

Because the camera points into your home, the app lets you set the hours the camera works and switch off voice recording. Clips can be saved to cloud storage for later viewing.

Who it suits

It suits multi-pet homes where meals need tracking, owners who are often out at feeding time, and anyone who wants to check in on their pets on camera during the day.

What to check before you buy

• Food type: hopper feeders of this kind are typically designed for dry food; check your kibble's size and shape.
• Batteries: check which batteries the backup uses and whether they are included.
• Wi-Fi: confirm a good 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz signal where the feeder will sit.
• App features: check which cloud recording features need an in-app plan.
• What's in the box: the hopper, main unit, elevated stand, food bowl, adapter, desiccant and a manual.

The short version

• An automatic feeder with a 1080p camera, a 140° view and infrared night vision.
• Facial recognition for up to 15 cats and dogs, with a log of who has eaten.
• One to five portions per meal on an app schedule, with alerts for low food and power failures.
• Two-way audio and up to five recorded meal calls.
• Battery backup, a non-stick 304 stainless steel bowl and two years of after-sales coverage.

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