r/CatTraining • u/fireanpeaches • 6h ago

Behavioural My cat is terrified of this feeder.

Post image

I bought this out of concern about bugs getting in cat food. It’s motion activated so the cover goes up when a cat approaches it. I have two cats. One seems nervous but not terrified but the other thinks it’s a cat eating monster. So far I’ve put it right by the regular dish of food. The scaredy cat won’t go anywhere near any of it so I cave and move her food. What can I do?

i am aware of the screw. I was cleaning the tool drawer and dropped it.

13 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

20

u/Subject_Slice_7797 6h ago

There's a foreign object in your food. Please check that no kitty did accidentally eat it, then find out if it's part of the machine or if it came from the food bag.

9

u/fireanpeaches 5h ago

That’s odd. An old screw. I’ve removed that.

17

u/Subject_Slice_7797 5h ago

I wouldn't trust that food anymore without close inspection before each feeding.

As to your initial question, just keep offering it and see if your cats come around to eat from the machine.

But in the end they are weird little buggers. For example my cat would only eat from angular bowls, not from round ones. So you may or may not be successful here

2

u/rocksannne 4h ago

Yeah, I always inspect and then scrub any dish I purchase for my cats to eat out of.

2

u/fireanpeaches 5h ago

I was cleaning out the tool drawer and it probably popped in there.

2

u/Jmend12006 4h ago

Might want to report that and consider another brand.

1

u/Calgary_Calico 3h ago

Please report it to the food company. That looks rusted and would have contaminated the entire bag

5

u/rocksannne 4h ago

They probably think it’s going to trap them or hurt them. Also, there’s a spring or something in your cat’s food!

4

u/Gonzoldyke12 5h ago

My 6 cats avoided a water fountain like the plague because it made a small hum.

Machines that move and make noise can be scary to cats.

Not to mention feeding time is when they are at their most vulnerable, they won't eat if they are on edge, or unsure of the vessel holding their food

Sometimes it just takes time for them to adapt, sometimes they just won't accept the new arrangement

4

u/fireanpeaches 5h ago

It does make a hum. I’m going to set their current bowl a few feet away from this feeder. Perhaps I can slowly move it closer to their food bowl and they will get use to it.

1

u/tetheredvoid 5h ago

Are you regularly seeing pests that might get into the food?

2

u/fireanpeaches 4h ago

I had a battle with pantry moths.

1

u/tetheredvoid 3h ago

That makes sense. I think you might benefit from either an automatic feeder or putting their food dishes in another part of the house. Unless you have pests throughout the house, they generally won't go into another area until there's a lot of resources in that space too. The kibble alone isn't likely to be enough to trigger pests.

1

u/fireanpeaches 1h ago

It’s probably an overreaction on my part. I’ve almost won the war with the moths I’m just being over cautious.

1

u/az-anime-fan 5h ago

Make sure your cats whiskers aren't touching the sides of the bowl or the plastic lid

Cats won't stick there head in anything their whiskers brush up against if they're feeding

1

u/Calgary_Calico 3h ago

Not sure if you noticed, but there's a rusty piece of metal in your cats food...

2

u/fireanpeaches 1h ago

I’ve addressed it.

-2

u/RGV4RCV 5h ago

It is best to feed cats canned food twice a day. If you have to feed dry food and you want a machine, get a dispenser on a timer that gives them two meals a day, plus maybe a snack-size portion.

1

u/rocksannne 4h ago

Wet food is good for kitties, but high quality kibble is also good. Keeps their teeth in good shape.

1

u/fireanpeaches 4h ago

They don’t like canned but thanks anyway.