feeding whilst away

[Millys Mum]

I wouldnt leave wet food down for 3 days, even with a pack under it would soon get to room temp and start growing bacteria  thats if the cat could even bear to taste it after its gone brown 

[summerleft]

£20 that is good, wont arrive in time but might order one for next time thanks

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

The bowl with the motion sensor is available from the Cats Protection online shop amongst other places

[summerleft]

that sounds posh, if it becomes a regular occurance then i might look for something like that, just trying to see if this catmate is working, left it next to me to pop up in 2 hours 

[fluffybunny]

I've also seen somewhere a cat feeder that has a lid, and some kind of fancy motion detector, so the lid lifts up when a cat comes near it, and closes again when the cat wanders off.  I also seem to recall that it wasn't as expensive as it sounds from my description!

[summerleft]

right have bought one catmate feeder so the ones who only eat meat get that late at night

then my parents will come in and feed fresh plus biscuits in the day, one large biscuit feeder and 6 bowls of biscuits and a water feeder and bowl

phew, its like military precision just for 4 days LOL

[tigerbaby]

Oohh didn't realise you had 6 cats! Yes I would then recommend someone coming in to feed on a daily basis, probably better to ensure fresh food.

[summerleft]

thanks

My dad will put fresh food in every day if we get feeders, but having 6 cats all eating at different times is going to be fun!

At the minute flies are coming in and sitting on the meat as soon as its out, not sure if theres just loads of them about here or what it is,  just hope it gets a bit colder might keep them away

[tigerbaby]

Automatic feeders are good, we have the CatMate C50. It works on a clockwork dial so doesn't feed on precise set times, but that suits us fine as Jameson doesn't have an eating routine. Say you want it to feed at 10 in the morning and 7pm at night, you set the dial to those times but they may open half an hour earlier or later, you can't really be sure, but it will definately open around those times. Ours will give 5 feeds over 3 days so ideal if you have to be away for a weekend or so.
It has a lid with an open window, and a tray underneath with 5 bowls. So the lid will rotate round so the window only is open for one bowl at a time, which makes it more hygienic. You also use freeze blocks underneath to keep food fresh for as long as poss. Whenever we've gone away for 3 days it has been absolutely fine, with no smell or flies.
I always make sure to leave out a big bowl of bisquits too, and usually ask the neighbour to pop a bowl of wet in through the catflap on the last day - just to be doubley sure he's getting fed. We always come home to lots of leftover food, and OH always moaning that I leave too much food out for him that goes to waste.

[Feline Costumier]

My solution to my weeks holiday soon is Aunty Kari! She is going to stay at mine and look after the furries.

Anyway, there are a few threads I've seen about automatic feeders, they seem to be quite good. I'm sure someone who has used them will be along shortly to tell you.

[summerleft]

Im going away for a few days soon and my cats have a mix of meat and dry food, I dont really like feeding meat but 2 of them would rather starve than eat any form of biscuit and make it painfully obvious.

My worry is that relatives will be around once a day to check and feed and they will have dry buscuits down ad lib but with this warm weather its not 5 seconds before flies start landing on the meat  and of course once its sat on or worse eggs laid its wasted.

Thought about cat feeders on timers, but is there an alternative to meat, like a squishy biscuit or any ideas  as to what to do?

thanks in advance