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Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder

Cat Mate

Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder

  • 5 individual pre-portioned compartments
  • Digital timer with an initial feed plus 4 scheduled meals
  • Included ice packs keep wet food cold for hours
  • Runs on 3 AA batteries
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On this page

Is the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder worth it?

Yes, for the right buyer. The Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder ranks #1 in our Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Wet Food list (best overall). Its biggest strength: pre-portioning each of the 5 compartments by hand guarantees exact serving sizes, no auger drift possible. The main caveat: caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting.

Overview

What the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder does well

The highlights are one of the only budget-tier feeders that genuinely handles wet food thanks to included ice packs and manual pre-measured compartments avoid the auger-accuracy drift of pricier hopper feeders. One caveat, no app or remote alerts, it's a standalone digital timer.

Best low-cost option when hand-measuring each compartment is an acceptable tradeoff for guaranteed portion accuracy. Its case rests on pre-portioning each of the 5 compartments by hand guarantees exact serving sizes, no auger drift possible and ice packs make it genuinely usable for a wet-food weight-management diet, not just dry kibble. One caveat, caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting.

Specs that matter

Key features

  • 5 individual pre-portioned compartments
  • Digital timer with an initial feed plus 4 scheduled meals
  • Included ice packs keep wet food cold for hours
  • Runs on 3 AA batteries
The trade-offs

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Pre-portioning each of the 5 compartments by hand guarantees exact serving sizes, no auger drift possible
  • Ice packs make it genuinely usable for a wet-food weight-management diet, not just dry kibble
  • Lower price than an app-connected feeder for a single diet cat

Cons

  • Caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting
  • No app, so there's no remote alert if a meal fails to dispense
  • Manual pre-measuring is more hands-on than an auger feeder's automatic portioning
Fit check

Should you buy the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic?

Buy it if you're…

  • Shopping for wet food
  • Shopping for budgets under $60
  • Shopping for cats on diets

Think twice if this matters to you

  • Caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting
  • No app, so there's no remote alert if a meal fails to dispense
  • Manual pre-measuring is more hands-on than an auger feeder's automatic portioning
Where it ranks

Featured in 3 best-of lists

ListRank
Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Wet Food· Best overall#1 / 5
Best Automatic Pet Feeders Under $60#1 / 5
Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Cats on Diets#3 / 6
Cross-shop

Alternatives to the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder

Products ranked near it in our research, each better for a slightly different buyer.

Head-to-head

Compared with

Buying advice: automatic pet feeders

  1. Most hopper feeders are designed for dry kibble roughly 2 to 12 mm across. Very large, flat or oddly shaped pieces are the most common cause of jams, so check the stated range against your pet's food.
  2. Look for a model that runs on batteries if the mains power cuts out. Wi-Fi feeders should also keep their schedule stored locally so meals continue when the internet goes down.
  3. Feeders measure by portions, not grams, and portion size varies by food. Weigh a few dispensed portions yourself before relying on it for a pet on a strict diet.
  4. Determined dogs and cats will try to break in. A locking lid and a dispensing chute that paws can't reach up into matter more in multi-pet homes.
  5. Oils from kibble build up inside the hopper. A removable, dishwasher-safe bowl and hopper make regular cleaning realistic.

Read the full guides

Answers

Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder: common questions

Is the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder worth buying?

Yes, for the right buyer. The Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder ranks #1 in our Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Wet Food list (best overall). Its biggest strength: pre-portioning each of the 5 compartments by hand guarantees exact serving sizes, no auger drift possible. The main caveat: caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting.

Who is the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder best for?

Based on our research it suits wet food, budgets under $60 and cats on diets. It's ranked #1 of 5 in our Best Automatic Pet Feeders for Wet Food list.

What are the downsides of the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder?

The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: caps out at 5 meals total before it needs refilling and resetting; no app, so there's no remote alert if a meal fails to dispense; manual pre-measuring is more hands-on than an auger feeder's automatic portioning.

What are the key features of the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder?

5 individual pre-portioned compartments, Digital timer with an initial feed plus 4 scheduled meals, Included ice packs keep wet food cold for hours and Runs on 3 AA batteries.

What are the best alternatives to the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder?

Worth comparing: SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, Cat Mate C300 3-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder and Cat Mate C200 2-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder. Each ranks near it in our research for a slightly different buyer.

Where can I buy the Cat Mate C500 Digital 5-Meal Automatic Feeder?

It's sold on Amazon. Prices and stock change often, so check the current listing before you buy, our link takes you straight to it.

What's the difference between an auger feeder and a compartment feeder?

An auger feeder uses a rotating screw to push dry kibble through a chute on schedule, which allows large hopper capacity but only works with dry food. A compartment feeder pre-loads individual sealed portions that open on a timer, which works for wet or dry food but caps capacity at however many compartments the unit has.

How much does backup power actually matter?

More than most buyers expect. A feeder without battery backup simply stops keeping time during a power outage, and when power returns, its internal clock is wrong until manually reset, which can mean a missed or mistimed meal with nobody home to catch it.

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