my cat can move the feeder & as a result the bowl moves so when it is time for her meal not all the pieces go into the bowl. It will go on underneath the machine, which is why she keeps moving it, so she can get the pieces. how can i get the bowl to stay in place so all her food will go in? my cat can move the feeder & as a result the bowl moves so when it is time for her meal not all the pieces go into the bowl. It will go on underneath the machine, which is why she keeps moving... » Read More my cat can move the feeder & as a result the bowl moves so when it is time for her meal not all the pieces go into the bowl. It will go on underneath the machine, which is why she keeps moving it, so she can get the pieces. how can i get the bowl to stay in place so all her food will go in? « Show Less
169316
Maybe you could buy a small roll of non slide shelf liner to place the bowl on.
169317
With the previous version of this I had that same problem. I just put a good-sized piece of clear packing tape on the underside to hold the bowl against the feeder. Problem solved. :)
169318
I have three dogs that do the same thing. I found that if you put the feeder on a tray, with that "non slide" fabric glued on the bottom, that it's so much ha rder to move. a cat shouldn't be able to move it. my dogs, on the other hand, scoot it around. I have an electric cord on it and that helps a bit..... but the non-slide fabric (at WalMart or a camping store) works the best.
1053826
We did not end up keeping this feeder because we were able to repair one that is a different brand. It is essentially the same thing though, and has the 10 pound hopper. I don't think we've ever had problems with the food going stale, but then our cat will eat anything. If it has been stale, he has not told us. The food does not look any different when at the end than it does when we first put it in. These machines really are great and I think healthier for the cat to have regular small meals.
868455
If your cat is very food motivated it probably could do that. This is one of the deeper styles. The flower style slo-bowl isn't as deep. The one with parallel lines would be probably be easiest for a cat to get the food out of. But I don't have a cat so I'm just guessing.
699088
I'm sorry, I really have no idea. I do have two cats, but I have no reason to try this with them. I suppose it would if the bowl you're using is small enough that they really have to work at getting around the device to get at the food. I'm sorry I can't be of any help with this question!
2031937
We just keep it rolling until the food is gone. We have not had a problem. My friend got one the same one, and that she had to set daily. It was not feeding automatically. She returned it and got one from a local store due to lack of time for an upcoming trip, and it works without having to reset. The one requiring resetting was a dud.
376390
unfortunantly not the plastic bowl is specially made to fit if you used a smaller bowl your cat probably would be able to flip it over and get to it. ive read cats can get them open
107092
Two cats cannot eat together because the doors can only fit ONE head between them. If another cat pushes the one at the bowl out of the way the feeder instantly detects its tag and accrues feeding to the new pet. If the new pet has no allowance available then the doors close.
2254661
I've had this feeder for 2 days and my cat has also knocked the hopper off the base - twice! It doesn't "twist & lock" into place, it just sits on top sort of "tongue & groove" like... I have the model with the barrel shaped hopper. Maybe the one with the saucer shaped hopper is a newer one that allows the hopper to lock onto the base? If someone could verify that would be great! Soo tired of picking up kibble...
590318
I think ants could get in it if they were around. Plus, if the cat left any food for a little while, the food in the open slot would sit out, which would attract ants if you already had them. (I haven't had a problem, but I don't have ants. And I only use the product while away for a day or two, not on a daily basis.)
690291
I have always found with these "automatic" feeders that you have to help the food come down and flow out fully into the feeding bowl. I've had a few of them and it's the same with them all. Obviously smaller sized food bits are better but you will still need to help it along as far as my experience goes.
147609
I have three cats using this feeder, I have not had any problems with food getting stuck. I use Purina Indoor cat chow. The food flows freely, but it does not fill the bowl completely, but there is always food in the feed bowl. I also don't fill it up completely, I usually only fill about 1/3 of the way.
1351396
As suggested by another purchaser, you could remove the inner plastic "bowl" and set your non-plastic bowl inside it. However,there really isn't a "bottom" to the feeder, so if your pet tips it over (which my cat has done several times), the dish would fall out and so would the food. So, removing the dish might work against you if you want the feeder to open at a set time, which seems to be the point of an automatic feeder.
111815
There isn't a bowl there is just a round tray divided into for compartments that are marked 1 thru 4 and it is plastic. I didn't want my kitten eating out of a plastic tray so I bought her 4 little ceramic dishes that fit nicely into the tray area. I have also used small aluminum round bowls as well. There is a compartment for where you put a cold pack in you have to remove the top and it reveals a square compartment, but I only use mine for dry food, so not sure how it would work for wet food. Some people have actually put there wet food in freezer trays and let it freeze over night then put them in the trays with the cold pack in place and said it worked ok. There isn't a bowl there is just a round tray divided into for compartments that are marked 1 thru 4 and it is plastic. I didn't want my kitten eating out of a plastic tray so I bought her 4 little ceramic dishes that fit nicely into the tray area. I have also used small aluminum round bowls as well. There is a compartment for where you put a cold pack in you have to remove the top and it reveals a square compartment, but I only use mine for dry food, so not sure how it would work for wet food. Some people have actually put there wet food in freezer trays and let it freeze over night then... » Read More There isn't a bowl there is just a round tray divided into for compartments that are marked 1 thru 4 and it is plastic. I didn't want my kitten eating out of a plastic tray so I bought her 4 little ceramic dishes that fit nicely into the tray area. I have also used small aluminum round bowls as well. There is a compartment for where you put a cold pack in you have to remove the top and it reveals a square compartment, but I only use mine for dry food, so not sure how it would work for wet food. Some people have actually put there wet food in freezer trays and let it freeze over night then put them in the trays with the cold pack in place and said it worked ok. « Show Less
2164365
I got mine for my cat. He was still able to tip it, so I got one of those black boot trays and velcroed the bowl to the tray, problem solved!!!! At least, when he did tip it, it wasn't as big of a mess as with a regular bowl!!!
376396
The "bowl" isn't really a bowl - more of a food reservoir - and could not be replaced. However, it is a little more than an inch deep, so you could probably put a shallow dish in it. Of course, if your cat attacks it vigorously, it might spill out of the bowl and into the plastic food reservoir. It might be worth a try though. One of my cats gets chin acne too and it hasn't come back since I got these feeders, but I only put food in it once a day, so his exposure is limited.
409171
When seated correctly, the dome will wobble slightly if touched when working due to the circulation of the water. If the water does not flow evenly, simply rub your hands around the dome while water is flowing. I read this in the directions, it works well. Eventually mold will grow under the dome but all parts come apart for washing. I've had mine over a year, I take it all apart every month, looks new when I'm done. I know about this product because my cats demand it, if I turn it off for any reason my cats refuse to drink from a regular bowl. They sit by the fountain and stare at me until I turn it on! When seated correctly, the dome will wobble slightly if touched when working due to the circulation of the water. If the water does not flow evenly, simply rub your hands around the dome while water is flowing. I read this in the directions, it works well. Eventually mold will grow under the dome but all parts come apart for washing. I've had mine over a year, I take it all apart every month, looks new when I'm done. I know about this product because my cats demand it, if I turn it off for any reason my cats refuse to drink from a regular bowl. They sit by the fountain and stare at me until... » Read More When seated correctly, the dome will wobble slightly if touched when working due to the circulation of the water. If the water does not flow evenly, simply rub your hands around the dome while water is flowing. I read this in the directions, it works well. Eventually mold will grow under the dome but all parts come apart for washing. I've had mine over a year, I take it all apart every month, looks new when I'm done. I know about this product because my cats demand it, if I turn it off for any reason my cats refuse to drink from a regular bowl. They sit by the fountain and stare at me until I turn it on! « Show Less
1266596
My cat just stands entirely on top of it, or braces his back legs against it so it doesn't slide. You could probably try putting something heavy inside or one of those non-slip mats for rugs underneath it!