The Whisker Feeder Robot Solved My Cat Feeding Anxiety When I'm Away From Home
Whisker Feeder Robot $299 at Whisker Pros Extremely consistent and reliable feedings
Anti-jam technology
Quiet operation
Can be customized to preferred colors
User-friendly app
Battery backup for power outages
Large hopper and strong seal keep food fresh Cons Pricey compared with basic feeders
Portion calibration may take a few days
Works only with dry food
Doesn't have a camera or two-way audio
Whisker Feeder Robot
$299 at Whisker
My years of health and wellness expertise don't apply to just humans. I very much care about the well-being of our furry home companions too. I've taken care of pets for as long as I can remember, so safe to say I've tried many products to help make taking care of them convenient and safe. One product I've tried plenty of over the years is automatic pet feeders. I've tried "dumb" ones (no smart features), ones with camera integrations and two-way audio, budget ones, expensive ones -- you name it. After having the Whisker Litter-Robot for almost a year and liking how seamless the app is, I decided to give the Whisker Feeder-Robot a try to see if it's worth the hype (and the price). I can be gone from home for up to 12 hours each time I'm away. I need a feeder that is dependable and reliable. After testing for a few months, I can confidently say the Whisker-Robot has changed how I care for my cat.
CNET's key takeaways:
$299 and available at Whisker.com.
Reliable feedings, anti-jam technology, quiet operation, customizable colors, user-friendly app, battery backup (sold separately), large hopper and smart app alerts.
On the pricey side, portion calibration may take a few days, it works only with dry food, has no camera or two-way audio and the battery backup is sold separately.
Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
Feeder-Robot: First impressions and setup
Out of the box, the Whisker Feeder Robot is sleek-looking but a little big compared with others I've tried. I was worried it might be too clunky for my small New York City apartment, but it blended in quite nicely into my living room without disrupting the aesthetic.
Setting up took around 15 minutes. There are no parts to put together; it comes already fully built, so most of the setup time was spent setting it up in the Whisker App (which I already had because of the Litter-Robot), connecting it to my Wi-Fi and adjusting my cat's feeding schedule. The Whisker app is intuitive and customizable -- you can schedule feedings down to the minute, adjust portion sizes and even trigger manual feedings.
I had to play around with the portion settings for a couple of days, but everything ran smoothly once I fine-tuned it with the appropriate portions for my cat.
Whisker Feeder-Robot specs
Feature
Details
Product dimensions
15"H x 12.5"D x 13"W
Capacity
32 cups
Portion sizes
Adjustable from 1/8 cup to 1 cup per meal
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Requires 2.4 GHz
App compatibility
iOS and Android
Food type
Dry kibble only
Material
BPA-free plastic
Noise level
Low
Smart features
Scheduled feedings, low food alerts and feeding history
Multi-pet friendly
Yes, but not individual pet ID or tracking
Price
$299
Warranty
1-year limited warranty
How the Feeder-Robot works day to day
Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
Once I set up my cat's feeding schedule, the Feeder-Robot ran on autopilot. I set it to feed my cat once in the early morning (I give her wet food in the evenings) to prevent her from waking me up at 6 a.m. to feed her. The sound of the kibble dispensing is like a dinner bell for my cat; she comes running to it as soon as she hears it.
One feature I appreciate is the battery backup. If you live in an area prone to power outages, this feeder will continue to work seamlessly thanks to the internal battery system. Having the peace of mind that your cat will be fed even if the power goes out is invaluable, especially if it happens while you're not home. One thing to note is that the Feeder-Robot backup battery isn't included but sold separately for an additional $40.
The hopper holds 32 cups of dry food, and my cat eats only kibble once a day, so it holds enough food to last her over a month. But if your cat has multiple dry food feedings, or you have more than one cat, how long it lasts will vary. The design keeps the food fresh and prevents clogging, a common issue I've had with cheaper automatic feeders.
Nasha Addarich Martínez/CNET
The Whisker App experience
The app is what makes this feeder feel premium. Most other feeder apps I've gotten from Amazon are clunky and outdated. On the Whisker App, I can monitor scheduled feedings, customize the schedule, lock the panel, give a snack, turn on the night light, toggle on gravity mode (no scheduled feedings, but rather the keeps the bowl full at all times), check the battery backup and see how much food the feeder has left. I also get a notification when a meal has been dispensed or missed (haven't had a missed meal yet). There's even a smart alert for low food levels, which keeps me from wondering how much food my cat has left.
If you're already using the Whisker Litter-Robot, you'll absolutely love how both devices sync within the same app. It feels like a smart home ecosystem for pets.
Feeder-Robot pros and cons
Here's a breakdown of the biggest advantages and minor drawbacks I encountered during my testing.
Pros
Extremely consistent and reliable feedings
Feeding history is viewable in app
Anti-jam technology
Quiet operation
Can be customized to preferred colors
User-friendly app
Battery backup for power outages
Large hopper and strong seal keep food fresh
Cons
Pricey compared to basic feeders
Portion calibration may take a few days
Only works with dry food
Doesn't have a camera or two-way audio
Who the Feeder-Robot is for
Nasha Addarich Martínez
If you're a pet parent who works long hours, travels often or just wants a consistent feeding schedule for your cat or dog, this automatic feeder is a great investment. It would work great for a multi-cat household or for pets on a strict feeding schedule. If you're already in the Whisker ecosystem, adding the Feeder-Robot makes sense because of the seamless integration of all Whisker devices on the same app.
CNET's buying advice: Is the Feeder-Robot worth it?
For me, the Feeder-Robot is worth the $299 price tag. It gives me peace of mind, a more structured routine for my cat -- plus, it's one less task I need to worry about. This feeder is thoroughly designed and can be 100% operated remotely (all buttons also exist on the feeder for manual adjustments). While it certainly isn't cheap, its reliability and control are worth it if you're serious about your pet's care setup.
If $299 for a pet feeder is too steep a price tag, check out this automatic pet feeder I've used for three years. It might not have the flashiest app, but it's $150 cheaper, has a built-in camera and two-way audio and will still feed your pet.
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