ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Petlibro Polar Wet Food Automatic Feeder is $130 and available in black.
- The Polar feeder can keep wet food fresh for up to three days and connects to an app to customize feeding schedules.
- It is a relatively large device, and needs power and Wi-Fi to function.
After getting our orange tabby cat, Norbert, in 2018, my husband and I quickly realized we needed to invest in an automatic dry food feeder if we ever wanted to sleep past 6 a.m. again. I wanted to know if an automatic wet food feeder could also be a wise investment (especially for weekends away from home), so I recently tested out the new Petlibro Polar Wet Food Automatic Feeder.
There are already automatic wet food feeders on the market, but they all have ice packs to keep the wet food fresh. In comparison, Petlibro incorporates a semiconductor cooling technology that keeps wet food cold and fresh for up to three days (whereas ice packs only last a few hours).
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After trying out the Petlibro Wet Food Feeder for a week (including one night we were away from home), I can definitely say I’ll rest easy knowing Norbert will get fresh wet food while we’re away (and not meow loudly when we walk through the door).
The device is very large and must be plugged in, but we tucked it into a corner of our kitchen. The setup is extremely easy (even for those who aren’t tech-savvy): simply connect the device to the app and set up a customized feeding schedule. We only feed Norbert wet food for dinner, so we got three days’ worth of meals out of the device, so if you feed your pet wet food more, I can see fewer benefits out of it.
Not only can you set up a feeding schedule on the app, but you can even make sure your pet ate its food thanks to the Anti-Pinch infrared lid sensor, which tracks how long your pet was eating at the device, ensuring it doesn’t close on your furry friend mid-feed. However, you can also customize how long the food compartment stays open (up to 30 minutes) if your pet is a slow eater or a grazer.
While Norbert is an anxious cat that takes a while to warm up to new things, it didn’t take long for him to realize the device had his food in it, and soon after he was fine eating from it. It does a little ding right before it opens up for the feeding schedule, but it did take a few days for Norbert to figure out that Pavlovian response.
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The feeding compartment tray is also super easy to clean — even after three days’ worth of wet food has built up. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe. The tray can hold up to 220ml of wet food, which equates to about two 3oz cans of cat food.
On the night we were away, I felt like a better pet parent knowing Norbert was getting his much-desired wet food dinner instead of having to forego it as he usually would. For more extended weekend getaways, this will be a lifesaver for us to ensure his feeding schedule remains the same.
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Despite Norbert’s ability to adapt to the device reasonably quickly, I know not all cats respond well to new routines and changes. For example, if your cat hates motor sounds, the Petlibro may won’t work for you.
I also can’t speak to how the device would work for multiple cats and those different feeding schedules. I know some cats can be food hoggers, and I’m not entirely sure how this device would prevent that.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Petlibro Polar Wet Food Automatic Feeder is a device I wish had been available sooner, and a piece of technology that truly solves a common problem for pet parents. Norbert and I would recommend adding this device to your routine if you’re someone who isn’t always there for the dinner feed or goes away on the weekends.
While it’s a relatively large feeder and does require Wi-Fi, it’s a piece of smart pet tech I’m happy to incorporate into our home.
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