I previously did a review of Petkit Smart Pet Feeder which is a good device that is suitable for most pets. However, cats in general require a paws-proof device so I decided to review the smaller Petkit model especially designed for cats which is the Petkit Mini Smart feeder. This unit allows you to feed your cat smaller portions at a time which is a great feature because cats usually overeat or eat too fast. In this review we will see the features of Petkit Mini Smart, how it works, and pros and cons of this unit.
Features of Petkit Mini Smart Feeder
- Smartphone Controlled: You can control and monitor your cat feeding activity from anywhere.
- Free Petkit App: Download the free app on Google Play or App Store.
- Feed on Demand: Give your cat extra snacks in between meals using the Petkit app.
- Capacity: 3.3 lbs dry food (1.5 k)
- Meals per day: Up to 10 meals
- Portion sizes: 5g, up to 50g each time (in cups, 1/20 to 1/2 cup)
- Portions in LCD Panel: 1-10 (1=5g)
- Suitable Kibble Size: ≤ 0.47 in (12mm)
- Desiccant Bag: Keeps food fresh and free of moisture
- Double Power: Runs on AC power and optionally 4 x AA size batteries as backup (not included).
- Environment Friendly: Low energy consumption (3 kilowatt-hour/mo)
- Dimensions: 6.7” W x 12.5” D x 12.6” H – (Footprint: 0.054 m2)
- Weight: 2.5 kg (5.5 lb)
Key Features of Petkit Mini Smart
- Improved Anti-Jamming Technology: With enhanced flexible impeller and dispensing mechanism.
- Sealed Food Gate: A silicone sealing ring on the food gate keeps the food airtight and stops the cat’s paws.
- Removable Magnetic Tray: Feeding tray is easy to pull or put back on with added magnets.
- Quality Materials: Made with high impact BPA-free ABS, and #304 food grade stainless steel bowl.
- US-Based Customer Service: You can contact the support team by email (response in 48 hours).
Tech Specifications
Wi-Fi Connection: Requires a wireless router 2.4GHz [802.11b/g/n])
Power Especifications: Input: 110-240v ~ 50-60hz; Output: 6V=1000mA.
Petkit App – Application Requirements and Details
| App Name | Petkit |
|---|---|
| Last Updated | 10.11.0 (April 1st, 2024) |
| iPhone or iPod version | 14.0 or later |
| Android | 5.0 or later |
| App Size | 319 MB |
| Developer | Shangai Petkit Network Technology CO. LTD |
| Price | Free |
| App support | [email protected] |
How Petkit Mini Smart Feeder Works
You need to download the Petkit App to create an account, bind the feeder with the App and then connect the device to your home Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz router). All the programming is done on the App.
Petkit Mini features an anti-sticking technology based on the bionics principle. The food-grade silicone mixing blade, oscillating bar, and internal spring allow the flexibility needed for the kibble to pass through without getting stuck. The feeder works with a wide range of kibble sizes up to 12 mm in diameter. Rounded kibble shape is ideal for better accuracy.
When it’s time to dispense, the food gate’s lid opens allowing the food to drop onto the tray and then moves back into position, covering the food gate. This makes this feeder paws-proof. The food gate’s lid has a sort of spring-loaded latch on the inside that can’t be pulled unless you lift the lid off. Also, in order to lift the lid, a button needs to be pressed in a way that only human hands can do it.
The Petkit’s lid features a compartment on the inside that holds a silica desiccant bag that keeps the food fresh. This silica bag needs to be replaced every 30 days.
Video How Petkit Mini works
How to Program Petkit Mini Smart Automatic Feeder
The feeder can be programmed to dispense up to 10 meals per day, each portion can be set from a minimum of 5g up to 50g at a time. To program a meal size you don’t select the grams but instead, you need to select the portion number from 1 to 10. Each portion is 5g, so if for example, you want a 20g meal you need to select the portion 4. The feeding schedule must be programmed using the free downloading Petkit App. The feeder doesn’t feature a LCD panel so you can’t program it manually. The only button on the feeder is the
Once you program a feeding schedule for your cat it will repeat every day. The timer is a 24-hour so you can’t program days ahead of 24- hours. If you want to change the feeding schedule or meal size for a specific day of the week or for the weekend, you need to make the change the day before. The good thing is that you can do this quickly on your phone, from anywhere.
What I like about the Petkit App
✅ The Petkit app sends notifications on low-food, desiccant replacement, and low battery.
✅ The App determines your cat’s ideal food portion based on breed, age, weight, and activity level.
✅ You can control multiple devices under one Petkit account.
What I don’t like about the App
❌ The home page will show you other Petkit brand devices that you may have to ignore if you only have one device.
❌ Notifications sometimes fail to be sent.
❌ The size of the Petkit App and the variety of Petkit devices it supports can make it challenging to address glitches.
❌ The latest app update requires you to re-login. However, if you forgot your password, you won’t receive the verification code to restart it, resulting in being locked out of the app.
What I like about the Petkit Mini Feeder
- The unit is quiet when operating
- Minimalist design and pure white color match any decor (It makes a beautiful set with Petkit Eversweet water fountain).
- It provides accuracy in portions, very important if you have a cat on a diet.
- Great to feed a cat several small meals per day (5g), especially if you have a cat that eats too fast.
- Anti-jam technology, no worries about the food getting stuck
- Once programmed, even if the feeder if offline it will keep dispensing.
- Dual power AC/DC adapter and batteries ensure operation no matter what.
- All the feeder’s parts are removable for easy cleaning, including the mixing blade.
- You can trigger manual feedings from your phone. Good if you want to indulge your kitty with extra snacks.
- Small silica bag on the lid protects the food from moisture. Excellent if you use cat food without preservatives.
- Removable magnetic tray for easy cleaning. Easy to put it back on since the magnet directs where it goes.
- Non-skid rubber pads on the bottom of feeder provides stability.
- Battery compartment secured with screws, so batteries don’t fall off.
What I didn’t like about the feeder
- Only connects with 2.4GHz network and it’s hard to get it connected to Wi-Fi
- The App size and devices it serves, makes it confusing and hard to navigate.
- Latest App update came with glitches, such as not being able to restart a password.
My final thoughts about Petkit Mini Cat Feeder
2024 Update: The Petkit Mini Smart feeder has been an excellent choice for cats that are food-driven and prone to breaking into automatic feeders due to its food gate lid that protects the food from the cat’s paws. However, over the past two years, Petkit feeders have been experiencing issues with loss of internet connection and glitches in the app. It appears that changes in the software have affected the unit’s performance, diminishing its reliability. While the unit’s structure and design remain top-notch, the compromised app functionality undermines the overall user experience. Therefore, this time, I will have to pass on the Petkit Mini Smart Cat Feeder.
Do you know if the feeder will still work if the wifi gets disconnected and I’m away on an overnite trip? Also what did u mean it doesnt help with chin acne…does stainless help with that?
Hello Sarah, you only need internet to program the feeding schedule or change any settings of the feeder. Once the feeding schedule is programmed you only need electricity or batteries for the feeder to operate. This particular model, suitable for cats, has a plastic food tray, not stainless steel.
Hi
Will the feeder permit me to use my phone remotely to feed the cat if i choose to not set a schedule and want to give a snack or feed my pet and the electricity goes out?in other words does the battery back up keep the device connected to wifi if power fails ? Or does the battery back up operate only to save automatic scheduled meals ? Does the device reconnect to wifi automatically ?
Hello Vivian, you need internet to program the feeder on your phone. The battery backup ensures the feeder will keep dispensing food according to the programmed settings.
So if the power goes out, you can’t control it from your phone (understandable since no power = no wifi) the battery backup… How long does it last? We sometimes are away from the house for a few days and we bring our cats to a pet resort, so I would like to know how long the backup batteries would last if it can’t be plugged in.
Hello Joe, the feeder works with 4 AA size batteries so it will last at least for a couple of months.
I’d also like to know if the device is able to reconnect to wifi automatically, after a wifi failure. I understand it sticks to the preset schedule, but does it reconnect automatically? It’s important for when you are away for more days and would like to review/edit the schedule or manually feed the cat a few times. Thanks!
Hey, I prefer the stainless steel bowl… Is it possible to remove the bowl that comes with this unit and use my own bowl?
Hello Joe, yes you can remove the tray, it is attached only by a magnet. Have a great day!
Is thebigger Version usable with 5g? And the smaller only with 4g ?
Hello Sina, both devices need to be connected with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. The Mini Feeder doesn’t work with 5G network. The larger version may work with 5G if your router allows it.
Our cat Ricky (who was never meant to be very clever but a really good friend) figured out how the manual feeding button works. After one week of usage of the mini feeder in which I never used the button in his presence. Yesterday evening he gave himself a snack 6 times on after the other and was pleased to figure out, that the manual button can be deactivated..
Your cat is amazingly smart lol. Happy you could block the feeding button.
Just got the feeder, works great! I am going on a cruise and will cross times zones… how will this affect the feeder and wanting her schedule to stay on eastern time zone?
Hi Kelli, if you have issues with timezone I suggest you to send an email to [email protected] and they will help you. I must mention that once you program the feeder with a schedule, this will repeat everyday even if the Wi-Fi gets disconnected, which means, the feeder retains the programming in its memory.
Hi. I bought this feeder, but I can’t connected it to my phone. My feeder didn’t connect to my home Wi-Fi which have 2.4GHz network. Please tell how you connected your feeder.
Hello Denys, connecting the feeder to the phone and to the Wifi can be a pain, did you make sure your phone is using the wifi network? If you can’t get it connected, you can contact their customer service at [email protected]. They will walk you through it to get it connected. Hope that helps!
I can not get this product to pair with my WiFi system and can not find any info concerning tech support to get help. Where do I get help for this product?????
Hello Ted, send an email to [email protected]. They will give you the instructions on what to do.
Is this feeder shake proof? I had a previous automatic feeder and my cat figured out if you hit the feeder hard enough, food will fall out. Does that happen with this?
Hello Hashem, this feeder has a lid on the food gate, covering it so cats can’t get kibble by hitting the unit. Also, the lid is attached internally by a spring-loaded latch so it can’t be pulled off by the cat’s paws. However, be aware that this feeder has WiFi connection issues with some users, somehow the App doesn’t work for everybody.