Surefeed Microchip Pet Feeder

If you know the value of feeding your dogs and cats correctly, then you know how SureFeed Pet Feeders can come in handy. People who have multiple pets know how challenging it is to feed them all satisfactorily. In my experience, some cats and dogs often don’t get enough when you are free feeding. Thanks to RFID technology, even slow eaters can now eat to their liking

I bought my first SureFeed Pet Feeder when I saw Max, our two mean Maine Coon eating from their bowls and then proceeding to our other softie cat Sofie’s bowl. This feeder is fitted with a lid that remains closed and only opens when our microchipped cats approach. What I love about this product is that you can also use it with their SureFlap RFID collar. The unit comes with a mat for catching spilled food and a capacity that can hold up to 13.5 fl. oz. of wet and dry food. I can’t forget the low-battery indicator that shows you when your batteries are draining charge.

Today, I will walk you through a review of this selective feeder system that keeps your pet’s food out of reach from strangers. From the specs to how the feeder works for your dog or cat as well as the different flashing lights and their meaning, I have a lot to share with you.

About SureFeed

Sure Petcare Ltd., the company that manufactures SureFeed Pet Feeders, was founded in 2007 to provide better solutions for feeding our pets. The brand’s products are designed to use the RFID technology that identifies the frequency of the microchip implanted in your pet. As such, the SureFeed Pet Feeder will only open the lid to authorized pets only while locking the others out.

Dr. Nick Hill, the founder of the company and Cambridge physicist wanted to prevent intruder cats from coming into his home via the cat flap and bullying his cat. Through constant innovation, the firm has stretched its variety of smart pet products to many accessories including pet feeders and pet bowls, among others. Sure Petcare Ltd. sells direct, via pet stores and vet practices in around 15 countries. They are headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, United States.

This product ranks so high even in customer reviews because it allows it to work well with all standard microchips. SureFeed comes with two removable bowls as well as a silicone mat that helps catch the food your feline or canine spills while eating. This unit uses 4-C alkaline batteries that last for 6 to 12 months based on the usage.

How to use SureFeed Pet Feeder

The SureFeed Pet Feeder comes with 1 SureFlap RFID collar tag, 1 main unit, 1 single-portion tray bowl, 1 split-portion bowl, and one gray mat. When feeding dry pet food only, you need to use the single-portion gray bowl while the split-portion gray bowl is for feeding both the wet and dry foods. On the other hand, the silicone mat is for catching the food that spills off the bowl as your pet eats. Sounds amazing, right?

Your canine or feline friend needs to have a microchip implanted in the body for your unit to work appropriately. As your cat approaches the feeder, the sensors on both sides of the hood will recognize the microchip ID and open it to give your cat or small dog access to the food. If you want to stop unauthorized cats from eating your feline’s food, you can use the Intruder Mode to shut the lid when these cats approach.

As a tip, I would recommend that you introduce movement to the lid slowly using the SureFeed Pet Feeder training mode to help them get used to their specific feeding times.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder for Cats

The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is an excellent product made with your pet’s safety and eating satisfaction in mind. A perfect choice for both cats, this unit works by picking up on an exclusive microchip frequency or included an RFID collar tag to open the lid. As such, only registered cats will eat the food from the bowl. In addition, this SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder for cats keeps off other cats from stealing your cat’s food. It is a good feeding tactic especially for cats on prescription and weight management diets among other specialties.

SureFeed Microchip Feeder for Dogs

Although sometimes marketed for cats, this unit is designed for multi-pet homes which makes it ideal for your small dog as well. The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder for dogs is everything you need to keep your doggie’s food safe and accessible only to them. Like the case above, the feeder lid remains closed for unregistered pooches so your dog can live a healthier lifestyle.

Review of SureFeed Pet Feeders

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder

Dimensions: 8.27 x 12.6 x 5.91 inches

Capacity: Up to 32 ID’s

Item Weight: 2.2 Pounds

Check Price on Amazon

At the mention of smart pet feeders, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is what comes into the mind of many pet owners. It is compatible with both microchips and RFID collars which makes it a good option and works with 9 (Avid Secure), 10 (FXDA), and 15 (FXDB) digit numbers. I like the automatic lid that opens only when your pet is eating and closes when they are done. This, in turn, helps keep the food fresh and tasty. Does your pet like knocking food over? You can relax because the feeder’s bottom is weighty with a lid that closes when not in use to prevent spilling.

You will love the 400 ml bowls that come in two different types, including the split and single bowl. The latter is used for prescribed diets while the first is ideal for serving 2.5 ounces of dry and wet pet food separately. The bowls also come in a variety of colors so you can pick your favorite. Did I mention the mat that receives the spilled food as your pet eats? I guess I just did.

On top of these awesome features, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is backed by a generous 3-year manufacturer warranty. As such, any issues developed within that period will be fixed for free. 

Pros:

• Generous 3-year warranty
• Adds up to 32 cat ID’s
• Ideal for cats & small dogs
• High price tag

Cons:

• Does not have a rear cover
• Custom intruder mode allows other pets to eat alongside the programmed pet

Overall Review:

Name	SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder #1 in 10PetFood
Amazon Rating in 2021	4.6/5 stars rating in 3,379 customer reviews
Best-selling rank on Amazon	#20 in Dog Automatic Feeders
Why I like it	Easy to set up with custom intruder mode as well as a decent capacity and warranty.
Price	You can buy this microchip pet feeder at a competitive price of less than $150. Check availability, sale, and pricing on Amazon here.

SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect

Dimensions:

Capacity: 

Item Weight:

Yet another praised product from the Sure Petcare brand, the SureFlap SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect is a fantastic choice for your pet. This game-changing feeder allows you as the pet owner to regulate and measure the quantity of food your pet consumes. What I love about this feeder is its ability to work with existing microchips that were previously implanted in your pet. Like our first pick, this model also stores up to 32 IDs of pets and is ideal for all types of food.

Check Price on Amazon

If you are looking for a pet feeder that will keep accurate records of your pet’s eating behaviors, this is the right buy. Your pet on weight management, for instance, can benefit a lot from this feeder. The feeder is also compatible with all ID microchips globally as well as SureFlap RFID collar tags. It comes with split bowls and a single bowl so you can feed the appropriate amount and type of diet as required.

This Microchip Pet Feeder Connect, however, needs to be connected to the SureFlap app through the Hub for it to perform most of the things mentioned above. Yet, this Hub is sold separately which is an additional cost to that of the feeder unit itself.

Pros:

• Ideal for cats & dogs
• Excellent customer service
• Good for food tracking & reporting
• No assembly required

Cons:

• Does not have a rear cover
• Requires hub which is sold separately

Overall Review:

Name	SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder Connect #2 on 10PetFood
Amazon Rating in 2021	4.4 stars rating in 336 customer reviews
Best-selling rank on Amazon	Great ranking overall
Why I like it	Comes with a great design and good functionality.
Price	You can buy this microchip pet feeder at a competitive price of less than $185. Check availability, sale, and pricing on Amazon here.

How to reset SureFeed Pet Feeder

First off let me start by saying that your SureFeed Pet Feeder will not need to be reset. In fact, most pet owners who share information about pets say that they hardly ever use the reset feature. And while that is true, knowing how to reset your feeder is need-to-know info for you.

Like most electronic devices, I will teach you how to reset your SureFeed Pet Feeder to factory settings. No tools are needed. Here are the steps to follow to reset your device:

1. Go to the Add Pet button which is mostly designed with a cat image and a big + sign or a cat with a square cap on top of its head.
2. Press the button and hold it for about 10 seconds. When you see a red light flashing and a green one, that means the reset is completed. The lid of the feeder will open and close.

What I love about SureFeed Pet Feeder is that your pet remains in the system even after resetting your device. In other words, it does not have a feature to remove your programmed pet. But in case that happens, the process of re-assigning your pet is easy. You just need to press the Add Pet button and release it immediately after which the feeder lid will open, and a green light will flash. During this period, the pet feeder is in learning mode which is when you should throw some treats into the bowl for your pet to eat then the feeder will identify him or her. When you see a green light, the process is done, and you will notice the lid close once your pet moves away.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect with Hub

SureFeed has a Microchip Pet Feeder Connect that links to the Sure Petcare app through the Hub. This hub is connected to your home router and has the ability to link up to 10 devices. With this intelligent pet feeder, you can keep track of your dog or cat’s feeding habits. It gives you the most ideal solution for feeding your overweight cat and allows you to closely monitor your feline friend who is on a prescription diet.

This application helps you learn your dog or cat’s regular feeding pattern and behavior which makes it easy for you to determine when your pet can be sick. What I love most about this feeder connect with hub is that you can set the accurate portion of dry or wet food each pet within the system should eat using the app. If you want a feeder that you can tailor to fit your home and pet’s nature, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect with hub is a fantastic option.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder not working

This is among the first three questions that SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder enthusiasts ask at times. If your feeder is not working, you need to check that the sensors inside the hoop are spotless without any remains. I know about these feeders that they do not function properly when near electrical or metallic objects as they interfere with the signal.

You can also try replacing the batteries and ensure that they are in the right alignment before use. All these tricks should make your pet feeder functional again. In case this does not work, you can try resetting your SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder (as shown above). After resetting, you can test its functionality using one collar tag that you bought your feeder with. If this trick works, your pet’s microchip might be the one with a problem, not the pet feeder.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Connect without Hub

Unfortunately, you can’t connect your Microchip Pet Feeder to the Sure Petcare app without the hub. As such, you cannot keep track of how much your pet is eating because there is no app for receiving notifications and viewing the frequency, times, and duration. 

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Problems

In this section, I shall look at the problems you might face with your SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder and how to fix them. I own two of these so I will be writing my responses from my own experience, and I can boldly say that the feeder is very reliable. I talked about resetting and pet feeder not working problems and below is a summary of solutions to other glitches:

1. Pet skeptical about using the feeder

It may sound funny, but it happens. Some cats or small dogs might be unhappy about using the feeder. The straightforward solution to this problem is getting your pet used to using the feeder. Lucky for you, there is a training mode that is specifically designed for that purpose and is activated by pressing the Fn button once when the lid is closed.

When the lid opens flashing orange light, fill the bowl with your pet’s desired food and let him have it. Press the button again once to get to the 2^nd training stage. You will see the lid starting to close once your pet is done eating but this will not seal the bowl. As your pet approaches the feeder, you will see the lid open and orange light flashes twice every few seconds. This continues with each stage until you press the Fn button the 5th time and the feeder resumes its regular operating mode.

2. Getting out of Training Mode

My crabby friend Tasha was complaining about getting stuck in the Microchip Pet Feeder’s training mode. It is the mode that helps your cat or dog get used to the opening and closing of the feeder’s lid without getting spooked. Since it takes 4 stages to get to this mode, the only way to switch out is by pressing the Fn button until the light turns green.

3. Setting up a SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder

Sometimes you do not know where to start with a gadget. If you are facing that problem, do not worry as it is a very straightforward process. But before that, make sure that your pet is chipped, your pet feeder has batteries, and the device is switched on. Press the Add Pet button once to connect your cat to the feeder and the lid will open as a green light flashes. If you see a consistent green light, your pet is learned and connected. You can also use the collar.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder flashing red/solid red

If you see your feeder flashing a red or solid red light, it is an indication of low batteries. So, all you need to do is replace the batteries (not recharge) and you will see the lights go-to green. If that does not work, reset your SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder to factory settings and re-assign your pet so the microchip can be identified again.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder flashing orange

If you see your feeder flashing orange light, it means that the device is in training mode. This mode is intended to help your pets get used to the lid opening and closing without being alarmed. 

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Instructions/manual

When you purchase the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder unit, you will get instructions or a manual on how to do several tasks. From the setting up process to resetting and more, this info is available in the package and also on their website. If you also need to know how to clean your pet feeder, all this information is at your disposal to ensure you have an optimal experience.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Intruder Mode

The Intruder Mode in the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is used to stop unauthorized pets from eating their pet’s food. It works by scanning the microchip implanted in your dog or cat as it approaches the feeder and only opens for the programmed pet. This makes sure that only the pet that is eating the prescribed diet has access to the food in that specific bowl. In addition, your pets will also eat the correct ratios of foods which helps improve their health and well-being.

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder Bowl

The SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder comes with two types of bowls (400 ml) including split and single bowls. As the name suggests, the split bowl is ideal for serving both the wet and dry food variety. You and I know that the two cannot be mixed. The single bowl, on the other hand, is the one you use when serving your cat or small dog that is on diet. Why you may ask. It is easy for you to control the portions you feed them based on the prescription and time of feeding.