Sometimes, along comes a hack that is just that. A kludged collection of parts thrown together quickly to solve some problem. [mightysinetheta]’s Upcycled Cat Feeder is just that – no pretensions.
It’s a cat feeder built out of a drill, wall switch and mechanical clock timer for under $10. Pretty much the simplest electric cat feeder you can make. Survives power outages just fine, is single serving, but due to the noise and motion it makes, it is a perfect Pavlovian trainer for the cat. The best way to describe it is as a Rube Goldberg machine.
Set the timer for the planned feed time (up to 12 hours in advance). At the appointed time, the timer triggers, the drill rotates, the old, broken screwdriver chucked in the drill turns. The cord tied to the screwdriver winds up like a winch. This pulls up the lid covering the cat’s dinner plate. The noisy drill announces it’s dinner time. When fully raised, the lid pushes up a short piece of PCV pipe. This flips a switch, that shuts off the drill. If you need build instructions, fear not. [mightysinetheta] has detailed build instructions although the pictures are probably all you’ll need.
Check the video after the break.
That’s just genius. For some reason images from Tom & Jerry cartoons keep popping into my head while watching the demo video above. (c:
What happens if the cat gets stuck in it when it activates?
Cats don’t get stuck. Any time that a cat even gets close to getting stuck somehow, the cat twists and turns like Greg House with the DTs, and can get itself out of almost any situation. :D
How dare you talk about that cynical asshole like that. He’s a freaking genius with a splash of Vicodin addition and maybe codeine. But that’s all irrelevant, he’s awesomely horrible and deserves nothing less than the proper respect… which mean you will use the proper title of “dr.” (yes, common case since it’s an up and down thing with him) in all insults involving him and cats.
My apologies. You are correct, I should have addressed him correctly. ;)
So let’s see…an enticing, dangly string and the minimal weight of a pot lid is all that stands between kitty and being fed right away? He don’t know cats vewwy well, do he?
Worse, the cat is going to show up every time the drill is used. Every. Freakin’. Time.
Already bad enough when it gets on the keyboard. Though, things might just turn deadly for the cat if you’re not careful. Unless you’re building a box, then it’s anyone’s guess.
I have two cats and a commercial cat feeder, one of them right away figured out how to stick an entire front arm up the chute to rotate the dispenser to get more food.
The other one is more of a thinker, it took her 2 months of just waiting and watching, and then she figured out how to spin off the top hopper fill lid and she just eats from the top.
I would add a screw into the lid, but I dont want the cat to figure out how to use a screwdriver.
Add the screw… better to keep their interest focused on this feeder so they don’t learn how to break into more important stuff.
And keep your eye on your credit card purchases. That $639.45 from Petsmart.com….
1) Add screw to lid.
2) Record cat using screwdriver.
3) Post on YouTube.
4) Profit!
Brilliant!
What an awesome contraption.
Haha awesome – see, this is the true nature of a “hack”. I wish that we could see more like this!
Now this is a neat hack.
Very cool. Kind of Rube Goldberg-ish.
Clever rube goldberg gizmo, but why do you have to feed the cat at a certain time? They’ll pretty much eat ANY time you put the food out.
Indeed. This cat feeder only works once, so you might as well give the cat a bowl of food when you leave.
Consistent feeding times are good for the cat.
Is that something you read in Crazy Cat Lady magazine? Cat’s are predators, they’re used to eating when they catch something.
worst cat feeder ever – but I love pvc pipe turn off switch!
I’m guessing the builder doesn’t have a Meezer. Mine are smart enough to move/remove the lid on their own.
Do you even own a cat?
Or is it that my cats are evil geniuses…… lol
They opened the door to my extra room and opened a drawer where I had their snacks. Ate them all lol
Good ideal though, I would have placed some weights so that cats like mine would not flip the lid off.
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omg this is stupid… sorry, that’s my honest opinion.. if the cat knows there’s food under there, he’s not waiting for the tray to go up..