They eat the same food and can share a station
An open-access timer may be enough when both cats can eat the same food, follow the same schedule, and reach the dispensing area without conflict. PetSafe says the Healthy Pet Simply Feed PFD00-14574 can be programmed on the unit, serves up to 12 meals a day, and supports dry or semi-moist food. Its product page lists portions from 1/8 to 4 cups and a 24-cup capacity. It does not recognize cats, so it cannot reserve a scheduled serving for one particular pet.
Consider it if: both cats can share the food and access. Skip it if: one cat needs a prescription or otherwise separate diet, or the other cat reliably takes that cat’s serving. The manufacturer’s feature list does not establish behavior in a particular multi-cat home.
One cat needs scheduled dry food and selective access
PETLIBRO One RFID PLAF301 is a tag-controlled scheduled feeder. The maker says it recognizes its dedicated collar tag, supports one tag per feeder, and dispenses dry food sized 2–15 mm. It does not read an implanted microchip or another brand’s tag. This can be a candidate when the target cat accepts a collar tag and the household can use a dedicated station; it is not evidence that one unit can serve two distinct diets or prevent every food theft.
Consider it if: scheduled dry portions and tag access match the routine. Skip it if: the cat cannot wear the tag, needs wet food, or the household needs chip-based access. App and Wi-Fi availability are part of this model’s setup; for offline needs, see Automatic Cat Feeders Without Wi-Fi.
The cat needs access control, but you serve meals manually
The standard SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is a selective-access bowl, not an automatic schedule feeder. Sure Petcare says it recognizes common implanted microchips or its RFID collar tag and can hold wet or dry food. Its manual describes authorizing pets to open the bowl. Up to 32 identities refers to authorized access identities; it does not turn the shared bowl into 32 individual diets or portion schedules. You still fill and replace food manually.
Consider it if: selective access matters more than automatic timing and the pet has a compatible chip or tag. Skip it if: you need timed dispensing, separate measured portions, or unattended chilled wet-food scheduling.