Product Review · Pet Feeders · #2 Ranked
Cat Mate C500
Budget 5-meal rotating tray for wet or dry food · Reviewed by Katie · closerpets.com, Sept 2026
Why it scored a 81
A long-running Amazon best-seller and the budget answer for scheduled wet food: five compartments, twin ice packs that keep food cool for about 12 hours, and roughly a year on three AA batteries, all for $47.99. Value leads at 92 and a 3-year guarantee is unusual at this price. There is no app or Wi-Fi, no low-battery indicator, programming is fiddly, and the rotation noise and deep bowls can bother skittish cats, so Features is the softest at 64.
What you're getting
- 5 rotating compartments, up to 11.5 oz (330 g) each; wet, dry or mixed food
- Digital timer: up to 4 scheduled meals in 10-minute increments plus 1 immediate
- Programmable up to 90 h ahead; no Wi-Fi or app
- Twin ice packs included keep wet food cool about 12 h
- 3 x AA batteries (not included), about 12 months per set; no low-battery indicator
- Dishwasher-safe lid and tray; tamper-resistant snap-on cover
- Stainless-steel-insert version sold as Closer Pets C500
- 3-year guarantee from Closer Pets
ViperScore breakdown
At a glance
- 5 rotating compartments, up to 11.5 oz each; wet or dry food
- Up to 4 scheduled meals, programmable up to 90 h ahead
- Twin ice packs keep wet food cool about 12 h; 3 x AA power
- Price$47.99
- TierBudget 5-meal rotating tray for wet or dry food
- Category rank#2 of 7
Should you buy the Cat Mate C500?
The Cat Mate C500 is the feeder for people who want scheduled wet food without Wi-Fi, an app or a power cord. Five rotating compartments each hold up to 11.5 ounces, twin ice packs keep the food cool for about 12 hours, and three AA batteries run it for about a year. It is an Amazon bestseller for good reason: it does one job cheaply. If you want refrigeration measured in days rather than hours, the PETLIBRO Polar is the step up.
Where it earns its score
- Best value in the category. Value scores 92, the highest mark in our pet feeder rankings, at $47.99 for five wet-or-dry meals.
- Works for a long weekend. Program up to 4 scheduled meals plus one immediate, up to 90 hours ahead.
- Dishwasher-safe. The lid and tray go in the dishwasher, and the snap-on cover resists a paw trying to pry it open.
- 3-year guarantee. Closer Pets backs it for three years, longer than most of the app-connected feeders here.
What to know first
- Ice packs, not a fridge. About 12 hours of cooling. Wet food left for day three is not going to be fresh.
- No low-battery warning. The AA cells last roughly a year, but nothing tells you when they are running down. Mark a calendar.
- Features score 64. No app, no camera, no portion logging. It is a timer on a tray.
- Plastic tray on the standard model. A stainless-steel-insert version is sold as the Closer Pets C500.
Our verdict
The Cat Mate C500 scores 81, a Good Buy, ranked #2 of 7 pet feeders. For a single wet-food cat and an owner who leaves for a day or two, it is the sensible purchase. If you need multi-day cooling and remote control, the PETLIBRO Polar at 80 does that for $199.00; for multi-cat homes where one cat steals food, the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder is the answer.
SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder
Questions buyers ask
How long does the Cat Mate C500 keep wet food cold?
About 12 hours with the two included ice packs. It is not refrigerated, so it suits overnight or a workday rather than several days.
Does the Cat Mate C500 need Wi-Fi?
No. It runs on three AA batteries with a digital timer and has no app or Wi-Fi connection.
How many meals can the Cat Mate C500 hold?
Five compartments of up to 11.5 ounces each: four scheduled meals plus one available immediately.
Ready to check it out?
Cat Mate C500 · ViperScore 81 · Good Buy · $47.99
How the other 6 pet feeders scored
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