Ding, ding, ding! Dinner is served. Fresh out of the cold can.
Petlibro, a pet tech startup that designs automatic food and water dispensers for cats, launched its first refrigerated smart feeder on Thursday. The company’s new “Polar Wet Food Feeder” aims to solve a well-known problem among pet owners: how to keep their cat’s wet food fresh while they are away.
Although dry cat food may last longer, scientists have hypothesized that cats prefer wet food because it is similar to their natural diet. Additionally, some pet owners shy away from dry kibble due to its high carbohydrate content. However, leaving wet food outside while out of town can lead to bacterial growth and spoilage. Owners can now ditch the ice packs and rest assured that their pampered cats are getting fresh food that won’t make them sick.
“The value of incorporating wet food into a cat’s diet cannot be underestimated, especially when it comes to weight management, digestion, urinary tract health, etc. ” said Christie Long, chief medical officer of Modern Animal, in a statement. “What Petlibro has developed in Polar makes all the difference for cats and pet parents.”
Image credits: Petlibro
Polar has three compartments and can hold up to 22.2 ounces of food (7.4 ounces per serving), allowing owners to be away for up to 72 hours without the need for a pet sitter. Thanks to semiconductor cooling technology, the device keeps food cool (30-50°F). Additionally, the bowl trays are made of BPA-free plastic and are dishwasher safe.
The accompanying mobile app allows owners to control the WiFi-enabled smart charger via iOS and Android devices. They can personalize their pet’s feeding schedule and be notified when the cat starts eating, using motion detection technology. It’s also worth noting that if a user’s WiFi turns off while they’re out of town, the app will notify them that the device is offline. In the event of a power outage, Polar will keep food cold for 12 hours.
Over the course of a week of testing, we found that the app was reliable and never missed a meal time. Fortunately, the device isn’t too loud, only emitting a low hum that can be easily ignored while sleeping at night. One downside is the three compartments, which could be a problem for owners who feed their pets more than twice a day. Similar products we found on Indiegogo – Catsomat and Happy Llama Tech – have double the number of compartments.
Polar costs $129.99 and is available for purchase on petlibro.com and Amazon.
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The first timed feeding device for pets dates back to the 1940s. Meanwhile, an automatic horse feeder was invented in 1997. Decades later, it is time for modern technology companies to come up with advanced refrigerated devices for cats.
While a large portion of cat owners purchase wet food, Petlibro’s new product is aimed at a growing market. The wet pet food industry will reach approximately $35 billion in 2023 (cat food accounts for 61% of the total market.) According to Petlibro’s own data, customers have strongly demanded an automated refrigerated feeder. Of more than 900 survey participants, 56% of cat parents said the biggest downside to using wet food is maintaining freshness.
“When we look at the pet tech industry, there’s not a lot of innovation,” Petlibro founder and CEO York Wu told TechCrunch. “We spent a few years refining the concept (of Polar), developing the product with testing to make sure it was safe…I think it’s a game changer in the way people feed their pets company.”
Since selling its first product in late 2022, Petlibro has sold more than three million devices. The company has sold more than 1 million units in 2023 alone.
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