DIY RFID Cat Feeder Hack – Smart Fix for Cat Diet Chaos

Our three senior felines Panther, Tiny, and Chubby, aren’t just cats; they’re the ruling class of our home. It’s essentially an aristo-catic retirement community.

Panther, despite his age, still zooms around like he’s training for the Kitten Olympics. Tiny, the queen of ailments (joint pain, UTIs, ear mites, allergies), demands a level of geriatric care that rivals a luxury spa with medical benefits. And then there’s Chubby, who was cruising along just fine… until he decided to spice things up with a dramatic health plot twist.

The Pee-nomenon: Chubby’s Crimson Crisis

Chubby has never accepted his own size. When he sits on your lap, he performs a 15-minute fidget routine, convinced that one more adjustment will magically shrink him to kitten proportions. The litter box was another blind spot, he thought he was in it. He was not. We resorted to absorbent pads to catch his frequent misses, and since he’s always been a heavy drinker, as well as a big boy, the sheer volume of urine never raised alarms.

Until one day, the pads collected a disturbing amount of blood-tinged pee, and we were off to the vet.

Diagnosis: UTI and early-stage kidney disease. Poor guy. We got renal support food, antibiotics, and a new hobby… vet visits. The infection cleared, but the blood returned. Now, he’s on an exclusive (and expensive) blend of kidney and urinary prescription food with no substitutions, and no sharing.

Food Wars: The Battle of the Bowls

For years, our cats operated on a strict “sharing is caring” policy, or more accurately, “I’ll eat yours because it might be 0.2% better.” They were also nocturnal snackers, kept content by automatic feeders so we could, you know, sleep.

But now mealtime had become a tactical operation.

Chubby’s food is off-limits (prescription only). Tiny is usually on a “hydration is life” wet-food diet. And Panther? Dry food purist, unless he’s suddenly in the mood for wet. Without a system, we were full-time butlers, sliding meals under royal chins and vanishing scraps before any sharing occurred.

“Why not just separate them at night?”

Because they’d yowl like we were sentencing them to cat prison. Plus, they’d each need a litter box in the guest rooms. No. These ranch-born freedom seekers were already adjusting to suburban life and we needed a better solution.

Mission Impawsible: The RFID Rescue

Luckily, Darius had the skills to engineer our way out. After discovering that pre-made Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) feeders come at an extravagant cost, especially if we needed three, he decided to build some himself. Panther helped.

The development phase was… exhausting. For months, we played “royal food servants,” feeding each cat on command. And let’s not forget nightly disturbed sleeps due to being mauled by ravenous tigers early each morning.

But finally the invention was ready!! Here’s how it works:

Each cat gets a personalized microchip tag, in a holder on their collar.
Cat steps onto the platform → tag signals the personal lid to open.
Motion sensor ensures the lid doesn’t smack them on the head mid-snack.
Cat eats, then strolls away like it’s no big deal.

The Results: Mixed Success (Because they’re cats)

Panther mastered the system in under 48 hours and resumed his personal dining routine. Chubby surprised us by catching on quickly, after a brief “WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!” phase. Tiny removed her collar in 10 seconds flat and remains a holdout, preferring to demand meals like the wee princess she is.

Still, two out of three self-sufficient cats mean our sleep is (mostly) restored.

Final Thought: If you ever feel outmatched by your pets, remember somewhere, someone is hand-feeding a cat at 3 AM because it “might be hungry.”

Important Lessons & Vet-Approved Insights

Blood in Urine – This is always a red flag and requires immediate veterinary attention. While a urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most likely cause, persistent blood after treatment warrants further investigation of the urinary tract and kidneys.
Excessive Drinking & Urination – What may seem like normal behavior over time—especially in larger cats—could actually signal an underlying issue. Early veterinary consultation is recommended.
Prescription Pet Food – These diets are formulated for specific health conditions and should not be shared with other pets. While healthy cats eating small amounts accidentally on rare occasions isn’t a major concern, regular consumption could lead to health problems.
Dry Food & Hydration – Cats with urinary issues often struggle with dry food. Adding water to their kibble is an easy adjustment most cats accept, and it helps support their hydration.
Peeing Outside the Litter Box – This isn’t always a sign of illness, but it is a form of communication. Your cat could be expressing discomfort with the litter box’s location, cleanliness, or something else. Pay attention to their cues—they might be telling you something.