Introduction: Fun Food Dispenser for Cats.

My cat Trinity loves her cat biscuit dispenser. She makes the biscuits come out all by herself and has a lot of fun in the process. It is purr-fect in her opinion. It is a tidy looking unit that can be made to any length to fit any space on a wall or cupboard in the house. The only working part (apart from the cat) is the elastic which is easily replaced. It is also extremely durable and largely weather-proof so we have one in the garden (the one shown in the instructions). Ants are not a problem. We just carefully cover the unit with plastic and surface insect spray on the wall and floor and there are no problems for weeks.

I "invented" the feeder after I watched Trinity playing with a plastic golf ball. However, nothing is new I guess. I saw just before I posted this instructable, one by biker_trash_1340 posted in 2009 with credit to a book by Tom Fox. A lot of people liked that idea so I hope you like this one as well.

Step 1: Everything You Need. the Feeder Cost Me Less Than $15 and Took Me Less Than 15 Minutes to Make.

  • 4 x screws
  • 1 x 150mm x 3.6mm cable tie
  • 4 x feathers
  • 1 x hollow plastic golf ball
  • 1 metre length x 3mm dress elastic
  • 1 x 25mm PVC elbow (45 degree angle)
  • 1 x 25mm PVC end cap
  • 1 metre length x 25mm PVC pipe
  • 2 x 25mm saddle clips
  • 1 x square container (round is OK but square stops spillage of biscuits at the wall)
  • cat biscuits

If you want a shorter unit you can buy a shorter length of PVC pipe or cut one to suit using a hacksaw.

Step 2: Making the Unit.

  • Put the elbow onto one end of the pipe.
  • Tie one end of the elastic to the golf ball and the other end to the cable tie.
  • Drop the cable tie into the elbow end of the pipe and pull through so the ball sits in the elbow.
  • Pull the cable tie and elastic over the other end of the pipe.
  • Fit the end cap. This is your lid and where you will drop the biscuits into the pipe so don't make it too tight.
  • Fasten the cable tie just below the end cap and cut off the excess so it looks neat.

Step 3: Fix Your Finished Feeder to a Wall or Cupboard or Garden Post.

  • Fix the feathers into the golf ball. I just poke them straight into one of the side holes. Half the fun for Trinity is making those feathers fly!
  • Use the saddle clips to screw the unit to a wall or cupboard or garden post. Make sure it is not too tight at the top as you need to take the end cap off to pour the biscuits in.
  • Fill the feeder with biscuits and place the bowl underneath.
  • Gently pull on the golf ball and show your cat how FUN equals FOOD!

The inside feeder is shorter, with a yellow ball and crazy pieces added from old toys to make it even more thrilling!