Cat Mate C3000 Automatic Dry Food Pet Feeder

Introduction

The Cat Mate Electronic Pet Feeder allows you to program up to 3 meals over a 24-hour period, with each meal dispensed in units of approximately 10g (1/3 oz). You can also serve meals in advance or on demand. A 'frequent feeding' option is available for pets with specific dietary requirements, dispensing a programmed meal over a longer period.

For security, control buttons require firm pressure. If setup is abandoned, the system will time out after 60 seconds. The feeder is made from quality materials and is recommended to be supervised for at least 3 days before full reliance. The feeder makes a noise during operation, which pets will adapt to. It is designed for dry food with a maximum size of 16mm (5/8"). Ensure adequate water and toilet arrangements when leaving pets unattended.

Fitting the Batteries

1. Lift the hopper out of the base unit.

2. Invert the base unit and remove the battery cover by releasing the retaining clip (refer to Figure 3).

3. Insert 4 good quality alkaline 'C' batteries, observing the orientation symbols marked inside the battery compartment. Replace the battery cover.

Setting the Clock

1. Press and hold the 'TIME' button for 5 seconds until the hour figure on the clock starts to flash.

2. Press the '+' or '-' buttons to adjust the hour. Hold either button for longer than 3 seconds to scroll faster.

3. Press the 'TIME' button again; the minute figure will flash. Adjust the minutes using the '+' or '-' buttons.

4. Press the 'TIME' button to save the setting.

5. To change between 12-hour (AM/PM) and 24-hour formats, press and hold the 'TIME' button, then press the '+' button within 3 seconds.

Wait 60 seconds for the display to stop flashing and the clock to set (refer to Figure 2) before proceeding.

Assembling the Pet Feeder

1. Open the hopper lid (refer to Figure 4) and remove the feeding bowl, feeding nozzle, and feeding mechanism.

2. Push the nozzle into the front aperture at the base of the hopper (refer to Figure 5), ensuring the opening faces downwards.

3. Carefully insert the feeding mechanism into the rear aperture at the base of the hopper (refer to Figure 6) until the retaining clip clicks into place. Fit the assembled hopper to the base unit.

4. Fit the feeding bowl by locating the tab at the back of the bowl into the base unit and clicking the sprung clips on either side of the bowl into position (refer to Figure 7).

Calculation of Daily Feed Units

Check your dry food packaging for the 'Daily Feeding Guide' to determine the correct quantity for your pet's health. Overfeeding can be detrimental and costly.

To calculate daily feed units:

1. Fill the hopper with more dry food than a daily amount (maximum 10 days' supply recommended for freshness).
2. To calibrate the feeder's unit system: Press and hold the 'FEED' button, then within 3 seconds, press and hold the '+' button until '10' is displayed. When feeding stops, press 'TIME' to show the clock. Return dispensed food to the hopper.
3. Repeat step 5.2, holding both buttons until the required daily amount of food is dispensed into the bowl. Release buttons; the feeder will complete the current unit. Note the number of feed units displayed on the LCD. The display will revert to the clock after 60 seconds.
4. Weigh the dispensed food and compare it to the 'Daily Feeding Guide' on your food packaging. If the weight is correct, the noted number of feed units is your pet's daily requirement. If incorrect, return food to the hopper and repeat step 5.3, adjusting the feed unit count on the LCD to increase or decrease the dispensed amount.

Setting Meal Sizes

Decide how to divide your pet's daily feed units across programmed meal times (e.g., 20 units daily can be 6 AM, 8 PM, 6 Night). The 'Frequent Feed' option (Section 13) is an alternative.

To set meal sizes:

1. Press and hold the 'FEED' button for 5 seconds. The letter 'F' next to '00' will flash on the display (refer to Figure 8).
2. Press the '+' or '-' buttons to set the number of feed units for this meal.
3. Press 'FEED' again to set sizes for MEAL 2 and MEAL 3.

NOTE: Setting units to '00' disables that meal. The meal indicator will not be displayed.

Press 'FEED' to save all meal size settings. The clock and meal indicators will appear; the indicator for the next meal will flash.

Reviewing Meal Sizes

When the clock indicator is showing:

1. Press the 'FEED' button to view MEAL 1 programmed units (for 60 seconds).
2. Press 'FEED' again within 60 seconds to view MEAL 2, then MEAL 3 units.
3. Press 'FEED' again to return to the clock display.

Setting Meal Times

(Not required for Frequent Feeding option; see Section 13)

1. Press and hold the 'TIME' button for 5 seconds until the hour figure flashes.
2. Press the 'TIME' button twice; the hour figure and 'MEAL 1' indicator will flash.
3. Set the meal time using '+', '-', and 'TIME' buttons for hours and minutes.
4. Press 'TIME' when the desired meal time is displayed. Repeat for MEAL 2 and MEAL 3.

NOTE: Settings for MEAL 2 and MEAL 3 are not critical if only one or two meals per day are required.

Press 'TIME' repeatedly to save all meal time settings.

Reviewing Meal Times

When the clock indicator is showing:

1. Press the 'TIME' button to view the programmed time for MEAL 1.
2. Press 'TIME' again within 60 seconds to view MEAL 2, then MEAL 3 times.
3. Press 'TIME' again to return to the clock display.

Extra Feed

To serve additional food units at any time, press and hold the 'FEED' and '+' buttons together. The feeder will dispense one unit. Hold both buttons for multiple units; the LCD will show the total units dispensed. Release both buttons to complete the current unit.

Advance Feed

To serve a programmed meal earlier, press and hold the 'FEED' and '-' buttons together. The feeder will dispense the next programmed meal. You may only advance meals programmed for the same day.

Manual Feed

This function allows dispensing a predetermined amount of food without programming meal times.

1. Calculate the number of feed units per meal (Section 5).
2. Set 'MEAL 1' with the number of feed units (Section 6.1).
3. While 'MEAL 1' flashes, press and hold '+' and '-' buttons together for 5 seconds until 'OFF' is displayed (refer to Figure 9).

Now, pressing and holding the 'FEED' button for 5 seconds will dispense the programmed 'MEAL 1'.

To turn the feeder back on: Press and hold the '+' and '-' buttons together for 5 seconds.

Frequent Feed

This function allows daily feed units to be served at regular intervals between programmed start and finish times.

1. Press and hold the 'TIME' and 'FEED' buttons together for 5 seconds until the 'F' indicator appears (refer to Figure 2).
2. Press and hold the 'TIME' button for 5 seconds until the hour figure flashes.
3. Press the 'TIME' button twice; the hour figure and 'MEAL 1' (start time) indicator will flash.
4. Set the start time using '+', '-', and 'TIME' buttons for hours and minutes.
5. Press 'TIME'. The 'MEAL 3' (finish time) indicator will flash. Repeat step 13.4 to set the finish time.
6. Press the 'TIME' button. 'F' next to '00' will flash (refer to Figure 8). Set the total daily feed units using '+' or '-'.
7. Press 'TIME' to save settings.

The LCD will show the clock, 'Frequent Feed', 'MEAL 1', and 'MEAL 3' indicators. To review, press 'TIME' once for start time, again for finish time, again for feed units, and finally to return to the clock.

To return to standard operation, press and hold 'TIME' and 'FEED' together for 5 seconds. The 'Frequent Feed' indicator will disappear.

Turning the Feeder Off and On

To turn off the feeder and keep programmed settings: Press and hold the '+' and '-' buttons together for 5 seconds until 'OFF' is displayed (refer to Figure 9).

To turn the feeder back on: Press and hold the '+' and '-' buttons together for 5 seconds until the clock and meal indicators are displayed.

Changing the Batteries

Replace batteries when the low battery indicator flashes. Good quality alkaline batteries typically last about 12 months.

IMPORTANT: Replace all batteries within 60 seconds to retain clock and meal settings. Do not press any buttons during battery replacement, as this will reset the unit.

Securing the Feeder to a Board

To prevent pets from interfering with the feeder, it is recommended to screw it to a wooden board. Follow these steps for secure mounting:

1. Place the base unit on the board and trace its outline (refer to Figure 10).
2. Draw a centre line and mark screw positions (refer to Figure 11).
3. Screw in a suitable screw (refer to Figure 12), leaving a 25mm (1") gap between the board and the screw head for easy removal.
4. Position the base unit onto the screw and slide it into the fastened position (refer to Figure 13).
5. Align the base unit and mark front screw positions at the narrowest end of screw holes (refer to Figure 14).
6. Remove the base unit. Apply two more screws (as specified in 16.3) and reattach the base unit. These screws can be tightened further for a more secure fit.

Cleaning

The hopper, hopper lid, feeding bowl, and feeding mechanism (F) are dishwasher safe. Clean the base unit with a damp cloth only; detergents and polishes may cause damage.

1. Remove the feeding bowl by holding the sprung clips on either side and pulling the bowl away (refer to Figure 15).
2. Remove the feeding mechanism by releasing the retaining clip (refer to Figure 16).

Troubleshooting

Feeder Blockage

If the feeder jams, the base unit has an automatic clearing function. If it fails, the entire LCD screen will flash. Manually clear the blockage:

• Lift the hopper out of the base unit.
• Rotate the feeding mechanism by hand (refer to Figure 17) until food moves freely.

NOTE: Replace batteries before reassembling. Consider using a different food type less prone to jamming.

Reassemble the feeder and press the 'TIME' button to stop the display flashing and resume normal operation.

Display Non-responsive

If the display becomes non-responsive, wait 3 minutes before pressing buttons. If functionality is not restored, remove batteries for 5 minutes, then replace and reprogram the feeder.

Guarantee

Pet Mate Ltd. guarantees this product for 3 years from the date of purchase, subject to proof of purchase. The guarantee covers defects due to faulty materials or manufacture. Defective items will be repaired or replaced at the manufacturer's discretion, provided the defect was not caused by neglect, misuse, or normal wear and tear. Your statutory rights are not affected.