Innovation
We also found some devices similar to ours online - the Wireless Whiskers Feeder, and the Q-Pets 6 Meal Feeder. However, both of these have huge flaws. The Wireless Whiskers Feeder only has 1 bowl! It can't feed 2 cats different foods. Even if it was used only for maintaining a diet, each cat should have an individual bowl, as the ASPCA book says. It also costs a ridiculous $169.99!
The Q-Pets 6 Meal Feeder doesn't control which cat eats which food. It may be able to put a cat on a diet, but it can't provide the main purpose of our prototype.
The Q-Pets 6 Meal Feeder doesn't control which cat eats which food. It may be able to put a cat on a diet, but it can't provide the main purpose of our prototype.
Initial Research
Before the Animal Allies season began, we visited a local animal shelter, where we interviewed volunteer Miranda Hitchhock. She told us about some problems at the shelter for us to consider.
We went on a trip to the zoo, where we talked with a volunteer about coral and fish species, and problems which affect them.
After this, we reached out to Tufts University, which has an impressive area in anthrozoology. They recommended a conference in Maryland that could be useful to us - the Animal Biotech Summit. There, we interviewed four different professionals and attended a panel discussion.
We went on a trip to the zoo, where we talked with a volunteer about coral and fish species, and problems which affect them.
After this, we reached out to Tufts University, which has an impressive area in anthrozoology. They recommended a conference in Maryland that could be useful to us - the Animal Biotech Summit. There, we interviewed four different professionals and attended a panel discussion.
Survey
We conducted a survey to determine the number of people our project affects.
https://goo.gl/forms/Id1CO87eUj6kDddz2
We asked how people feed pets when they are on different foods. Here are some of the responses we received.
"same food and maybe they should have had different foods..."
"We just let them eat the same food. One of our adult cats got fat on kitten food."
"Given the same food even though they maybe should have had different food."
"Always on same food - too hard to feed two cats different food!"
We have so far received 70 responses, and many of those who say they have multiple cats have said that this is a problem for them. We hope to receive more responses soon. Set a minute aside to take the survey!
https://goo.gl/forms/Id1CO87eUj6kDddz2
We asked how people feed pets when they are on different foods. Here are some of the responses we received.
"same food and maybe they should have had different foods..."
"We just let them eat the same food. One of our adult cats got fat on kitten food."
"Given the same food even though they maybe should have had different food."
"Always on same food - too hard to feed two cats different food!"
We have so far received 70 responses, and many of those who say they have multiple cats have said that this is a problem for them. We hope to receive more responses soon. Set a minute aside to take the survey!
Book Research
We read The Humane Society of the United States of America Complete Guide to Care Care. This book gave advice on feeding cats, which we took into account when planning our prototype. We also read the ASPCA Complete Cat Care Manual. We learned that:
- NEVER feed a cat food intened for another pet
- An overweight cat has a shorter life expectancy
- Each cat should have its own food bowl
- It's best to feed your cat at the same time each day
- Between 20 - 50% of cats are overweight, and another 5 - 15% are obese
- Gradual diets are essential
- Obese cats are prone to many diseases
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Much, much more
- NEVER feed a cat food intened for another pet
- An overweight cat has a shorter life expectancy
- Each cat should have its own food bowl
- It's best to feed your cat at the same time each day
- Between 20 - 50% of cats are overweight, and another 5 - 15% are obese
- Gradual diets are essential
- Obese cats are prone to many diseases
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Hypertension
- Much, much more
Professi0nals
We interviewed Dr. Yody Blass. We contacted her, and then held a phone conversation with her.
She gave us some helpful ideas after we shared our idea. She recommended that we use a small noise when food is dispensed to disguise the sound of motors. She reminded us that cats HAVE TO lose weight slowly - a fast diet could kill a pet.
When asked if this could work with different pets, she thought that it might work with small dogs - with larger animals, it may work, if the product is upsized.
Dr. Solomon Perl also consented to talk with us. He was very impressed by our project. He, like Dr. Blass, agreed that it has potential with some dogs. He warned that the cat would be annoyed if the feeder doesn't dispense food when it is wanted, and that the cat may pester the humans.
He advised us on how to determine if a cat is overweight. You look at the cat's waist, and if it's not visible, then the cat is overweight. If the ribs can be seen, the cat is too skinny. We then used this information in our survey.
She gave us some helpful ideas after we shared our idea. She recommended that we use a small noise when food is dispensed to disguise the sound of motors. She reminded us that cats HAVE TO lose weight slowly - a fast diet could kill a pet.
When asked if this could work with different pets, she thought that it might work with small dogs - with larger animals, it may work, if the product is upsized.
Dr. Solomon Perl also consented to talk with us. He was very impressed by our project. He, like Dr. Blass, agreed that it has potential with some dogs. He warned that the cat would be annoyed if the feeder doesn't dispense food when it is wanted, and that the cat may pester the humans.
He advised us on how to determine if a cat is overweight. You look at the cat's waist, and if it's not visible, then the cat is overweight. If the ribs can be seen, the cat is too skinny. We then used this information in our survey.