I have a couple of "le Bistro" automatic feeders which dispense one quarter cup (up to 2 cups) of dry food three times a day. It works ok if we're gone for a weekend, but seems to be too much food if we're gone for longer than that. all my kitties tend to eat more when we're gone, so they're definitely fatter when we get home. This doesn't work so well with the cat with food anxiety, who would eat until she popped if left to her own devices, but the cats with normal appetites soon return to normal eating habits when we come home.