Device for tracking the consumption of foodstuffs by an animal such as a mammal, for example a cat

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for tracking the consumption of foodstuffs by an animal, comprising: a front wall (34), a rear wall (58) and side walls (38, 56) defining therebetween a chamber (60),and an opening (46) formed in the front wall (34) in order to allow an animal to gain access to the chamber (60); a receptacle (1) in the chamber (60), defining a cavity (2) for storing foodstuffs; afoodstuff retrieval element (16, 18, 20, 22, 65a, 65b) for retrieving foodstuffs discharged from the cavity and not consumed by the animal, which element extends substantially from the cavity as faras one of the walls (34, 58, 38, 56); and a weighing system (64) which is configured to determine the weight of foodstuffs that have been taken from the cavity (2) and not retrieved by the retrieval element (16, 18, 20, 22, 65a, 65b) over a period of time.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a device for tracking the food consumption of an animal, preferably a domesticated mammal, preferably a cat or a dog, preferably a cat. Background technique [0002] There are many devices aimed at tracking the consumption of food (food or water) by animals. Such devices usually include a container for food and a scale for weighing the container and its possible contents. Based on the difference between two weights measured at different times by such a balance, the amount of food ingested by the animal can be estimated. [0003] However, most of these devices have the disadvantage of not allowing tracking of the food consumption of a single individual. In fact, by placing multiple individuals around the container, multiple individuals can simultaneously withdraw food or water located in the container, making it impossible to accurately estimate the amount of food ingested by each of these individuals. [0004] In ord...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, devices comprising such housings have the disadvantage that an animal that has entered the chamber and obtains food or water from a container arranged in the chamber may, due to an untimely movement, dislodge crumbs of the food or water in the chamber. Splashes of water droplets outside the container, so that these debris or water droplets are neither weighed by the balance nor ingested by the animal

However, the device of document WO2017 / 214698 has the disadvantage of not allowing weighing to be carried out during the feeding of the animal

With this device, it is therefore not possible to precisely track the kinetics of an animal's consumption during feeding

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