The trend of connecting every household appliance to the internet has hit a breaking point. Petlibro users are currently reporting that their automated pet feeders have stopped functioning, leaving cats without food while owners are away from home. The outage, which began on August 11, has forced many pet owners to worry about the health and safety of their animals as the scheduled feeding mechanisms failed to execute.
Petlibro CEO York Wu initially claimed that feeding schedules are stored locally on the devices and should operate without an active internet connection. Despite this assurance, numerous users reported that their units remained unresponsive or missed meals entirely. This situation highlights a common frustration for consumers who are forced into smart-home ecosystems that rely on external servers to perform basic, essential tasks.
In a recent update, the company acknowledged the reports and stated they are working to resolve the issue while expanding their support staff. However, customers remain critical of the response. Many users express that the technical reliance on cloud-based commands for something as simple as dispensing dry food introduces unnecessary risks. For many, this event serves as a sharp reminder that smart home convenience often comes at the cost of basic device reliability.