MegaEsophagus Feeder For Small Cat

thingiverse

I quickly created this design for a feeding system that assists cats with megaesophagus, an abnormal enlargement of the esophagus preventing them from consuming food without gravity's help. A friend approached me on behalf of her aunt, who rescues kittens but can't afford a specialized device. This device utilizes arm and attachment elements from the Modular Mounting System paired with a custom mount for a small food bowl. It requires 4 M5 x 20 screws and hex nuts to assemble. I recommend purchasing these components from your local hardware store instead of printing them, as they cost approximately $2 and offer superior strength. Printed at a resolution of 0.15 mm with 10-15% infill using Monoprice filament, this device will soon be joined by an easier-to-remove version from the print bed. The joints are somewhat tight due to my printer's inaccuracy. To avoid connection end snapping like I experienced, it is advisable to print the arms at maximum infill. Future enhancements may include a laser-cut version or alternative patterns for cutting out of material. This prototype took 24 hours and 300g of filament to print alone.