Owners of smart pet-feeding device Petnet were told to “feed their pets manually” after a server problem stopped the device from working.
Petnet allows owners to schedule and control feeding via a smartphone app.
Adam Simon, an analyst with research company Context, said it was important users “always had a manual back-up” for smart systems.
“Increasingly, people are becoming dependent on these smart objects, and that could become a problem,” he said.
“In this case, your pet could be left hungry.”
Petnet, which now says all systems are back online, had previously told customers: “We are experiencing some difficulties with one of our third-party services.
“This is currently being investigated, and we will provide you with more information as we receive it from our partners.
“You may experience a loss of scheduled feed and failed remote feedings.
“Please ensure that your pets have been fed manually until we have resolved this issue.”
-bbc