What to Look for in the Best Pet Cameras

Do you run into trouble every time you leave your pets home alone? Then maybe it’s time to consider a pet camera.

Pet cameras enable you to monitor your pet when you are out of the house. They show you how your cats or dogs are doing on their own, and confirm that your pets are staying out of trouble - or not. Many of them also give you a way to intervene in your pet's behavior without dashing home.

Pet cameras come in a range of prices. They have features that range from HD video streaming for Apple and Android to remote-controlled pet treat and aromatherapy dispensers. They can be set up so that you can see and hear your pet - and your pet can see and hear you. These digital wonders can cost as little as $2 and as much as $500.

With such a dazzling variety of features in a very competitive market, it can be hard to choose the pet camera that works best for you. In this article, we will tell you five things to look for in the best pet cameras, and the brands that provide those features.

The Most Affordable Pet Camera

Many of us love our pets like family, but we don't have unlimited room in the budget to spend on them. And if you are trying out pet cameras for the first time, you really don't want to bust the budget until you are sure what works well for you.

One of the most affordable pet cameras that doesn't sacrifice any important features is the Little Indoor Smart Camera. It usually retails for US $24.

The Little Indoor Smart Camera comes equipped with 1080-pixel HD, two-way audio, noise canceling technology, motion detection, cloud storage, unlimited sharing, and an infrared LED lamp that allows you to see what's going on at night. It features motion-tracking technology, it is Alexa-compatible, and provides automatic alerts.

This pet camera can be left freestanding or mounted on a wall. It rotates, but, unlike higher-end, more expensive cameras, only manually. You cannot redirect the camera by remote control, and it won’t give you 360-degree coverage of your pet.

360-Degree Coverage

When you are using a pet camera as a pet sitter, you'll quickly discover that pets don't conveniently sit in front of the camera all day long. They nap, they play, and they explore every nook and cranny of every room open to them. Really keeping up with your pet requires 360-degree coverage of the room where you place the camera.

The YI Dome Camera 1080p offers nearly 360-degree coverage with almost no blind spots. It detects your pet's motion. Motion detection works even when the lens is not pointed at your pet. The camera swivels around to take high-definition, color video of everything your pet is doing, then uploads the video footage to the YI cloud, which comes with unlimited storage.

The Heimvision Indoor Pet Camera takes 360-degree functionality to the next step. It produces exceptionally clear and sharp 2K video, and has a 4X zoom function to focus in on your pet. You can control the direction and tilt of the camera right from your smartphone. And if your pet is not in the same room as your camera, you can call them over to your camera to say hello.

To save energy, the Heimvision Indoor Pet Camera is only activated when you’re monitoring it through your smartphone. However, you can set it to record video to a card you insert into the base of the camera, or into the cloud. This product is Alexa-compatible.

Features to Interact with Your Pet - Furbo & PetChatz

Most cameras allow you to see and hear your pets, and allow your pets to see and hear you. But some cameras allow you to interact with your pets through scents and food.

PetChatz HDX is one pet camera that can give your pets a complete interactive entertainment experience while you are out. When you choose the PAWCall option, your pet can initiate a video chat with you by stepping on a pressure-sensitive button. There is also an add-on for a subscription to DOGTV so you can use your camera to play anxiety-reducing videos while you are out.

You can remotely activate this camera to dispense treats and aromatherapy, too. But the Furbo Treat Tossing Dog Camera takes this idea to the next level. With the Furbo Dog Camera, you can toss your dog a treat, work off their excess energy, and give your canine a robot playmate. This camera also has a barking alert to let you know when your dog barks.

Another cool feature of this popular dog treat camera is the doggy diary, which records your dog's day and puts it into an album for you to view later.

What About a Cat Camera?

Cats are definitely more independent than dogs. That doesn't mean they can't get bored.

The Vstarcam Laser Cat Camera comes with a laser pointer to keep your cat entertained while you aren't around. The camera itself can rotate 355° horizontally and 110° vertically, making it perfect to leave on a coffee table or end table for easy monitoring while you are away.

When you want to interact with your cat, you can activate the camera's laser toy from your smartphone. You can play with your cat, talk with your cat, and listen to your cat, all on your phone.

You Can Even Automate Playtime with PetCube

The reality is that most of us can't interrupt our workday for virtual playtime with our pets. Fortunately, there is technology that can provide your dog or cat with the next best thing!

PetCube Play 2 features an automated, animal-safe laser pointer. You can operate the laser pointer manually, or you can program the camera to activate the laser for scheduled playtimes. The camera uses AI to know when to take a snapshot of your pet's facial expressions throughout the day and records a daily diary in cloud storage that will be available for replay when you get home.