By Adrian Justins
Pet tech has moved beyond basic cameras that offer remote monitoring and collars that track canine adventures. Robot toys can now entertain dogs and cats while keeping you abreast of their actions, fixed cameras can dispense treats on command and connected litter trays and water fountains can improve animal wellbeing and flag potential health issues. Here are some of the latest gadgets that can reduce the hassle of owning pets and even improve their day-to-day lives.
Petcube Bites 2 Lite camera with treat dispenser, £149.95
Some dogs and cats cope better than others with being left alone. Petcube’s Bites 2 Lite camera with a treat dispenser lets you keep an eye on Rover or Felix from a smartphone app and speak to them through a built-in speaker. Treats can be pinged into the room on demand or scheduled to dispense automatically. Designed to sit on a tabletop or hang on a wall, the device has an HD camera with night vision, a wide viewing angle and digital zoom. A paid subscription adds real-time alerts based on sound and motion detection.
Enabot EBO Air 2 pet companion robot, £199
Like the Pet Cube above, the EBO Air 2 wireless camera robot — available from John Lewis — allows you to monitor your pet’s actions remotely on a phone app and communicate orally with them. It can’t give your pet an edible treat but, with wheels and 360-degree rotation, it can entertain them by moving around, talking or projecting a laser dot. Although it can’t climb stairs, the robot can track your hound or puss’s movement around the home and record their actions on an SD memory card. When the battery is low, it navigates back to its charging station using infrared scanning.
Litter-Robot 4 Connect smart litter tray, £749
By separating cat waste from clean litter after every use, this smart litter tray eliminates the need for daily, manual scooping. After your kitty has exited the tray, a cleaning cycle quietly sifts waste and drops clumps into a drawer for later disposal. Built-in weight sensors will pause the globe’s rotation if a cat enters the tray during a cleaning cycle. Data about your cat’s toilet habits is displayed in an app, which can help flag up any health concerns.
Petlibro Dockstream 2 Smart Cordless water fountain, £99.99
Another indicator of pet health is water consumption. This three-litre-capacity water fountain with filtration appeals to cats and dogs who enjoy drinking flowing rather than standing water. An optional subscription app tracks your pet’s water intake and alerts you to any changes in drinking habits. The app also sends a prompt when it’s time to change filters, refill the tank or clean the system. The fountain is battery powered — Petlibro claims it will last 30 days between charges — and uses a quiet induction pump to circulate the water.
Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Pet vacuum cleaner, £348
Poodle-owners aside, chances are your home will need a vacuum cleaner optimised for picking up pet hair. This Shark cordless model has specially engineered bristles in the pet brush head that use a chevron pattern to channel debris and draw hair towards anti-wrap combs at the centre. The cleaner automatically adjusts its brush-roll position and suction power to match the amount of debris and the surface underfoot, from hard floors to deep-pile carpet. When you’re done, the docking base automatically empties the cleaner into a sealed bin, helping to keep allergens and odours locked away.
