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CNET
29-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
8 Amazing Pet Gadgets that Your Dog or Cat Will Love
From leaving home for work to planning trips or big weekends, we at CNET are always thinking about how to protect and care for our wonderful pets. If you're one of the 62% of Americans who own a pet, you're probably thinking the same. To find the best tech to keep your furry friends, happy and safe, we've tested dozens of toys, collars, cameras and accessories to please your pet. 1. Pet camera A camera that delivers treats is an endlessly useful pet gadget. Petcube I love my pet camera and consider it my number one must-have when it comes to caring for Walter, who has long dealt with separation anxiety. When we relocated from the Midwest to New York City, he had a hard time adjusting to a new space. Having a pet camera gave me much-needed peace of mind when we left him in the apartment, because I was able to see that when we left, he was relaxing on the couch rather than barking at the door, waiting for us to return. I use the Blink Mini camera as a simple way to view him throughout the day, but I recently had the opportunity to test the Petcube Cam 360 and Petcube Bites 2 Lite. These have been great additions because now that we've moved into a larger apartment, the Petcube Cam 360 covers much more space with its 360-degree rotation. Both Petcube cameras offer a crisper image, and I have loved being able to toss Walter a treat with the Petcube Bites 2 Lite camera. The built-in treat dispenser allows you to toss a treat on the Petcube app remotely from your phone. For being a usually timid dog, the noise the camera makes when it's preparing to toss the treat does not seem to bother him, and he's always happy to get a snack throughout the day. 2. GPS Collar Nowhere does it say that a tracking collar can't look cool, too. Tractive The number one responsibility in caring for our pets is to, well, keep track of them. There are numerous gadgets on the market that help us do this, and experts warn against using AirTags. Instead, they suggest safer alternatives, including microchipping your pet and investing in a GPS collar such as Tractive. Tractive offers both dog and cat collars that glow and track your pet's location and activity and can even send you health alerts if necessary. There are other options on the market too, and you can read our full review of the Petcube tracker here. 3. Smart pet door The Sure Flap lets you know when your pets have exited or entered the house. Sure Flap If you have a yard, you may love the idea of a cat or doggy door but may also be worried about letting other animals into your home. Sure Petcare has a solution. The SureFlap Microchip Pet Door scans your pet's microchip before letting them inside your home. One thing to keep in mind is that to get this smart pet door to work, you have to purchase a separate hub to connect the door to the necessary app. Sure Petcare offers a bundle with both for $369. 4. Automatic feeder This automatic pet feeder is both useful and aesthetically pleasing. Pet Libro Sometimes no matter how hard you try to plan, we just don't make it home in time to feed your pet by dinnertime. This is where an automatic feeder comes in handy. The Petlibro Air Automatic Dog & Cat Bowl Feeder is a highly-rated feeder that works for cats and dogs. The battery-operated feeder features a flashing light that will turn on when the feeder is low, so you never need to worry about a lapse in feeding. Whether you want to sleep in on weekends or keep your pet on a strict feeding schedule due to health concerns, an automatic feeder is a great option. 5. Heartbeat toy This toy can help with separation anxiety. Weok If you have a new pet or one with separation anxiety, a Weok heartbeat puppy toy might become your new best friend. Inside the stuffed animal is a device that mimics a heartbeat, which offers comfort to your pet when you're not home or if they are in a crate. Amazon reviewers say their pets love to snuggle with and sleep next to the stuffed animal. The battery-operated heartbeat can play for up to eight hours at a time. It can also be easily removed from the stuffed animal if you need to wash the toy. Read more: 7 Scientific Ways Your Pet Is Helping Your Mental Health 6. Electric ball launcher Now fetch can happen all day, every day.. Joyhound The Joyhound Electronic Ball Launcher is a great addition to your dog's toy box. It has an impressive launch range between 10 and 40 feet and comes with three tennis balls that are ideal for catching. If you have a highly energetic dog, it's a great way to help wear them out without wearing yourself out too. 7. Self-cleaning litter box Hate scooping litter? Whisker's Litter Robot enables you to bypass that chore Whisker Cleaning your cat's litter box doesn't have to be a chore now that self-cleaning litter boxes are on the market. Although they do boast a high price tag, the Whisker Litter-Robot 4 promises you'll never have to scoop again. In addition to self-cleaning, the litter box can help keep track of your cat's weight. One litter box can be used for up to four cats and is suitable for kittens. You can read our full review of Whisker Litter-Robot 4 here and decide if it's the right fit for you. 8. Pupsicle I'd gladly spend $20 on a toy that keeps my pup occupied for up to 30 minutes. Woof This might be the most analog of the gadgets on our list, but it might also be the one your dog loves best. The rolling treat cage comes in three sizes and is designed to keep your dog busy as it licks away at a peanut butter treat ball placed strategically in the center. My 12-pound terrier loves them and the Pupsicle keeps him in occupied for up to 20 minutes as he tries feverishly to get at the treat. The silicone ball easily unscrews to refill with a new treat ball made at home with special molds or bought premade by the bag full.
CNET
11-05-2025
- CNET
Your Pet Cam Questions Answered: Safety, Cost, Installation and More
With Amazon's big Pet Day sale on its way this week, it's the ideal time to think about adding tech like a pet cam to your home. When I talked to Andrey Klen, co-founder of Petcube, he mentioned how he uses his pet cam: "My Pomeranian has separation anxiety but honestly so do I. Leaving home for longer stretches of time gets tough for both of us. Interactive cameras prove to be very handy," he told me. "I chime in with real-time audio and some play time with treats." That's just the start of what pet cams can do: From Petcube and Furbo to PetSafe and Tapo, cameras of all kinds are made to watch over our four-legged friends. But that invites some health and safety concerns as well as advantages. Here's what you should know. Read more: The Best Pet Cams of 2025 Are pet cams safe for pets? Usually, yes. But every pet is different and some run into trouble with smart pet tech. We've seen instances of pets attacking or chewing on automated food dispensers, for instance. Smart pet cams, on the other hand, can cause anxiety in some pets. They may not recognize the voice coming through the speaker or they may see a moving camera as a threat while their owner is away. Because of this uncertainty, we suggest setting up a few scenarios with your pet. Try leaving a smartphone (on speaker settings) or smart display near your pet, then walk out of your home and make a video call so you can talk to and view your pet through the device. See if this agitates your pet or causes problems. Likewise, consider how your pet responds to the toaster, timed air purifier or (if you have one) robot vacuum. That's a good indication of how happy they'll be with a pet cam. When in doubt, ask a trusted vet for advice. Pet cams help keep tabs on pets but it's important to test your pet's reactions first. Getty Images Why would I connect a vet to my pet cam? Some pet cams offer subscriptions to 24/7 vet communication services, consultations or similar offerings. Overall, we don't think any of these vet services are necessary. You're far better off downloading a concerning video to your phone and showing it to your own vet, who knows your pet and can give in-person advice (or local emergency vet services, if necessary). An online vet consultation is unlikely to make much of a difference and we're concerned it could increase owner paranoia rather than helping out. Can a pet cam save recordings for me? It should. Saving videos is an important part of a pet cam, whether you want to post a cute clip on Instagram, prove the dog really did eat your homework or send your vet a video of a pet acting strangely. We'll discuss more options below in our recommendations but pet cams usually allow you to save footage through cloud video storage -- which can require a subscription -- or with local storage via a microSD card, etc. Pet cams can help some pets but make others anxious: Understand your pet's needs before you buy! Petcube Do pet cameras need to connect to Wi-Fi? Yes. Today's pet cams need to be connected to your Wi-Fi for remote viewing and control through their apps. Always put the cam in an area where you have a strong signal with your current Wi-Fi router. Is tossing treats from a device healthy for pets? On the positive side, tossing treats can help pets feel better if they suffer from separation anxiety and may even be used in distance training efforts. However, some pets will happily dig into a cam looking for the source of the treats, which can quickly lead to damage. Also, if your pet is on a diet plan or in danger of gaining too much weight, having their treats at your fingertips isn't a good idea for either of you. Where do I put a pet cam in my home? Most pet cams are designed to be placed on the floor or on low shelves. Some can be mounted to lower positions on the wall. Placement is about interactivity and treat launching: The closer to your pet, the higher the risk that pets may damage the cam but proximity is also important for interactivity. Give cams a good view of areas where pets can play -- or get into trouble, like the living room. Animal detection can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Google Are pet cams secure? Pet cam security isn't always equal to the security practices of larger home security brands (which can occasionally run into problems of their own). To keep your personal data private, we suggest sticking with companies that encrypt their data and using strong passwords on all your pet cam accounts. If you'd like to watch your rambunctious pet in an outdoor setting then swing by our list of the best outdoor home security cams too and our picks for the best wireless cams. And if pet cam prices are making you wince, take a look at the best cheap security cams.
CNET
08-05-2025
- CNET
The Best Early Deals For Furry Friends During Amazon Pet Day
Amazon Pet Day is May 13-14, one of the best times of the year to nab discounted pet devices and pet-friendly technology for your home. But where should you begin? First, check out our full pet cam FAQ to learn everything you should know about more advanced devices for our four-legged friends. Then we're rounding up some of the best pet product deals with early discounts that you can take advantage of now through May 14. These picks in particular caught the eyes of our CNET pet owners. Note: You do not need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to benefit from most Amazon Pet Day discounts. Petcube Bites 2 Lite Camera Petcube is a pet-watching, treat-dispensing device for your wall or table. PetCube/Amazon This Petcube line has caught our eye before and is now available for 10% off on Amazon, dropping the price below $100. That's pretty good for a pet cam that offers night vision, two-way audio, treat-tossing and sound/motion alerts. It also includes an 8x zoom to see what Fido is chewing on and AI to limit detection to people and animals. Plus, you can mount it to a wall so pets can't knock it over, a relatively rare feature in pet cams. Veterinarian Joanne Fernandez, a Petcube expert, highlighted some uses I hadn't encountered. "In my veterinary practice and personal life, I've found pet cameras to be invaluable tools. Some of my clients and telemedicine clients have cameras in their living room to monitor their senior pet with mild separation anxiety," she said. "They can see if their pet is resting comfortably rather than pacing anxiously." This deal is just the start of what Petcube has planned for closer to Amazon Pet Day. Keep an eye out for sizable discounts on its handy GPS tracker as well as its super-compact 360-degree pet cam. We've tested both and like them. Read more: Best Home Pet Cams of 2025, Expert Tested Neakasa M1 Open-Top Self-Cleaning Litter Box This self-cleaning litter box is an open design and has its own trash bag system. Neakasa Self-cleaning litter boxes have a habit of being expensive but 20% off on this high-tech model makes it significantly more affordable for cat lovers who want to invest. From app controls to built-in trash bags, there's not much this smart litter box can't do. Two things in particular made us choose this discounted model. First, it's larger so even bigger, fluffier cats can use it, where many self-cleaning boxes are on the small side. Second, we've known cats who will only use an open-top litter box so it's nice seeing one when these models are usually enclosed. Furbo 360-Degree Camera Furbo's fun AI and 360-cam are a great combo. Furbo/CNET We like the expansive and often creative AI Furbo uses to give owners its best guess at what pets are doing (not always accurate, but frequently useful and sometimes hilarious). This model, at an excellent 45% off, combines that AI with a panning cam, two-way speaker and treat dispenser, available in dog and cat varieties. The trick is that, for this low cam cost, you will need to add a Furbo Nanny subscription to unlock key features, which starts at about $5.30 per month. Petlibro Cat Water Fountain This wireless fountain doesn't have cords to chew. Petlibro Fresh water is vital for cat health but getting them to drink it isn't always easy. This wireless water fountain recharges when plugged in then keeps water flowing for picky cats and small dogs. At 37% off, it's also quite affordable. The fountain holds 2.5 liters of water, is BPA free and features a stainless steel interior for easier cleaning. Also, the cordless design means there are no electrical cables to chew through. Just remember to keep it charged. PetSafe Smart Feed Electronic Feeder PetSafe's feeder can schedule up to 12 events. PetSafe Pets on a diet or who like regular feeding times even when pet parents aren't home benefit greatly from automated feeders. At 13% off, you can save some money while shaving some pounds off your pet. It supports app scheduling that you can plan with your vet for the best health results, planning up to 12 meals and snack moments. This model caught our eye for its surprising compatibility, featuring support for Alexa plus compatibility for Apple and Android phones for remote management. It also has backup batteries to keep working when the power is out and a stainless steel design that's made to be "flip proof" (although we haven't tested that part with rambunctious dogs).
