5 Best Pet Cameras
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Pets are like family members, so leaving them at home can be one of the more difficult parts of the day. Pet cameras can help ease the separation by giving you a live look into your pet’s day while you’re out and about. These home security cameras come with a variety of features, ranging from HD video streaming to remote treat dispensers.
With such a competitive market for pet cameras, selecting the right one for your pet can be daunting. We did the work for you, searching the market for pet cameras that range from simple to interactive video cameras. In this review, our team looks into the features, pricing, and specifications of the five best pet cameras on the market, so you can decide which one fits your home security needs.
Petcube Bites 2
The Petcube Bites 2 camera lets you watch your pet through HD-quality video streaming. With two-way audio and a built-in treat dispenser, Petcube gives you the luxury of talking and playing with your pet no matter where you are.
What we like:
- 1080p HD camera
- Interactive built-in treat dispenser
- One-year limited warranty
Triggered by sound and motion detection, the camera captures your pet’s activities and securely stores 30-second clips to the cloud for later viewing. To keep your furry friends occupied, the camera comes with a built-in dispenser that can fling bite-sized treats at the touch of a button or on a daily schedule.
When you’re home, the camera doubles as a voice assistant, listening to over 80,000 Alexa commands directed from the Petcube mobile app. The camera comes protected with a one-year warranty to protect your investment, covering defects in materials and workmanship.
Technical specs:
- 1080p HD camera with a 160-degree ultra-wide angle view
- Night vision
- Two-way communication
- Treat dispenser compatible with treats that are one-inch in diameter or less
- Treat container holds up to 1.5 pounds of treats
- Petcube app for controlling camera remotely
- Mounting kit
- One-year limited warranty
Petcube Play 2
For pet owners who want to exercise their pets remotely, Petcube Play 2 provides high-quality video with a built-in laser pointer to keep your pet entertained throughout the day.
What we like:
- Animal-safe automated laser pointer
- Built-in Alexa with over 80,000 commands
- One-year limited warranty
With the same 1080p HD camera as the Petcube Bites 2 model, Petcube exchanged a treat dispenser for a laser pointer on their Play 2 model. The laser pointer is controlled directly through the Petcube app and can be switched to autoplay for set playtimes.
The camera is housed in a sleek cube made of high-quality aluminum and plastic, fitting into the design of any room. The camera keeps track of your pets, recognizing their faces and sounds to give you real-time status updates and alerts. With cloud video storage, you can go back and view recorded clips and replay your pets’ moments while you were away.
Technical specs:
- 1080p HD camera with a 160-degree ultra-wide angle view
- Night vision
- Two-way communication
- 3R class laser safe for human and animal eyes
- Petcube app for controlling camera and laser pointer remotely
- One-year limited warranty
YI Dome Camera 1080p
The YI Dome Camera is a simple video camera with virtually no blind spot. This camera can swivel around for 360-degree coverage to record detected motion and makes for an affordable and effective pet monitor.
What we like:
- Affordable pricing
- 360-degree coverage
- 1080p HD video
The YI Dome Camera 1080p allows you to monitor your pets with its 360-degree video coverage. The camera automatically detects your pet’s movement, recording and storing the video on the YI Cloud, which comes with limitless storage.
Although affordable, the camera doesn’t sacrifice features and comes equipped with two-way talk and an integrated application that lets you remotely monitor your pet in real time. To keep your home secure, the YI camera automatically returns to masking mode, which keeps the lens covered until it’s needed again.
Technical specs:
- 1080p HD camera with a 160-degree wide-angle view and 360-degree panoramic view
- Night vision
- Seven-day activity alert video cloud storage
- Mobile app supports up to 12 users
Furbo Dog Camera
The Furbo Dog Camera is your virtual dog sitter, monitoring your dog’s behavior, detecting their movements, and even tossing them a treat. Unlike many pet cameras, the Furbo camera integrates colors and sounds to accompany each action so your dog learns your camera’s behavior.
What we like
- Free returns within 30 days
- Interactive and sleep modes
- Real-time barking alert
The Furbo Dog Camera not only helps ease separation anxiety between you and your dog, but it also actively works to acclimate your best friend to their new camera. Furbo comes with dog-friendly light indicators that shine blue when active and yellow when asleep. Before tossing a treat to your dog, Furbo makes a clicking sound to help establish positive feelings towards the camera.
Furbo comes with real-time barking and motion detection alerts, so you can keep tabs on your pet’s feelings and behavior. The camera’s AI-powered dog recognition technology distinguishes human and dog faces, alerting you when a dog sitter or visitor enters the home.
Technical specs
- Two-way audio
- Noise and echo suppression
- 1080p HD video
- Treat container holds up to 100 treats
- Bamboo wood cover
PetChatz HDX
PetChatz HDX goes beyond traditional pet cams, offering two-way video and audio so your pet can see your face no matter where you are. With a supported mobile app, PetChatz allows you to record, feed, and interact with your pet.
What we like:
- Aromatherapy release
- Entertainment provided through purchased DOGTV subscription
- 60-day money back guarantee
- One-year limited warranty
PetChatz HDX offers your pet a complete entertainment experience while you’re away. The camera supports two-way video and audio communication, so your pet can receive face-to-face interaction while you’re out. Additionally, the camera uses sound and motion-triggered recording to catch your pet’s movement.
PetChatz offers two optional services that can be purchased separately: PawCall and DOGTV. PawCall supports pet-to-parent messaging, giving your pet the option of stepping on a pressure sensitive button to initiate a video chat. DOGTV provides constant video entertainment for your pet, alleviating stress and anxiety while you’re away.
Technical specs
- 1080p video streaming with low-light performance
- Two-way audio and video chat
- Included unit and mounting bracket
- Included treat and scent pack
- Manual treat release
Our Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for a simple pet camera or one with special features like two-way video and cloud storage, these pet cameras provide quality and affordable pet monitoring technology that helps you ensure your pet stays safe and healthy while you’re not at home.
To help you determine which pet camera is best for you and your home, compare the cameras from these top providers.
Pet Camera Comparison
Provider | Petcube Bites 2 | Petcube Play 2 | YI Dome Camera 1080p | Furbo Dog Camera | PetChatz HDX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Price |
|||||
|
Treat dispenser |
✓ |
– |
– |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Laser pointer |
– |
✓ |
– |
– |
– |
|
Two-way audio |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Two-way video |
– |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
|
Included mounting bracket |
✓ |
– |
– |
– |
✓ |
|
Warranty |
One-year limited |
One-year limited |
One-year limited |
One-year limited |
One-year limited |
|
Return |
45 days |
45 days |
30 days |
30 days |
60 days |
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Pet Camera
Before buying a pet camera, consider the following factors:
- Two-way communication—Some cameras provide two-way audio, while others support two-way video communication. If you don’t want two-way communication, some standard pet cameras support video monitoring and don’t let you interact with your pet while you’re away.
- Alerts—Most pet cameras come with motion alerts so you can watch your pet when they’re on the move. Other cameras pick up sounds, like barks and meows, notifying you when your pet is in distress.
- Recording—Some pet cameras record and store days worth of footage on a supported cloud, while others don’t record at all, sending live footage to your phone instead.
- Price—Pet cameras will typically cost you over $100, but the cost will increase or decrease based on the camera and its features. For example, a camera with one-way video is going to be less expensive than a two-way video and audio camera with a treat dispenser.
Pet Camera FAQ
Can I talk with my pet through the camera?
Most pet cameras support two-way audio that not only allow you to speak with your dog or cat, but let you hear them as well.
How does a pet camera work?
Most pet cameras work by using a monitor that links directly to a mobile app. The camera sends motion and sound notifications to your phone, letting you look at the live recording of your pet. Some pet cams even allow video storage, collecting video of your pet for you to watch at your convenience.
Are pet cameras worth it?
If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or misbehaves when you leave the house, a pet camera may be worth it, as it allows you to check in on your pets, view live footage, and speak directly to your pet if they’re misbehaving. Being able to keep tabs on your pet lets you pin down why and how your dog makes a mess while you’re gone, and gives you the tools needed to prevent it from happening again.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our home security recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. Our research includes analyzing product specifications, reviewing service and plan information, speaking with customer service representatives, and analyzing customer reviews. We then score the provider against our review standards for system options, special features, installation options, connectivity and smart-home automation features, pricing, contract terms, warranty, usability, availability of a trial period, and trustworthiness to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
