Top Trends in Pet Technology

Are you a gadget hound that loves to sniff out the latest trends in pet tech? Here are some innovative pet products you won’t want to miss.

Big Brother for Pets

If you want to know what your four-legged friend is up to while you’re out of the house, you can set up a 2-way pet video camera. You can use these gadgets to make sure your pet isn’t getting into trouble or just “drop in” to say hello. They can make you feel more comfortable about leaving your pet home and help pets with separation anxiety feel less alone.

Some of these devices, such as Petcube, PetChatz, and Furbo, can even dispense treats at scheduled times either dropping them out automatically or when your pet pushes a button with their paw. The button will flash so your pet knows it’s time for something yummy. Furbo also alerts you when your dog is barking, so you can check in to see what’s causing the ruckus.

How Fit Is Fido?

You can purchase FitBit like gadgets for your pet. They fasten to your pet’s collar and track the amount of activity they’re getting each day. Some let you share data with other pet-owning friends so you can have a friendly competition, which can be a great motivator for exercising. You wouldn’t want Fido next door to get more steps than your pup!

Many of these devices have GPS monitors, so you’ll know where your pet is at all times. You can set up alerts that will go off if your pet strays beyond a designated safe zone. You can also share your pet’s GPS location with trusted friends or other people who help you look after your pet. Findster, Whistle, and Wonder Woof are brands that have both activity trackers and GPS monitors.

Make sure your pet is microchipped even if they wear a GPS monitor since monitors can come off of your pet’s collar.

Feeding from Afar

Want to help properly portion out your pet’s food and feed them when you’re not at home? There’s technology for that. Depending on the model, a smart food dispenser can:

• Offer up wet or dry food at scheduled times
• Serve food as a full meal or portioned out at set intervals
• Measure and track the amount of food your pet eats
• Play a voice-recorded message to tell your pet it’s dinner time

There are plenty of brands to choose from with a range of prices based on the number and type of features they pack in.

Litter Boxes that Work for You

You’ve probably heard of self-cleaning litter boxes like Litter-Robot and ScoopFree. They automatically sift through your cat’s litter after they’re finished with their business. But you may not know about a smart litter box called Tailio. It offers technology that monitors your cat’s health by keeping track of their weight, waste, and elimination behaviors. For some cat owners, this might be overkill (talk about TMI!), but it can be useful for people with cats who have health issues.

High Tech Play Things

There are lots of toys that use technology to entertain our pets even when we’re not at home. For example, Playdate, which is designed for cats or dogs, has a smart ball you can control from an app on your phone. It offers 2-way audio and a built-in camera that allows you to talk to your pet and watch the fun.

Cool Dog Gadgets

Remember the electronic memory game with lights and sounds called Simon? CleverPet is like Simon for your dog. Your dog can watch a series of colored lights go off and then use their paws to play it back and earn a treat. You can use the app to control how treats are dispensed, change up the game, track your dog’s progress, and schedule game times.

Another cool dog gadget is iFetch, which is perfect for dogs who are fanatic about playing fetch. It throws a ball to your dog with no effort from you so you can rest your arm or sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. You can set the distance or have the balls thrown randomly. Once your dog fetches a ball, they can drop it back into the top of the unit to shoot it out again.

The same company offers an interactive toy for dogs who love to dig, which not surprisingly is called iDig. You can load iDig with treats or toys and let your dog dig them out from their hiding place under various sized flaps. This toy provides exercise and mental stimulation as well as an outlet for their innate desire to dig. It can save your carpeting and furniture from being dug up!

Fun for Felines

Toy technology for cats often taps into their natural desire to hunt and pounce on prey. For instance, Ambush from PetFusion gives cats an interactive hunting experience by randomly rotating feathers out of different ports. Your cat will get a mental and physical workout by trying to swat at the feathers wherever they pop out next.

Mousr is even more advanced using artificial intelligence to mimic the actions of live prey. This little robot moves around in unpredictable ways, just like a real mouse, and uses sensors to tease and hide from your cat. You can get in on the action by driving it around yourself using the app.

Another cool cat gadget is Catit Senses, which makes circuit toys that stimulate your cat’s sense of sight, touch, hearing, and smell. They encourage your cat to chase and pounce on balls and lights that move along a wavy circuit.

An MRI can cost thousands of dollars, including anesthesia and monitoring. Pet insurance can help you manage the cost of an MRI and other advanced treatments.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

These days, veterinarians have access to all sorts of technology that can help them care for our pets. For instance, pets can benefit from advanced diagnostic tools, such as MRIs, ultrasound, and echocardiography. Laser technology is also available, which can shorten surgery times and aid recovery by reducing bleeding.

Another helpful veterinary gadget is the PetPace smart collar. It offers a non-invasive way to track a pet’s vital signs and movements, which can be useful when monitoring a pet post-surgery. PetPace can also help pet owners who need to keep a monitor their pet to help keep an eye on a health condition.

We’ve only scratched the surface of the innovative products available for pets. You’ll also find smart pet beds that weigh your pet, dog doors that sync up with your dog’s microchip so other animals cannot come in unexpectedly, and dog leashes that light up at night and track activity. What will they think of next?