Compare Our Options
Some Are Tested
Photo: Molly Higgins
Enabot Rola PetPal Robot Pet Companion for $229 (without attachments): This rolling beast camera has very good intentions, but the sometimes clumsy app makes the camera/toy/feeder combo unpredictable. With the app, you can watch your pets on the security camera and drive the robot, pressing buttons to perform tricks and deliver treats. You can view the camera feed live from the app, but you can also schedule a recording, which is visible through cloud playback, and includes a “day in the life” compilation of 30 seconds. The robot should also detect unusual movements or sounds, such as barking or broken glass, and send a smart notification to the owner with a time stamp when you are away. With AI-powered pet recognition, the bot can also capture a photo of your pet, but the AI features were unreliable.
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Photo: Molly Higgins
The Petcube Cam costs $32: This simple, compact camera doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but it’s a good value for a reliable, basic pet camera. Like others in the Petcube lineup, it has a 1080p HD camera, night vision, and two-way audio. It sits on hinges and can be tilted up and down, with the option to flip the video feed in-app if you want to place it horizontally. You’ll need a product maintenance plan to get any features beyond the live feed. You can set a “moving location” to receive notifications only in a certain location, and you connect your phone’s location with the app, so you can receive frequent notifications when you’re away. You can also share the camera feed with others for remote viewing and specify only certain moments that you want to share. This camera is basic, but it has high-quality camera feeds and advanced extras that make it a steal at this price.
Photo: Molly Higgins
Catit Pixi Smart Mouse Camera for $75: This cutie looks like a small mouse with large, magnetic feet that attach to the metal surface, and the mouse legs hinge so you can adjust the height and angle of the camera. It’s nice but expensive for what it is—the lens doesn’t move and you need a microSD to get recorded video beyond the live feed (with an SD card, you can scroll through the video to see what happened in the past days, record live videos, and save photos and videos to your smartphone’s camera roll). While it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what time frame you were looking at when reviewing a video, the video feed could be choppy, and there were connection issues a few times. It’s too expensive at this price point because of the (lack of) power.
Photo: Molly Higgins
Pets nearby TreatView with Pet Camera for $100: This rugged pet camera features an HD camera, two-way communication, motion detection, built-in memory card, and 1-cup storage for kibble or treats, which can be programmed or randomly assigned. The video feed was always crystal clear, although the audio was fragile and difficult to hear clearly. The treatment units were large, releasing large amounts of ammunition even in the lowest conditions. The alert sound when you take out the drugs is very impressive, and my pets were scared—there was no way to silence it. Due to the placement of the kibble outlet, the camera is at a low angle, which made it difficult to see the area I was looking for. This rugged pet camera’s extra features become a burden rather than an asset.
Keeping the above criteria in mind, I looked for security cameras with more pet-specific features. I set up each camera individually, noting any difficulties or issues with initial setup, Wi-Fi configuration, and camera feed speed and reliability. I tested each camera for at least a week (many, long) in various locations around my house and rigorously tested the additional features available on most cameras, such as scheduled feeding, feed output, playback time, and scheduled recording, and noted any issues. During the months of testing, I went out of town several times and relied entirely on these cameras to monitor my two children—not to mention the cats.
So, He is Indeed The Difference Between Security Cameras and Animal Pictures? Type Of
Security cameras allow you to watch your house (and pet) while you’re away, but pet cameras often have a few pet-specific features, such as providing handling or the ability to communicate with your pet through a two-way speaker. These cameras have special features that can help alleviate common problems like separation anxiety or boredom. The Enabot Rola PetPal Robot Pet Companion, for example, has attachments so you can give your pet treats from afar or engage in “playtime.”
That doesn’t mean you can’t use a security camera as a pet cam, but like any other smart home device that connects to Wi-Fi, there’s a chance it can be hacked and compromise your privacy. Make sure your Wi-Fi password is strong, set up two-factor authentication with your camera app, and it’s not a bad idea to keep it off when you’re at home, as an extra precaution.
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