When looking for a pet monitoring camera, you will probably notice that there are a lot of options to choose from.
Should you have a speaker to talk to my pet or one that can give them treats?
So what to look for in a pet camera?
By Allison Salonko.
Allison is a Veterinary Technician in the state of Indiana. She graduated from International Business College and Vet Tech Institute of Indianapolis with a degree in Animal Science and Technology in 2011.
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What Should You Look For When Getting A Pet Camera?
If you are looking for a camera to monitor your pet while you are gone, you have plenty of options. You just need to know what kind of bells and whistles you want, if you even want any.
So what should you look for when you are purchasing a pet camera, you ask?
Keep reading below to find out what features users think are the most important.
At a glance, these are the 7 most important things to consider when purchasing a camera for monitoring your pet:
- Video Quality
- Two-way communication
- Treat Dispenser & Play Interactions
- Wi-Fi Connection
- Price
- Pan, Tilt and Rotate
Pet Camera Video Quality
There are many reasons that you can imagine video quality is important.
You wouldn’t want to be unsure if a pixelated figure is your pet or a sweater on the ground.
Having clear and clean video quality is something that is very important, as it is likely that your pet will move around and it can be hard to spot them with a low camera quality.
- Beware of any cameras that have lower than 720p (1MP) of horizontal resolution as the quality becomes quite grainy.
- Having a resolution 1080p (2MP) is the best compromise between quality and cost. I recommend you to go with a camera with 1080p.
- 4K will obviously give you the best resolution possible, but they come at a higher cost, while streaming 4K video uses much more Internet bandwidth than 1080p one.
Here’s a good Youtube video about comparing 720 and 1080p.
The difference is clearly noticeable when watching it in full screen.
Two-Way Communication
The ability to two-way communicate through a pet camera is pretty cool.
Not that our pets can talk to us, but having the option of telling my dog to stay off the sofa or my cat to stop chewing on the Christmas tree is nifty.
It may prevent a pet from doing something they shouldn’t or alerting an owner that there is something wrong.
There are even times where just talking to your dog or cat can be comforting or soothing during a stressful event.
Another convenient aspect of the two-way communication is that you can talk to people in the home through the camera, such as a pet sitter unsure of where a leash is or walking a friend through feeding your cat. Maybe even spying on the family members a little if you have to!
Treat Dispensers And Play Interactions
Almost every pet loves treats! I know mine do!
I mean, who doesn’t love a snack or a fun game during a boring day alone?
Our pets certainly appreciate those pet cameras that drop or shoot treats! They even have some that have the ability to play and interact with your pet via a laser pointer.
My cats and even my dog love chasing the little red dot around, so I can only imagine how much fun they would have while I was gone, playing with their new toy or enjoying their midday treats.
Some pet camera reviews even mention how their ability to give their pet treats while they were gone was a helpful training tool.
Wi-Fi Connection/Wireless
I would consider this one of the more important aspects of these pet cameras.
It would be wise to have a wireless cam that connects through Wi-Fi because it is part of what allows you to watch them via your smartphone.
Not only that, but you will have no wires, or maybe just one for power and that’s it.
Making it completely mobile and easy to move from room to room.
Price
Many owners will base their decision of what camera to purchase off of their budget. This is completely fair and normal!
There is a wide range of prices for these trendy pet cameras and they can go over 400$.
Pan, Tilt And Rotate
There is no way that your dog, or even your cat will stay in the same exact spot all 8 to 10 hours that you are gone at work.
You will want a camera that moves around.
One that can zoom in, tilt or rotate any direction you ask it to in order to spot our furry friends.
Top 3 Pet Cameras
Furbo Treat Tossing Pet Camera
Furbo Treat Tossing Dog Camera (Amazon.com)
Love the treat tosser and that it works with Wi-Fi. It can rotate about 160 degrees and is in 1080p with night vision. It only has a plug for its power source.
PetCube Pet Monitoring Camera
PetCube Pet Monitoring Camera (Amazon.com)
Another popular seller, the Petcube checks a lot of the boxes recommended when looking for a pet cam.
This camera is in 1080p, has two-way audio and is wireless.
While it doesn’t toss your dog treats, it is certainly still a contender.
YI 1080 Smart home camera
YI 1080 Smart Home Camera (Amazon.com)
While this camera isn’t advertised exclusively as a “pet camera” it is still very popular among those that wanted a monitoring system for the dog or cat.
The smart camera can differentiate between people and animals, is Alexa compatible works via Wi-Fi connection.
Now You Know What To Look For In A Pet Camera
While there may be tons of options online, there are always going to be the ones that have been tried and tested by fellow pet owners and users alike. Which camera to choose?
To have the best bang for your buck, be sure that you find one that has good camera quality (1080p or higher!), two-way audio and is Wi-Fi compatible!