The Tech Wrangler: Pamper Your Furry Friends With These Pet Tech Gadgets

Keep an eye on your pet while away from home with the Petcube Bites 2 Lite Camera. After you connect the Petcube Bites 2 Lite Camera to your Wi-Fi network and install the app on your smartphone or tablet, place this high-definition and wide-angle camera on a table or against a wall, and go about your daily business.

Wherever life takes you, be it the grocery store or out of town for the day, you can open the app to see and talk to your pet, capture a pic or short video clip and share it with friends on social media. If you want to give them a treat while you’re away, it comes with a small treat launcher so you can give your beloved pet a few treats, too. Other features include two-way talk, night vision (up to 30 feet) and support for Alexa-powered smart speakers (to use your voice to dispense treats when you’re not at home).

It also offers with a $10 per month subscription that can store your footage for up to 3 days and send you smart alerts, so you can know when your pup is barking at the mailman (again), as an example. And, our team of Forbes Vetted testers named it one of the best pet cameras you can add to your home right now.

Stimulating its natural instincts to chase, stalk and pounce, the PetSafe Bolt Automatic Laser Cat Toy is a fun way to keep your cat active and engaged with a random laser display. Placed on a flat surface or hung from, say, a doorknob, the toy has two play options: one that turns on for 15 minutes and another that turns on for 15-minute intervals every two hours (say, if you’re leaving for the day). There’s also a manual mode should you want to create your own pattern, including an adjustable mirror to aim laser across different surfaces.

The company says this is a Certified Class 1 laser, which is safe for your cat. Three AAA batteries are required, but not included.

Consider the Litter-Robot 4 the Ferrari of litter boxes, but it’s well worth the high price tag. After your cat does its business and exits, an advanced circular and enclosed sifting system automatically separates the waste from the clean litter and deposits the clumps into a fully enclosed, odor-controlling drawer. You can use any clumping cat litter, so if your cat is a little finnicky about what kind of litter he or she uses, you don’t have to worry about trying a new brand.

Dome-shaped and Wi-Fi-enabled, the Litter Robot is designed for cats five pounds and up. A companion app, AutoPets Connect, can send notifications when the waste drawer is full (which could be several weeks before it needs a cleaning), plus it tracks usage history to provide insights into your cat’s health and more. It’s not only named the absolute best self-cleaning cat litter box you can get by the Forbes Vetted staffers, but if you’re unsure, you can read the full Litter-Robot 4 review to learn more about it.

If you don’t want to spend hundreds on a high-tech litter box, the PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Pro Self Cleaning Litter Box uses disposable trays pre-filled with crystal litter, which can quickly absorb urine and dehydrate solid waste to provide fewer odors than regular clumping litter. But don’t let the design sway you–it’s still a high-tech litter box. 

An automatic rake sweeps solid waste into the waste trap 20 minutes after your cat uses the litter box, so you never have to see or touch it. If your cat re-enters the box before the cleaning cycle starts, detection sensors automatically reset the rake timer. Every few weeks you would remove the litter tray, cover with the lid, and dispose of it in the trash. A health counter keeps track of how many times your favorite feline uses the box.

The Halo Collar 4 GPS Dog Collar is a high-tech collar designed to keep an eye on your dog’s location. With it, you can create virtual fences wherever you may be by walking the perimeter with your collar or by using the app; if your dog approaches the boundary, customizable notifications (such as a tone or slight vibration) instruct the dog to turn around.

If your dog breaches the fence, you’re immediately notified on the Halo app and can track your pet’s whereabouts via its GPS chip in the collar. (An accompanying $10 monthly Pack Membership plan is required to enable data storage for virtual fences, GPS location services, activity tracking and more.) Unlike previous Halo models that require dogs over 20 pounds, Halo 4 wearers need only be 10 pounds and older.

Don’t want a subscription at all? A less expensive way to track your pet is to place an Apple AirTag on your pet’s collar. So long as you own an iPhone and have the “Find My” app set up, AirTags can help you find your lost things, such as your car keys, backpack or purse. But you can also affix it to your beloved pet’s collar. Apple says it was not designed for pets or children, but that hasn’t stopped many from using it to track their outdoor pets.

Apple’s AirTags broadcast a Bluetooth signal to help locate lost items. When the tracker is in range of your iPhone, see the tracker on your Find My app if close by, plus you can emit a sound when you tap to find it. You can also ask Siri to find your missing item, and AirTag will play a sound if nearby. If your AirTag is out of Bluetooth range, the Find My network may help track it down by leveraging more than a billion Apple devices around the globe.

If you prefer to watch the local wildlife, the Bird Buddy is a weatherproof bird feeder with an integrated camera to take up-close photos of airborne visitors. It comes with a built-in AI that can recognize bird species based both on image and sound, so you can learn what kinds of birds are visiting your yard. A companion app keeps a real-time log for you, and automatically organizes species for you into collections.

The battery-powered device should last up to 30 days,  at which time you’ll need to pull out the detachable module and bring into the home to charge up with a USB-C cable (included). Alternatively, a version with a solar roof costs $299.

With most pets getting a techy glow-up, it’s no surprise that fish tanks are also adding tech elements to keep your aquatic friends happy and healthy. The Koller Products Fish Tank 6.5-Gallon Aquarium is a fish tank that synchronizes with a companion app to track your aquarium’s water temperature and receive push notifications if the water gets too warm or too cool.

Paired with a companion app, the Koller Smart Tank is also equipped with customizable LED lighting that lets you change colors on the fly and set schedules to turn the illumination on and off.

Be seen while walking your dog at night: That’s the premise behind theNite Ize Rechargeable LED Dog Leash. Available in two colors, lime and blue, these 5-foot leashes have two embedded ultra-bright LEDs, which send light through an integrated optical fiber that shines bright for those dusk-time walks. This bright light lasts for up to 6.5 hours between charges. When it’s time to charge the leash, simply insert a micro USB cable (not included, and note that it’s not a USB-C) and plug the leash into a computer, AC wall socket or power strip.

This eye-catching and water-resistant leash has a soft grip, durable cable, and can be used in either constant glow or flash mode. It has a sturdy d-ring so you can securely attach it to your dog’s collar or harness. It also as a soft grip handle so you can hold the leash comfortably for miles.

Rather than rushing home, the PetSafe Smart Dog Door is a connected pet door that allows you to set individual schedules and curfews for each of your pets via the My PetSafe app. The smart doorway gives your cat or dog their own personal entrance and exit, and the app provides notifications based on comings and goings of the door. The door can can also be paired with microchips to give pets keyless entry. The good news: If you opt for this, animals without a microchip can’t enter, keeping out unwanted visitors, like squirrels or mice.

Available in medium or large, it’s powered by batteries or a wall adaptor (sold separately) and requires a high-speed Wi-Fi connection to operate. If a storm is approaching, use the app to remotely enable a lock on the flap to keep your dog or cat safe and sound inside.