My name is Zakeeyah, and I have three cats, all of whom are rescues.
Taking these cats in and providing them with care and love has been such a rewarding experience for me. I’m sure all of you cat lovers out there can relate to this feeling of fulfillment.
Cats can be such calming, wonderful presences in a home. Even so, for those of us who spend a fare amount of time away from home, it can be a bit anxiety-provoking wondering how our cats fare on their own.
One way to ease your mind when you’re at work or away from home is to install a pet camera in your home to keep an eye on your feline friends.
Why Use a Pet Camera?
You may be wondering, why use a pet camera for an animal that is so self-sufficient? Cats are very self-sufficient, but there are definite benefits to having a camera for them.
Have you ever been at work, and your mind strays to your cats, just wondering what it is they are doing? Well, with a pet camera, you can see what they’re getting up to, just out of pure curiosity.
You might discover habits that you didn’t know existed for them, or a favorite resting spot of theirs.
Sometimes, that wondering what your cats are doing can even turn into wishing you could be there to talk to and interact with them.
Many pet cameras on the market have audio and microphone capabilities, meaning you can talk to your cats through the camera and hear their responses.
You’ll learn, in a bit, that there are some cameras with even more interactive features!
I know one of my cats, Felicia, doesn’t care who is around; she’ll act how she wants when she wants! But my other cat, Gracie, is a bit more shy, and so when I’m not around she’ll tend to be a bit more sassy towards the others.
If you have more than one cat, a pet camera allows you to see how your cats interact with each other when you’re not around.
This can aid you in facilitating their interactions with each other when you are home, especially if one of the cats is a newcomer.
Finally, having a cat camera can give you peace of mind.
If you’re out of town for a bit and have a trusted cat-sitter, but still want to see how your cats are faring without you, a pet camera will allow you to do just that in real-time, so you don’t have to wait on text updates and photos.
Where Should You Install Your Camera?
If you’re like me, you may have a cat that loves the run of the house. My cat Mimi has claimed ownership of almost every room in the house! Talk about territorial!
So that begs the question, where should you install your camera?
If you’ve got a new kitten in your household, you may be confining him/her to a safe room when you’re not at home, to make sure he/she feels secure and doesn’t get into any trouble while you’re gone, so placing the camera in that room might be wise.
However, if your cats are older, it might be useful to install a camera in areas of higher concern.
Maybe your cat has a penchant for wires or stovetops, and you’re a bit worried he/she might get into trouble while you’re away.
Installing your camera in areas that have potential hazards can help you supervise even when you’re not physically there.
Maybe, you just want to make sure one cat isn’t getting bullied out of the feeding station by another, so setting up your camera in the room where they have food and water can set your mind at ease.
Perhaps you’re not actually concerned about any troublesome behaviors, but—like me—you just find your cats fascinating and want to observe how they go about their daily lives.
In that case, you might choose to set your camera up where they spend most of their time playing and lounging. You’ll be able to get some priceless—and not to mention, amusing—footage with a pet camera.
Best Pet Cameras for Cats:
There are so many pet cameras on the market today, all that meet different needs, so I thought I could be of some help in narrowing your options down.
1) TENVIS HD IP Camera
The HD quality of the camera also makes it easy to discern who’s who. It’s also got night vision, so you can check on your cats during the nighttime to see what they get up to!
One of the best features of this camera is that you can hear audio in real-time and even speak through the camera.
The delay is so minimal that it’s barely discernible. So if you’ve got a key word to make your cat stop scratching the furniture, all you’ve got to do is say it through the TENVIS app on your phone.
I don’t know about you, but my kitten Mimi loves sprinting from one room to the next, so it can kind of be difficult to keep track of her.
You can buy multiple cameras and place them in different rooms, and have access to all, making it easy to switch views.
The camera also allows you to record both photo and video, so you can capture those moments when your kitten has a case of the “kitten crazies” or when your cat is enthusiastically rolling around in catnip.
Configuring this camera is super easy and user-friendly, so it’s an easy setup process even for the least technologically savvy.
You can configure the camera to view a live feed on your phone through the app, or through your computer; whichever is easiest for you.
You’ve also got color options—white or black—so that your camera can match your home decor!
2) BIOXO Pet Monitor Camera
This camera was specifically designed for those who have pets, and has the ability to motion detect and record, if you choose. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something that takes minimal time to set up.
The great thing about this camera is that you can choose whether you want to mount it to the wall or stand it up on a table.
The camera comes with the mounting equipment so you don’t have to worry about figuring out how to get it to stay on the wall on your own.
A great feature of this camera is that if installation in itself seems a bit daunting, for a bit extra you can buy the camera with expert installation so you don’t have to labor over the process yourself!
3) Pawbo Life Pet Camera
This camera doesn’t have a 360-degree view capability, but it covers 120-degrees without the ability to turn, which is pretty good range for a one-angle camera.
This camera also has a two-way audio feature, allowing you to speak to your cat whenever the need arises.
One of the coolest (and most fun!) features of this camera is that it has a built in laser.
You can remotely control the laser to entertain your cat when you’re away from home, or you can set it on auto if you know you’re going to be too busy to control it.
We all know how much cats love treats, and this camera has a built-in treat dispenser. So when you see your cat do something good, you can reinforce the behavior with a treat, even when you’re not physically present.
The treat storage area is also totally sealed so you won’t have to worry about ants or other bugs being attracted to it.
This camera gives you the ability to snap high quality photos of your cat and send to family/friends or post on social media.
It’s also small and compact, so it won’t be too obvious in a room and is easy to put away when you have guests over.
The Pawbo Life Pet Camera is a bit pricier than some of the others, but you’re really paying for all the fun, extra features that make this much more than just a camera.
Sometimes all of the tasks we have to do out in the world makes us feel like we’re taking away quality time and training for our cats, but this camera allows you to continue to have an active role in their day in spite of that!
4) NETVUE Wifi Baby Monitor
With the 360-degree tilt/pan capability common in many of the other cameras I’ve talked about, you get a full range view of the room and various angles.
The two-way audio feature allows you to talk to your cats remotely and give them praise when they’re doing well.
Night vision mode is automatically activated in this camera based on the lighting of the room, and the visibility in both night vision and daytime modes is excellent.
The camera also has the capability to send an alert to your phone when it detects motion.
A super unique feature of this camera is that it is compatible with Alexa and Echo Show. Most other cameras on the market don’t have this feature, so if you’re an avid user of Alexa or Echo Show, you might want to check this one out.
To top it off, the NETVUE Wifi Baby Monitor is probably one of the most “stylish” on the market as well.
It has a sleek look and wouldn’t obviously stand out in a room—I’m sure your cats would appreciate this level of sophistication!
5) PetChatz HD
While this camera is heavily marketed towards dogs, it has features that cats can totally benefit from: brain games with a treat dispenser that you can control remotely, and an aromatherapy feature that helps calm your cats.
If you’ve got an anxious cat, this camera might be a pretty good fit.
Another unique feature is that you can set the camera to automatically record certain sounds only, by adjusting the sensitivity level of the sensor.
So if your cat, like my kitten Mimi, can tend to get wild during certain times of the day (and night!), you’ll likely be alerted if anything breaks.
Even with all of its cool features, the camera is simple to install and comes with simple, easy-to-follow instructions.
The PetChatz team is also super responsive and helpful; if you encounter any issues, they will be sure to give you a helping hand.
Final Thoughts: Best Pet Cameras For Cats!
Cat cameras are more than just about monitoring your cats; with the right camera, it can be a tool to help you build and maintain a good relationship with your cats, even when you’re spending ample time away from home.
And sometimes, just being able to snap photos and videos of moments you otherwise wouldn’t get to witness is priceless.
Ultimately, having a camera for your cats can help you learn valuable things about them, thus aiding you in strengthening your relationship with them and improving their quality of care.
I definitely didn’t regret taking the plunge in buying two cameras for my cats:
I get to keep an eye on them, snap funny photos of them up close to the camera sniffing around like the curious creatures they are, and speak to them during long days away from home.
Whatever value you’re looking to get out of this purchase, you’ve got plenty of options.
Depending on what you’re looking for, you’re guaranteed to be able to find a good fit! I hope I’ve been of some help in the decision-making process. Best of luck!