I never knew I needed a pet camera, but after trying out several models, I don't think I can ever go into the office or on vacation without one set up at home. A home security camera can give you extra peace of mind when you're out, and pet cameras specifically designed for our furry friends add in helpful features, like the ability to follow your pet around, engage in play, and dispense kibble. Connected to an app on your phone and with cloud storage options, these pet cameras—including our top pick for most people (and pets!), the Furbo Mini 360° ($40), and our compact 360 rotating budget pick Petcube Cam 360 ($47)—ensure you'll never miss a moment in your pet's life when you're away (or at home).
This affordable model has most things every pet parent is looking for in a pet camera: it dispenses treats; pans so you can see the whole room; and, if you subscribe, has highlights from the day, broken down by activity or motion. There's also seven-day storage, and a report of insights into your pet's daily activities. It pans left and right so you can see the entire surrounding area; has super-clear 1080p HD color and night-vision resolution; two-way audio so you can hear, talk to, and see your pet; and treat dispensing through the app. That said, you can’t schedule feedings or change the amount dispensed, and when dispensing treats, it makes a jarring, loud chirping noise that my cats seemed to find alarming and perplexing. Unlike other pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, you don't need to drill to install, but it does have a surface mount. Like all Furbo cameras I've tested, this one is only compatible with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (5 GHz isn't supported).
As is true of the majority of pet cams, you'll need to subscribe to a service to access the best features (starting at $8 per month with a yearly subscription). Furbo’s Nanny service snaps pics and sends safety alerts about things like smoke or fallen objects, along with chewing or barking/meowing alerts. It can spot intruders, too. The video clips are stored in the cloud, so you can review the footage at any time.
This camera from Petcube is great overall, but it suffers from a pitfall that affects the rest of the brand's lineup: The features are seriously limited if you don't want to pay for Petcube's upgraded Care plan (which starts at $4 a month) that includes video storage, pet detection, and automatic video recording capabilities. Even so, this camera has 360 PTZ rotation capabilities, 1080p HD resolution, 8X digital zoom, two-way audio, and night vision. Getting all of these included bells and whistles for around $50 lands this camera as a super-affordable get.
There's optional mounting that requires some tools, making setup potentially tricky. Once up and running, the camera feed rotated smoothly, and with the wide fish-eye-like lens and panning abilities (including up and down), I was able to clearly see more of the room than I thought possible. It covered more space than most pet cameras I've tested. Plus, with the new privacy mode, you can easily turn off the camera lens for more security. I was pleasantly surprised by this 360 PTZ camera and its seriously affordable price.
This dual camera has 3K high definition, with 360 degree rotation up top, and a stationary camera below for even more coverage. There's also live view and two-way chat, night vision, and 6X zoom. AI detection alerts to events like barks, meows, loud noises, and fire—really anything alarming. Through the app, you can view live footage, review footage stored in the MicroSD card or cloud, and share the content with family. Plus, you can access smart voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
The camera has an adjustable mount that you can install on the ceiling for even greater range. It provides some of the clearest images I've seen while testing, and I love that the dual views let me simultaneously see what my pets are doing on the ground and the the 360-degree views above.
Resolution
3K (5MP) high definition resolution
Angle View
360 degrees
PTZ Capabilities
Yes (top camera)
Image type
Color, color and infrared night vision
Storage
Cloud and/or MicroSD memory card (up to 256 GB, not included)
This smart pet camera uses pan rotation for an almost-360-degree viewing angle. It has a crystal-clear 2K HD live video feed and intelligent infrared night vision. The bottom of the camera has suction cups, making it easy to move around the house without needing hardware. Through the app, you can pan the camera, take photos and record video, talk and listen to your pet through the microphone, schedule repeated regular feedings, or toss them a snack. This camera has motion, bark, and voice detection, along with AI auto tracking. Essentially, when the camera clocks something out of the norm happening, the app sends you a notification.
Its AI features create a minute-long video from motion-triggered recordings and automatically saves it for 30 days, and from there, you can download and share on socials. You can opt for cloud storage (with the ability to upgrade to a monthly subscription for 30 days of continuous recording) or you can buy a memory card (up to 128 G) for 24/7 recording. The video is always hi-def clear, never laggy or giving error messages. I also love that I can pan to see the whole room.
Resolution
2K high definition
Angle View
355 degrees
PTZ Capabilities
Yes
Image type
Color, night vision
Storage
Cloud and/or memory card (up to 128 GB, not included)
This cam is marketed toward dogs, but both cats and dogs will like its treat-dispensing feature. (Read our full review here.) Very similar to the Tkenpro 2K Pet Camera Treat Dispenser pick above, the major selling points of this Furbo are that it rotates and dispenses kibble.
The pet camera also has a crystal clear 1080p and color night-vision camera, two-way communication, noise notifications, and 360-degree pan abilities. It also uses auto tracking to follow your pet, making it easier for you to find them on your phone screen while using the app. Just remember, you'll need to pay for Furbo’s Nanny service for features like alerts and storage for video playback.
This pet camera promises to provide all the best features without a required subscription (a rarity for pet camera services). It has three lenses, with 360-degree horizontal and 270-degree vertical views, two-way audio, and clear 8-MP color and color night vision resolution. When you set up the camera, you'll create pet profiles for each pet, and the camera will then learn to track and identify each pet independently. Through the app, you can view footage categorized as daily, weekly, monthly, both by pet and activity type (like vocalizations and abnormalities). Unlike most other AI-enabled pet products (including our Petlibro camera pick below), the AI correctly identified and categorized my cats during my testing. The pet camera has tons of customizable features like sleep mode, scan settings, set parked position, and the ability to share footage with up to five people.
This camera is ready to go out of the box, with 32 GB of storage and AI features included for free. If you want extras, there's the extended cloud storage plan, which starts at $6 per month and also includes extra replays and downloads.
In my opinion, anything beyond what's included isn't super necessary. The only drawback is the sometimes chaotic camera whirring and auto-tracking through the app. Sometimes auto-tracking would pan right past my cats and land on a nearby fan. I'd have to wait until the auto-tracking cycle was complete and then manually reset.
This rolling pet camera is the most polished of all of the Enabot wheeled pet camera models I've tested. It has a clear 2K video resolution and black-and-white night vision. It weighs just over a pound, works on 2.5 and 5GHz Wi-Fi, has a climbing slope of up to 15 degrees, and can clear obstacles up to 10 millimeters. It charges via magnet cord and the battery lasts up to 25 days, so unlike with other models, you don't need to frequently charge up. The camera sleeps when it's not in use to conserve battery.
You can use the app to virtually manage camera speed and movement, in addition to action and sound settings to spin, zig-zig, and swing the device and send meows, purrs, and duck quacks. You decide whether each action or sound plays once or for three minutes. The app also lets you take pictures or video recordings, and the camera has a built-in 32GB microSD card, but you can opt for a cloud storage subscription.
You can schedule recording, and the camera also has automatic motion detection, recording 10-second videos when the camera recognizes humans or pets. Additional privacy features include camera control, where you can disable the in-app camera view. You can also manage individual user permissions and controls, like customizing device-sharing schedules and in-app notifications when someone views or records footage. Although my cats are still scared of and perplexed by the animal noises and erratic movements, this camera had a surprisingly huge field of view, a solid ability to traverse throughout my home, an always-clear video feed, and a super-long battery life.
Resolution
2K
Angle View
137 degrees
PTZ Capabilities
No, the whole machine moves
Image type
Color; black-and-white night vision
Storage
Built-in 32GB microSD card (supports up to 256MB memory)
This pet camera from one of my favorite pet tech brands, Petlibro, is sleek, and the app is intuitive and easy to use. (Read my full review here.) The camera has 1080p HD video, black-and-white and color night vision (you can choose your preference), two-way audio, and an option to mount. It works with both 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and you just need to set up profiles for your pets in the app to get started. As the Scout camera captures footage, the built-in AI quickly learns which pet is which, uploadoading photos for the human to review so the AI continually gets smarter.
Through the app, you can view live footage, watch clips organized by day, pet, and activity type, and review 30-second highlight reels of each day. You can also easily send feedback about each pet and behavior with a click of a button, so the AI can learn to correctly label each pet and behavior. Overall, the pricey upgrade of built-in AI fell a little flat for me, but it's a sleek tech-y pet camera worth checking out.
There's a lot to love with this compact pet camera on wheels. It uses a 16GB SD card (which you can swap for one with more space if you need) instead of a pricier Cloud subscription fee, and it traverses terrains easily (up to four degrees uphill), from high-pile carpet to hardwood to doorways. It also has a charging dock, so it doesn't need to be plugged in manually. Maintenance is super easy: When the pet camera-robot's battery is low, it automatically returns to the charging dock using built-in infrared scanning technology. Charging takes about two and a half hours and lasts for about five hours.
The pet camera on wheels works on both 2.4 and 5G Wi-Fi, and through the built-in app, you can adjust movement speed, control the camera's movements, use voice chat to talk to and listen to your pets, take photos or videos, and “play," which refers to action movements like moving in circles and swinging. You'll also receive notifications through the app for events like unusual robot movement (like if it was stuck on carpet or in a corner), and low-battery. You can store and review footage and pictures through the app. While it doesn't have as many features as the Enabot Rola Mini (who really needs their pet camera to make duck noises?), it's a solid smart camera that can surveil your entire house for a little less money.
This model from Petcube attempts to combine popular laser toys that cats love with a pet security cam, to mixed results. Like many other cameras from the brand's lineup, the Play 2 has crystal-clear color and night vision, an extra-wide view, and two-way audio. The paid Care plan adds fun features like video history, playback, and a 30-second compilation highlight reel of the day.
The laser toy is supposed to auto-engage when motion is detected, but this often didn't happen when I tested the camera. When the laser did work and happened to catch my cats' attention, the feature turned off quickly. Plus, because the camera needed to sit high on a shelf to see the area, the laser was often too high for the cats to attempt to catch. You can manually play with the cat with the laser through the app, although it's often laggy, and my cats ended up being more perplexed than playful when the laser was on. It's a solid camera, but the toy aspect falls a bit flat.
AI built-in to differentiate between and track pets; can recognize and organize videos of up to five pets; has 360-degree pan-and-tilt and two-way audio features; works with 2.5- and 5-GHz Wi-Fi
Camera disconnected with weak Wi-Fi and had to be manually replugged to reconnect; pricier than similar options on the market; need subscription plan to access most of the AI features; privacy concerns with cloud-stored footage being used to train AI
Laser doesn't always auto-engage, and sometimes short play time
1080p HD
160 degrees
No
Color, night vision
Only live feed; storage with paid Care plan
Two-way
Others Tested
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Enabot Ebo Air 2 for $199: This model from Enabot is an improved interactive robot toy and camera on wheels from the brand's lineup. It's got a 2K HD camera, two-way audio, and a laser toy, and you control the robot's movements from your phone's app. It's lightweight and compact, and can easily maneuver around objects. While acting as a pet camera, the robot also entertains (or scares or confuses) your pet by making various animal noises, doing tricks like spinning and zigzagging, and displaying various “emotions” via its front screen. It also has a built-in laser toy that my cats actually played with, along with key features like 24/7 video recording with smart playback, motion detection, and activity alerts.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Furbo Mini for $40: I love this super-affordable, 360-degree-rotating, basic pet camera. Furbo's app is easy to use, the 1080 HD feed is clear, it can be mounted on a wall, and it has two-way audio. It’s connected to power via USB, but it only works with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi , so beware. As is the case with most other pet cameras, to access the full features—like smart detection, alerts, and access to historical video footage—you’ll need Furbo Nanny, the paid subscription service. Luckily, Furbo gives you a 14-day free trial to see if the service is a good fit.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Petcube Bites 2 Lite for $125: This food-dispensing camera from Petcube has HD 1080p live streaming video, night vision up to 30 feet, the ability to zoom up to 8X, and two-way audio to talk to and hear your pets. There's also an easily detachable plastic treat dispenser that holds up to 1.5 pounds of kibble, and you can toss treats remotely from the app, where you can also control the amount and distance. With the subscription service, the app alerts you when the device detects motion or sound, and logs it with playback video. I like the customization capabilities and clear video feed, but—like with other Petcube devices—you sort of need the extra Care plan to unlock all of the best features.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Enabot Rola PetPal Robot Pet Companion for $200 (treat dispensing): This rolling pet camera has the best of intentions, but the sometimes glitchy app makes the combo pet camera/toy/feeder a little unpredictable. Through the app, you can watch your pets on the security camera and drive the robot around, pressing buttons to do tricks and dispense treats. You can watch the camera feed live from the app, but you can also schedule recordings, which are viewable via cloud Playback, and it compiles a 30-second “day in the life” compilation. The robot is also supposed to detect abnormal movement or sounds, like barking or broken glass, and send a smart alert to the owner with a time stamp while away from home. Through AI-powered pet recognition, the bot can also snap a picture of your pet, but the AI features were unreliable when I tested them.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Petcube Cam for $32: This simple, compact camera doesn't have all the bells and whistles of more advanced models, but it’s a great price for a reliable, basic pet camera. Like others in Petcube's lineup, it has a 1080p HD camera, night vision, and two-way audio. It sits on hinges and can angle upward and downward, with the option to flip the video feed in-app if you want to lay it horizontally. You'll need the brand's subscription Care plan to get any features beyond live feed. You can set a “motion zone” to only get notifications in a specific area, and you connect your phone's location to the app, so that you're alerted more often when away. You can also share the camera feed with others so they can watch remotely and specify the footage you want to share. This camera is basic, but it has a high-quality camera feed and advanced extras that make it a steal at this price.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Catit Pixi Smart Mouse Camera for $96: This cutie looks like a miniature mouse with oversized, magnetic feet that attach to a metal stand, and the mouse legs hinge so you can adjust the camera's height and angle. While adorable, it's expensive for what it is: The lens doesn't move, and it requires microSD to get video footage beyond a live feed. With the SD card, you can scroll through the video to see the goings-on from past days, record live footage, and save photos and videos to your smartphone’s camera roll. Even with the SD card, though, it was hard to pinpoint exactly which time you're looking at when reviewing footage. The live video feed can be laggy, and there were connectivity issues a few times. It's a tad expensive at this price point for its (lack of) capabilities.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Closer Pets TreatView with Pet Camera for $100: This solid pet cam features an HD camera, two-way communication, motion detection, a built-in memory card, and one-cup storage for kibble or treats, which you can schedule or dispense at random. The video feed was always crystal clear, although sound was a bit laggy and hard to hear well. The treat portions were huge, dispensing a heaping handful of kibble at even the lowest setting. The alert sound when dispensing was super jarring, and my pets were scared of it—there was no way to silence it. Because of the placement of the hole for dispensing kibble, the camera is angled low, which made it hard to see the area I wanted. This is a solid pet camera, but its additional features become a burden rather than an asset.
How I Tested
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To find the best pet cameras to test, I first looked for security cameras that had extra pet-specific features. I set up each camera individually, noting any difficulty or issues with initial setup, configuration with Wi-Fi, and speed and reliability of the camera feed. I tested each camera for at least a week (most, much longer) in various spots around my house and rigorously tested the extra features available on most of the cameras, like scheduled feedings, food-dispensing, playtime, and scheduled recordings, and I noted any issues I experienced. Over the months of testing, I went out of town several times and completely relied on these cams to keep an eye on my two children—I mean, cats.
So, Is There Really a Difference Between Security Cameras and Pet Cameras? Sort Of
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Security cameras enable you to watch your house (and pet) while you're away, but pet cameras often have a few more pet-specific features, like ability to dispense treats and interact with your furry friend via two-way speaker. These cameras with special features can help ease common pet issues like separation anxiety or boredom. The Enabot Rola PetPal Robot Pet Companion, for example, has attachments so you can remotely give your pet a treat or engage in “playtime."
That's not to say that 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's app, and it's not a bad idea to keep it turned off when you're home, as an extra precaution.