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The best pet cameras for keeping tabs on your cat or dog

These pet cameras can help ease separation anxiety and give you all the info you need on your fuzzy companions while you’re away.
By Dylan Haas  on 
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Overview

Best for smart home capabilities

Petcube Bites Pet Camera

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Best for cats

Petcube Play 2

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Best for pets with separation anxiety

Furbo Dog Camera

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Best for 360-degree monitoring

Eufy Solo Indoor Camera

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Best for two-way video

PetChatz HD PawCall

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If you have a four-legged friend at home, chances are you consider them to be part of your family, and being away from them for any length of time can be difficult.

Luckily, plenty of cameras are available to help monitoring your precious pets easier than ever. These cameras allow pet parents to keep watch over their dogs and cats while away from home, often with just the push of a button on a smartphone.

Whether you’re looking for a no-frills, basic security camera or a full-fledged, feature-packed model to enjoy a video chat experience, we’ve got the best pet camera options to help ease your separation anxiety, in addition to your pet's.

Petcube Bites Pet Camera

Petcube Bites Pet Camera

Best for smart home capabilities

Read our review of the Petcube Bites 2 Lite.

Complete with a high-definition camera and remotely operated treat dispenser, the Petcube Bites 2 is worth the splurge. One standout feature of this camera is that it has Amazon Alexa built-in, so you can treat your pet hands-free. Up to six cameras can be connected to one account, which means you can watch your pet all over the house if you want full coverage. You can also view both live and recorded video with the Bites 2, which features a high-definition night vision mode for keeping tabs on your pet at any time of the day.

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The Petcube Play 2 has all the bells and whistles of the Alexa-compatible Petcube Bites camera, plus a built-in interactive laser toy in a compact design. With the swipe of a finger, you can tire out your cat by moving the laser across your home on your phone’s screen. 

Because the Petcube Play 2 has a built-in Alexa, you can count on it to control your smart home devices, check the weather, or play your pets some killer playlists to stay entertained throughout the day while you're gone. Note that you should never use a laser toy with dogs, so this pick is best for cat owners.

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Furbo Dog Camera

Furbo Dog Camera

Best for pets with separation anxiety

Read our full review of the Furbo Dog Camera.

One of the few pet cameras available on the market designed especially with dogs in mind (but can still be used for cats, of course), the Furbo comes with a variety of interactive features that make it a top choice among owners of pets that have separation anxiety. Accurate treat tossing and two-way audio make it seem as if you're in the room with your pet, so they don't have to go the whole day thinking that you've left them behind. 

Other helpful features that the Furbo offers include barking and movement notifications to your phone, as well as event-triggered cloud recording. This is ideal for those with anxious pets, as the owner can see in real-time if there is something bothering their pet, and check in via live video feed to find out exactly what’s up. Alert sensitivity can be adjusted so you aren’t being notified of every little whimper and instead tune into louder barks that might disturb your neighbors. An integrated noise filter system helps prevent false alarms, too.

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Eufy Solo Indoor Camera

Eufy Solo Indoor Camera

Best for 360-degree monitoring

If being able to monitor your pet from literally every single angle is your top priority, this budget-friendly Eufy camera can turn 360 degrees horizontally, and also tilt 96 degrees vertically. While the camera can be controlled manually, its motion detection feature can do a lot of the work for you — once something (your pet, most likely) catches its eye, it'll automatically start tracking it, keeping it in clear view.

You'll also get other usual perks like high-quality resolution video, two-way audio, mobile alerts, Alexa integration, and more. At this price, you can't really ask for more.

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The PetChatz HDX camera's biggest pull is its two-way video feature, which allows pets to actually see their owners during a call. This can provide an extra level of reassurance to your pet, beyond just your voice. And for when you don't want to get them riled up, there's an option to check in on silent mode, so your pet isn’t notified that you’re watching. The camera easily mounts to the wall to stay secure from mischievous pets, too.

The screen can play recorded materials for when you can't call in, which is a fun feature for pets who enjoy watching television with their owners. You'll also find an integrated treat dispenser, which you can control manually or set to be activated through the brain games feature. There’s even a calming aromatherapy option. (Yes, really.)

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Frequently Asked Questions


If you're not a remote worker who's home for most of the day, the short answer is yes.

Pet cameras bring along a lot more benefits than just keeping you clued in on when Fido is peeing on the carpet. While knowing that your new rug is soiled is a plus, also knowing when your pet could potentially be in danger is even more important. Spot something off in your home? See smoke? Get a barking alert sent to your phone. A pet camera keeps you in the loop, and gives you the opportunity to spot emergencies before they happen.

Another great perk is that these cameras can be a big help for pets with separation anxiety. Because many of them have two-way audio, you'll be able to check in and chat with your fuzzy companion throughout the day to let them know that you're still around. If you feel guilty leaving your pet at home alone, this can even help youtoo. Everyone wins.


Most of the pet cameras you'll find on the market pack in a variety of features, but there are some that you'll specifically want to keep an eye out for:

  • Good video quality: The whole point of a camera is to be able to actually seewhat's in frame, so having a high resolution is a must. Look for something that's 1080p and above, but 720p can also work if you're putting it in a smaller space.

  • Two-way audio: Being able to chat with your pet throughout the day does wonders for their separation anxiety, but you'll also be able to interject with a quick "no," if they're getting into something they shouldn't be.

  • Smartphone remote viewing and control: Pretty much every pet camera connects to your phone in some way, but you'll want to make sure you can manually control the camera itself through a companion app, as well as see what's in view.

  • Motion detection: Some pet cameras feature motion detection and can ping you whenever your pet is in frame. This way, you'll know when it's time to check in. Sound detection is also a nice extra to have.

  • Night vision: Daytime may not be the only time you're away from home, so having the option to see what's up after dark is essential.

  • Any extra perks: While not a must, cool additions like treat dispensers and built-in voice controls only add to the overall experience.


Most pet cameras fill their advertisements and product shots primarily with dogs, leaving out the fact that many of them are cat-friendly too. Pretty much all pet cameras will work just as well for a cat as they would for a dog, but some are better than others. We recommend getting one with a laser toy function like the Petcube Play 2, because cats just can't get enough of that stuff.

author photo
Dylan Haas
Lead Shopping Reporter

Dylan Haas is a Lead Shopping Reporter for Mashable, where he covers all things gaming, pets, fitness, sleep, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day. Before joining the team at Mashable, Dylan received a B.A. in Communications from Pace University and contributed to publications like Paste Magazine, Bandsintown, and others following a brief stint as a marketing and management assistant in the music industry.

When he's not writing or testing products, you can find Dylan playing lots of video games, working out, spending time with loved ones (especially his dog, Stevie), or watching reality TV. Follow him on X at @iamdylanhaas, or send him an email at [email protected].


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