Here at TechRadar, we spend most of our days writing about gadgets for humans. So when I decided to take a deep dive into the world of pet tech, I got a surprise: our pets are just as well catered to as us homo sapiens. There's a smart solution to just about every animal-care task you can think of, plus a few products that deliver services I would never have even thought of.
It's a sprawling and sometimes arcane market, so for this article I've focused cat tech, and honed things further by focusing on gadgets that look genuinely useful. One standout for me is the Pawport — a smart, secure, space-age-looking portal that fits over your existing pet door, and opens only for your cat. I'm also enamored with the Bites 2 Lite from Petcube — a cat monitor that also dispenses treats when your kitty is being especially well behaved.
Read on for my full selection of the best cat gadgets on the market, and hit the View details button to learn more about each one.
Purrfect pet tech
Forget flimsy bits of plastic, this smart pet door is constructed with aircraft-grade aluminum, emits a space-age glow, and glides smoothly open when your pet — and only your pet — approaches. You can match the size and finish to your style and needs, and it'll retrofit over your existing pet door, so there's no need to create any more holes in your home.
Pet monitors are nothing new, but this one has a further trick — or, rather, treat — up its sleeve. There's 1080p video and night vision so you can keep an eye on your cat while you're out, and if they need reassurance or telling off, you can deliver it via built-in two-way audio. Best of all though, if your furry friend is being especially angelic, you can use it to shoot out a treat to reward their good behavior.
Automated feeders are widely available, but what if you have multiple cats and want to make sure the greediest isn't taking the lion's share of the grub while you're not there to police the situation? This feeder is equipped with AI-powered facial recognition, so it'll only open for its intended recipient.
The Ease S1 self-cleaning litterbox tackles the worst cat-care task. Your cat hops in, does its business, then when leaves the whole thing seals up and spins around; the clean litter stays in the tray and the waste is siphoned off and trapped in the sealed poop dungeon, ready to be dealt with in a hands-off way at a later date. It's kitted out with 18 sensors, of various kinds, to make sure it doesn't rotate your cat.
Got a cat that likes to explore? This smart, collar-based GPS tracker will help you learn their roaming habits and ensure they never go missing — it'll tell you exactly where your kitty has ended up, with no distance limits. You can set a 'safe zone' and the app will ping you when your pet is heading out-of-bounds, and it'll also provide data on how much sleep and exercise they've been getting.
The PetAir Pro is a pet bed with an air purifier built right into its base, ready to capture pet dander and fur right where your furry friend spends most of their time. "Pet FurLock Technology" funnels the trapped hair and directs it into an easy-empty hair tray, and there's odor-busting technology built-in too.
If your cat is of the especially fluffy variety, this air purifier will not only suck in stray hairs from a full 360-degree radius, but display them proudly to back to you from their new transparent prison. There are three layers of filters to trap dander and neutralize odors, and Dreame has also equipped the AP10 with a bite-resistant power cable and a viewing platform from which your cat can sit and judge you.
If your kitty loves to drink from the faucet, the Aquapurr is ideal. It detects when a cat is nearby and releases a stream of fresh water, direct from your water supply, for them to lap up. Because it's not recirculating water, the mechanics won't get slimy or need cleaning. The Aquapurr can be battery- or mains-powered, and there are various valve and connector options to choose from.
Want more insights on what your cat is getting up to while you're out and about? This AI-powered pet monitor will generate a daily recap and highlights reel so you know exactly what's been going down. It can track your cat around the room — with 360-degree pan and tilt coverage — and you can set it up to alert you to specific behaviors. Oh and it can also recognize multiple pets and tell the difference between each one, too.
