What To Look For In A Pet Camera: features you don’t want to miss

Samuel J Tan Home & Kitchen, Pets, Smart Home 0

There is no limit to the investment we will make in our pets – anything we can do to improve their quality of life , we will. Pet cameras are one of ways we can interact with our pets without being there but how does one go about picking the right pet camera.

No longer are these monitoring devises just a live video into our pets day-to-day, some of the latest innovations that feature on our pet cams are automatic treat dispensers; two-way audio so you can chat with your pet; and military specification night vision. Where they will go next, we can only imagine.

Pet cameras now come with the ability to pop treats manually or automatically via its treat dispenser Click to Tweet

Table of Contents

Top 10 Features to Look Out for When Shopping Around For a Pet Camera

Here is a quick run down of the features you would expect from a pet camera:

1. 1080p Full HD or 720p HD: more details in every frame

High Definition or HD pet cameras capture more detail than non-HD cameras. At Full HD, the video has even more details and you can also digitally zoom in on your pet, to take a closer look. Remember, just like cameras, the bigger the camera sensor, the better the picture quality.

2. One way or two way video: have a meaningful face-to-face chat with your pet

Depending on the model, some pet camera comes with a small colour displays so your pet can see you too. Most pet cameras however only let you monitor your pet from your mobile device over the Internet. This is essentially a remote web cam or IP camera functions. Use the snapshot function to capture stills or video clips to share on social media.

3. Pan, tilt or wide-angle and zoom: go big brother on your pet

There are fixed view cameras and there are cameras that let you pan and tilt to change the view angle. The latter is useful to ‘look around’ the room. You will have complete remote control of the viewing angle from your mobile device. This is not to say that fixed cameras are not any good, they typically come with wide-angle lens to capture as much of the room as possible. On both, you can then zoom in to take a closer look, some offering up to 4X digital zoom.

4. Night vision: covert operation with night vision

Being able to watch live stream of your pet from anywhere around the world is great but what about at night. Some pet cameras support night vision so you can continue to keep watch of your pet even in the dark. High definition, wide-angle and night vision makes for a good pet camera.

5. Two-way audio function: talk to me, Harry, Winston, tell me all about it

These cameras come with on microphone and speaker so you don’t only listen to your pet but talk to them too. Two-way audio is not standard so when shopping for a pet camera, look for this feature. Have a meaningful interaction with your pet where you not only speak but listen to them at the same time.

'Face Time' with your pet remotely with a pet friendly camera Click to Tweet

6. Notifications: so you are in the know

Certain pet cameras can be set to send push notifications to your smartphone when motion or sound is detected. You will then either receive a notification from your app or a short video recording of the event triggered by the motion or sound. This puts you in the know of what’s happening at home.

7. Memory storage: to save those precious moments

Just like our smartphones, these pet cameras have onboard storage that lets them save video clips on the device itself. You can then use the companion app to access these and view them from your mobile device. Look for models that support internal flash memory so you are not limited to just the onboard memory. These let you add SD memory card to store even more video footages. Others offer cloud storage options but there may be a separate fee involved.

8. Treat dispenser: reward your pet without being there

You might think it’s a little spooky but when you pet gets the treat, they don’t really mind where it came from. Some pet cameras support dry treat dispensing. A separate section below the camera lets you store treats in separate compartments. You can then have a game with your pet when you dial in remotely and reward them with treats remotely. This can be used as a tool to distract and calm down your pet.

9. Laser Game: move like jagger

As innovation goes, companies are finding ways to add more features to their offerings. One such feature is the laser game function. This lets you play and interact with your pet particularly felines. Treats may not be their thing but every cat lots an interactive game of following and pawing the moving red dot. This can be activated automatically or manually.

Don't just talk and watch your pet, but interact with it using laser game, buzzer and treat dispenser Click to Tweet

10. Alert Your Pet: call them to you with a ringer

Another feature that may be useful is the buzzer function to catch the attention of your pet. They may be roaming outside of your field of view, so a quick ring will let them know to come to the camera. Remember to treat them using the treat dispenser, to train your pet to respond to the buzzer.

Learn more about Pet Cameras and your best options with our post below:

Secret Life of Pets: The Best Pet Cameras to keep tabs on your pet when you’re out