Separation anxiety can be a real concern when pets are left alone. Not all animals know how to handle the fear and frustration of being in an empty home all day, and sometimes they take it out on your furniture or even harm themselves. Here’s our list of the best smart cameras to keep an eye on your pets when you’re away and help ease their separation anxiety.
How Do Smart Pet Cameras Help with Separation Anxiety?
A smart camera lets you check up on your pets in real time from your smartphone. This way, you can see if they are exhibiting signs of separation anxiety while you’re at work or on vacation. Some smart cameras also let you talk to your pets and even give them treats to calm them down.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends filming your pets when you leave home. Then check for signs of separation anxiety, including vocalization, destructiveness, house soiling, pacing, depression, panic, and “escape behavior that results in self-trauma.”
However, the AAHA says not all pets exhibiting these signs will be diagnosed with separation anxiety. To make sure, the veterinary organization recommends using a WiFi-enabled smart pet camera, calling them “invaluable for monitoring the effects of different treatment modalities.”
If you are interested in adding a WiFi-enabled pet camera to your home but you don’t know where to start, HelloTech has thousands of professional technicians across the country who can come to your home and install any smart cameras for you as soon as today. We will help you set up everything in the app, check your WiFi connection, and answer any questions you have.
Wyze Cam Pan v2: Best Budget Pet Camera
- Works with: Alexa, Google, IFFT
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 120°
- Video Storage: 32GB local or $1.67/month per cam for 14 days of cloud storage
Your pets aren’t static, which is why the Wyze Cam Pan v2 can spin around 360 degrees on its base. It also tilts up and down 93 degrees and lets you zoom in to follow your pets anywhere in the room. If you find it hard to control from your smartphone, this smart camera can detect and track motion to automatically keep your pets in the field of view.
With its built-in microphone and speakers, you can talk to your pets. And the built-in sound detector will send you a notification when your pets are barking, meowing, or fighting with each other. You’ll also be able to see your pets and record video clips in high-definition 1080p resolution and full-color night vision.
There is an option to record videos to a 32 GB MicroSD card (not included), so you don’t have to pay for a monthly cloud subscription, but it only gives you around 3 days of continuous video. Otherwise, you will need to pay for a Wyze Cam Plus plan to review video clips and get other advanced features.
Ring Indoor Cam: Best Smart Camera for Pet Safety
- Works with: Alexa, Ring Alarm
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 140° diagonal, 115° horizontal, 60° vertical
- Video Storage: $3.99/month for 180 days of cloud storage
The Ring Indoor Cam can be mounted on any flat surface, and it comes with tons of high-end features. Like all Ring devices, this smart camera lets you create customizable motion zones, so you’ll get alerts whenever your pets jump on the couch or wander into rooms where they shouldn’t be.
Like most other smart cameras, you can see a live view of your pets in real-time and record video clips in 1080p HD resolution and color night vision. It also has two-way audio, so you can talk and listen to your pets. However, one of the best things about this smart camera is the new “Pet Profiles” feature.
With Pet Profiles, you can add photos and other vital information about all your pets in the Neighbors app. Then, if your pets go missing, you can instantly send post to all the other Ring users in your area. With the popularity of its devices, Ring claims there have been over 100,000 Lost Pet Posts resolved on its app.
You’ll need to pay for a Ring Protect membership plan in order to record and review video footage. If you’re looking to save money, HelloTech is currently offering special deal when you buy the Ring Indoor Cam with professional installation included.
LaView F1: Best Pet Camera Without a Subscription
- Works with: Alexa, Google
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 100°
- Video Storage: 128GB local storage
The LaView F1 has everything you need to be able to keep an eye on your pets. With 1080p HD resolution and night vision, you will get a clear view of what your pets are doing at any time of day. And with its motion detectors, you can choose to receive notifications when your pets enter certain rooms.
There’s also a microphone and speaker built-in, so you can hear when your pets are whining, barking, or caterwauling. Then you can speak to your pet to calm their anxiety or remind them they are not supposed to be on the sofa.
However, the special thing about this smart camera is that it lets you store video clips locally. That means you won’t have to pay a monthly subscription fee to view and record video clips of your pets. The LaView F1 allows you to save all your recordings to a 128GB micro-SD card and review them any time for free.
Petcube Bites 2 Lite: Best Treat-Tossing Pet Camera
- Works with: Alexa
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 160°
- Video Storage: $3.99/month for 3 days of cloud storage, or $9.99/month for 90 days of cloud storage
The Petcube Bites 2 Lite is one of the best pet cameras for easing separation anxiety because it lets you interact with your dogs and cats by giving them treats. The dispenser can hold up to 1.5 pounds of small treats, and you can mount it on the wall to ensure your pets can’t get inside.
You’ll get a clear view of your pets with the 1080p HD resolution camera, while the 160-degree lens will give you a wider field of view than most other smart cameras. It even comes with 8x digital zoom, so you can get a closer look at what’s happening.
This highly-rated pet camera has two-way audio, so you can talk to your pets and hear them in real time. However, in order to save and review video clips, you’ll need to get a monthly Petcube Care subscription plan, which start at $3.99 a month for 3 days of video history. This plan also gives you smart audio alerts that can tell the difference between barks, meows, and other sounds.
Petcube Play 2: Best Smart Camera for Cats
- Works with: Alexa
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 160°
- Video Storage: $3.99/month for 3 days of cloud storage, or $9.99/month for 90 days of cloud storage
Designed by pet owners, the Petcube Play 2 is one of the best smart cameras for cats because it lets you play with them while away. With its built-in laser pointer, you can interact with your cats or at least get their attention and bring them into view, so you can check up on them or take a video.
Controlling the laser pointer is easy. All you have to do is touch your screen, and the laser will follow your finger as you move it across the room. The laser is safe for humans and pets, and since the Petcube Play 2 comes with Alexa built-in, you can also ask the smart assistant to keep your cat entertained when you’re on a work call.
Like the Petcube Bites 2 Lite, this pet camera has crisp 1080p HD video, a 160-degree wide-angle lens, and automatic night vision. However, this smaller model is made of high-quality aluminum, so it will be protected from falls when your cat inevitably tries to push it off a ledge.
For an additional monthly fee, you can get a subscription to Petcube Care . This allows you to save video clips and create 30-second clips to share. The plan also allows you to program Smart Alerts to let you know if there is a problem in your home or with your pets.
Furbo 360: Best Smart Camera for Dogs
- Works with: Alexa
- Resolution: High-definition 1080p
- Field of View: 132°
- Video Storage: $6.99/month for 7 days of cloud storage
The Furbo 360 gives you all the features that other pet cameras have wrapped into one device. This 2022 smart camera can spin on its base to give you a 360-degree view, so you can see your dogs wherever they go. It can also track your dog and automatically follow them to keep them in view at all times.
When they are being extra good, you can even give your pup a treat to reward them. The camera can hold up to 100 small treats and toss them up into the air with a sound that you can customize. If you’re worried about your dog knocking this smart camera over, it also comes with double-sided tape to secure it in place.
The camera is sharp with 1080p HD resolution and color night vision, so you can watch over your pets at any time of day. It also has two-way audio and advanced sound detection alerts for continuous barking, howling, and crying.
The Furbo 360 can even tell when your dog is running, eating, or going potty, and you can filter which types of notifications you want to receive. However, many of these features require you to get a Furbo Dog Nanny subscription plan, which costs $6.99 a month for 7 days of cloud storage in the Doggie Diary.
If you run into any trouble setting up your pet cameras, HelloTech can send a technician to help you troubleshoot any issues with your smart cameras. We have thousands of certified experts across the country who can come to your home as soon as today.
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