2020’s Best Pet Cameras

Overview
If you work a 9-to-5, chances are you’re missing quality time with your pet while you’re gone. But you don’t have to. With the rise of cat and dog cameras and Wi-Fi camera monitors, you can check in on your pets, interact with them, and give them treats from the comfort of your iOS or Android devices. Just plug in, connect to your Wi-Fi network, and go!

These cat and dog monitors can also help you catch when your animal is in trouble and help prepare for any emergencies.

If you’re interested in keeping an eye on your good girl, here are the best pet cameras of 2019.

Pros and cons of the Petcube Bites 2

The Petcube Bites 2 records 24/7 when triggered by sound or motion detection and notifies you of any major disturbances in your home. It also has a free subscription service that lets you rewind and replay the last four hours of video history.

Plus, it offers a bit more smart integration than its competition: the Petcube Bites 2 camera comes with built-in Amazon Alexa voice controls, so you can use it like a normal smart speaker or tell it to toss your pet a treat with a simple voice command.

The Petcube Bites 2 camera holds up to 1.5 pounds of treats, each of which can be flung up to six feet away. If you prefer a more hands-off method, you can also program the camera to give your furry friend a treat at specifically scheduled times.

The Petcube Bites 2 also supports any treat as long as they are on the crunchy side and about one inch in diameter. So you can pick whatever snack your pet likes best.

If you need to clean the treat dispenser, you can detach it and throw it in the dishwasher or wash by hand. This helps your pet's treats stay clean, at least until the Petcube chucks them on the floor.

The Petcube Bites 2 camera is probably better served for dogs. But if you have a cat at home, Petcube offers another camera, the Petcube Play, that lets you monitor your pet and play with them via laser pointer.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: Petcube Bites 2 isn’t the cheapest (or most expensive) pet camera, but it’s just about the most versatile one out there. It’s a great fit for most pet owners, especially those with food-motivated companions.

>>Get the Petcube Bites 2

PetChatz is the only pet camera that has two-way audio and video—so you can see and hear your pet, and they can see and hear you too. PetChatz also holds 150 treats, can be controlled remotely from your phone or computer, and sends you notifications when it detects noise or motion near the camera.

PetChatz allows video streaming—think of it as a FaceTime call between you and your good boy—but you can only record up to 30 seconds of a video to share with your friends and family. It doesn't include night vision, which is a standard amongst the other cameras on our list.

PetChatz has a lot of other innovative features, but they’ll cost you. PawCall lets your pet call you but costs an additional $99.99. To stream DOGTV to keep your dog occupied while you’re at work, you’ll need a subscription. The brain (treat) games do come built into the camera though, so you don't have to pay extra for those.

PetChatz also comes with calming aromatherapy drops to soothe anxious dogs, but the PetChatz Scentz Essential Oil Drops are sold separately. Plus, the cam can only dispense PetChatz’s own treats. It’s high quality and grain-free, but it’s also a hassle to not be able to give your dog the treats you already have.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: PetChatz is an original and thoughtful pet cam that goes above and beyond when it comes to keeping in touch with your fur baby. If you don’t mind the price of the cam and the add-ons, it’s a great pick.

>>Get the PetChatz HDX

The Furbo is a sleek, beautiful pet camera that holds up to 100 treats and can fling them one at a time, up to eight feet away. It also streams live video and sends you bark alerts so you can tell your pup to keep it down. It’s a great way to engage with your animal and keep them from getting bored when you’re away from home.

The Furbo pet camera has a lot of great perks, but a lot of them are available only with the Furbo Dog Nanny subscription, an additional $6.99 per month. With the subscription, you get 24-hour event-based cloud recording, the ability to save video and send it to your friends and family, and the option to get alerts for any humans coming and going. It’s free for the first 90 days, so it’s a good chance to try it out.

You can control this dog camera only through the Furbo app, and some users report issues with setup. You can usually resolve the issue with the old turning-the-camera-off-and-on-again trick. If that doesn’t work, you can contact customer service. Unfortunately, they’re available only via live chat and email.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: Furbo looks great, works well, and lets you treat your pets from afar. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for something more aesthetically pleasing.

>>Get the Furbo

The Arlo Q isn’t a dedicated pet cam. It’s not going to distract your furry friend with treats, a laser pointer, or any other kind of stimulation. But it’s a solid and dependable indoor cam with crisp 1080p high-definition video, so you can see your fur baby clearly when you’re on the go.

The Arlo Q hits all the basics. It starts recording when triggered by sound or motion, and it has two-way audio so you can check in with your pet—or tell him to get his paws off the couch. It also has infrared night vision, so you can see what your pet is up to after dark.

The Arlo Q is a great pick because it’s versatile enough to use as a pet cam, but it’s also a reliable indoor security camera that works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s great for cloud storage too: the Arlo Q comes with Arlo’s basic service that lets you keep and watch up to seven days of events triggered by sound and motion detection.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: The Arlo Q is a great home security camera that can double as a pet cam. It’s a great budget option.

>>Get the Arlo Q

The Petzi Treat Cam covers all the basics: it launches pet treats and takes candid photos of your good boy or girl. But it offers only one-way audio—so you’ll be able to see and speak to your pet, but they won’t be able to see or hear you.

The Vava Mobile Pet Cam is still in production on IndieGogo, but it has a lot of potential. It’s essentially a pet monitor on wheels that follows your pet around when you’re not home. It also has two-way audio, bark alert notifications, 360° mobility, plus a laser pointer and feather teaser if you’re more of a cat person. We don’t recommend it yet—but when it’s fully on the market, we’ll reconsider.

Home security systems come with sensors that alert you of any movement when you aren't there. But if you have pets at home, you don't want your phone chiming with an alert every time Fido moves from the dog bed to the water bowl. If you're looking for a full home security solution that won't be set off by your dogs, cats, or parrots, check out the best security systems for pet owners.

Cat and dog cameras don’t replace quality time with your furry loved ones, but they’re a great way of keeping tabs while you’re at work. We think the Petcube Bites 2 cam does this best: you can fill it with whatever treats you want, it has built-in Amazon Alexa, and it records video when it detects sound and motion. It’s a great way to keep in touch.

>>Say hello to your furry friend. Buy the Petcube Bites 2 camera from Amazon.