The 9 Best Pet Cameras to Buy in 2022 - PureWow

The 9 Best Pet Cameras to Keep an Eye on Your Furry Friends While You're Out

---

Published Sep 25, 2022

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. You can learn more about that process here.

Leaving pets home alone is hard. Keeping them off the furniture when you're out is almost impossible. Luckily, there's a solution: pet cameras. In 2018, the pet camera market was worth about $50 million. By 2028, experts anticipate the industry will be worth nearly $526 million. That's because pet owners (especially millennials) increasingly see pets as family members and want to make sure they're happy and safe all day. The best pet cameras out there can connect to apps, send alerts and even dispense treats. It's the closest thing we have to FaceTiming our pets from work, and we'll take it.

What to Look for in a Pet Camera

It's worth noting some of the best pet cameras are actually security cameras designed to keep tabs on your home. Wirecutter recommends pet parents explore a variety of options—not just dedicated pet cameras—before settling on a product, as the cameras designed to deter crime will also do an effective job monitoring Rocky's routine while you're away.

Here are a few things to consider when shopping for pet cameras:

• Compatibility and requirements. What operating system will you need on your phone? How great does your wireless have to be?
• Purpose. Do you need to make sure Rocky is safe or do you want to ease separation anxiety with two-way audio and treat dispensers?
• Storage. If you want to look back at the footage of your pet from the previous day, you'll likely need a paid subscription as most pet cameras will only alert you to movement and store short videos to the app or the cloud, which aren't accessible later.
• Placement. Does your pet spend more time indoors or outdoors? Will you need multiple cameras or a whole network to accurately keep watch?

The 9 Best Pet Cameras to Buy in 2022

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Requirements: Apple iOS 12 or newer, Android 8.0 or newer
Stand-out Feature: Furbo Dog Nanny
Size: 9" H x 5" W
Recorded Footage: With subscription

The Furbo Dog Camera sends you an alert when your dog barks so you can check out what's going on at home. Observe your pup through their 160° (diagonal) wide-angle lens with 4X zoom capabilities. You can even customize a recorded call when you want to toss out a treat. Honestly though, the kicker for us is the Furbo Dog Nanny feature. Yes, it's an additional $6.99 per month, but it alerts you when glass breaks, fire alarms go off or there's a potential intruders. FWIW, Furbo Dog Nanny boasts saving more than 25,000 dogs' lives in the past year through these specialty alerts.

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes (Infrared LED, color)
Requirements: Apple iOS 12 or newer, Android 8.0 or newer
Stand-out Feature: 360° camera view
Size: 9" H x 5" W
Recorded Footage: With subscription

Okay, picture the Furbo Dog Camera but new and improved. This updated model offers a quiet, 360° camera view that rotates as your dog moves to keep them in view. Terri Rockovich, co-founder of dog food brand Jinx and dedicated dog mom and foster, said this Furbo is her favorite camera. She loves that she can control it from her phone and the two-way audio feature lets her chat with her pets. "The design is sleek and modern, translating really nicely to any room," Rockovich adds. Plus, unlike the original, this camera has color night vision which means even in low light, you can keep watch over your babies.

Chewy

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Requirements: 2.4GHz WiFi
Stand-out Feature: Vet chat option
Size: 1.97" H x 1.97" W x 2.17" H
Recorded footage: With subscription

The PetCube HD Monitoring camera offers 1080p HD video and a 110° wide-angle lens. The key feature is right in the title: vet chat. Receive notifications for motion and sound or talk to your pet to keep them company. If something looks off from afar, you can contact a licensed vet 24/7 through the app and send them pics or videos from the PetCube. For an extra $5.99 per month, you can use PetCube Care to automatically record video and store footage for up to three days. This camera has more than 9,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. One Chewy user says, "It's practically like being in the same house."

Chewy

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Requirements: Android or Apple iOS
Stand-out Feature: Free Doggy Diary
Size: 10.28" H x 5.63" W x 5.63" L
Recorded Footage: Yes

For dogs who need a little positive reinforcement throughout the day, the eufy D605 Dog Camera will do the trick. Toss treats remotely, choosing between three distance options. There's an anti-clog mechanism that ensures you can keep your dog satiated without the dispenser getting stuck. The camera also has smart motion tracking with 270° rotation. A happy Chewy customer said, "The camera's feature of turning all angles allows me to see all spaces in the room, which is great when it comes to keeping track of my cats." Plus, the Doggy Diary feature is free and allows users to store 16GB of footage locally to review later.

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Requirements: 2.4GHz WiFi
Stand-out Feature: Activity Zone alerts
Size: 2.24" W x 2.24" L x 4.11" H
Recorded Footage: Yes

This is an example of a high-quality security camera that easily doubles as a pet camera. Using AI, it detects whether a person or a pet is coming into view and lets you speak to them if you want to. This eufy indoor camera is also known for its clear images and storage options (iCloud, SD card, network attached or Eufy Cloud Service for an additional $3 per month). Its activity zone alert feature lets you choose specific spots in your home you want to monitor more closely (aka, the couch Rocky knows he shouldn't climb on). Connect it with Alexa or GoogleHome.

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Requirements: WiFi
Stand-out Feature: Waterproof
Size: 2.51" L x 2.24" W x 3.93" H
Recorded Footage: Yes (MicroSD card sold separately for $9)

Like the other cameras on our list, the Wyze Cam v3 Pet Camera immediately sends a push notification to your phone through the app when it detects sound or motion. Though it's free to record and store up to three days of footage (with purchase of a MicroSD card), Wyze also offers CAM Plus for $2 per month for two weeks of video storage. This is an ideal camera if you'd like to monitor your pet outdoors, as it's waterproof and designed to withstand temperatures from five below to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: No, recorded audio only
Nightvision: No
Requirements: 2.4GHz WiFi
Stand-out Feature: Food dispenser
Size: 13.7" L x 9.8" W x 15.3" H
Recorded Footage: Yes, in app

WOPET's Automatic Cat Feeder can totally work for dogs too and has more than 1,100 five-star reviews on Amazon. Set up six specific times each day for the auto feeder to open. Each meal can be set to dispense a different portion size and you can skip auto feeds to dish up food manually if you need it. The WOPET feeder holds up to 29 cups (seven liters) of dry food, and you can even customize a recorded message to play before, during or after your pet eats. Yes, this plugs into an outlet, but it also has battery backup in case the power goes down and you're not home to feed them yourself. One user noted: "The app, as mentioned, seems a little janky. It doesn't feel very modern but once you get the hang of it, it's very easy to use."

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Compatibility: Apple Home Kit, Alexa, Google Home
Stand-out Feature: Wireless
Size: 3.5" x 2" x 3"
Recorded Footage: With subscription

This is another security camera moonlighting as an excellent pet camera. Its object detection feature can tell the difference between people, animals and stuff (like packages that have been delivered). It works outdoors and has crisp night vision, so if you need to monitor your pup at all hours, this is a great option. While the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight camera allows for live video streaming, you'll need the Arlo Secure subscription for $3 per month to store video on the cloud for up to 30 days. That subscription also comes with additional emergency response options that seem worth the extra few bucks. Plus, it's wireless and works outdoors.

Amazon

Two-Way Audio: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Stand-out Feature: Customizable alerts
Size: 2.8" x 2.8" x 1.2"
Recorded Footage: With subscription

Say hello to the camera that has more than 140,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. The Blink Mini Indoor Smart Security Camera is wireless, compatible with Alexa and can run up to two years on the two AA batteries that come with it. Decide what kind of motion alerts you want to receive on your phone, so you aren't bombarded with alerts all day. Though you can only livestream video for five minutes each day (in 30 second intervals), the Blink Subscription Plan allows you to stream for 90 minutes continuously and save video up to 60 days. The plan costs $3 per month and also lets you record automatically when the camera detects motion.