The best pet cameras for your cat or dog

The Blink Mini — a compact indoor plug-in smart security camera — is not specifically designed to keep an eye on your pets, but it does the job very well. It's also great for homes that are already well-connected via Alexa, as it's part of the Amazon-produced family that also includes the Echo. Connect the Blink to an Alexa-enabled device and you can control its features with your voice.

The Blink Mini offers a 110° diagonal view, and records and views in 1080p HD video during the day and with infrared HD night vision after dark. You also get speaker output and two-way audio recording, and you can customise motion detection zones so you can see what matters most.

You don't get pet-friendly features like treat disposal, but this camera shines when it comes to video and audio quality. Plus, it's one of the cheaper options.

Between the food, the flea collars, and vet bills, owning a pet is expensive enough as it is. Maybe you don’t want to spend another bucketload on a gadget like a pet camera. That’s where the GNCC Pet Camera could prove very handy. It’s cheap but doesn’t skimp on features. In fact, it has most of what you’ll find on more expensive options, but it’s all packed into a budget-friendly bundle.

With the GNCC Pet Camera you get a 360° view, motion tracking, noise detection, two-way audio for speaking to/listening in on your pet, voice control, video recording, cloud storage, and remote app control.

There’s no doubt that it will feel and perform on the cheaper side, but it’s still recommended. All it’s really missing is treat dispensing and the ability to edit/share videos on social media — neither of which need to be deal breakers.

Even with the widest viewing angle, many pet cameras won’t cover an entire room, so there’s always the risk that your pet will get into trouble without you seeing. That’s why the Little Elf Smart Camera is a strong recommend.

This camera features a 360°, motion detection camera that can be set to to automatically follow any movement around the home. As well as 360° vision horizontally, it provides a 180° angle vertically too.

It live streams to your smartphone, and records footage to a memory card or cloud storage — all managed via the smartphone app. Advanced night vision means you can still see your pet in complete darkness and two-way audio lets you listen in on your furball’s activity, then tell them they’re a good dog or kitty.

If there’s more than one pet parent in the house, the app supports multiple users — not to mention multiple Little Elf cameras around the home.

One of the few pet cameras available on the market designed especially for dogs in mind, the Furbo has a variety of features such as a 360° view and real-time barking notifications on your smartphone, which makes this ideal for owners with anxious dogs. Don’t worry, the alert sensitivity can be adjusted so you aren’t notified at every little whimper, just louder barks. And it’s easy to check in on them via the live video feed to find out exactly what’s up.

Another great feature is the ability to dispense a treat from the camera. Two-way audio lets you speak to and listen in on doggo for interactive fun.

A usage indicator light offers another way for pet parents to interact with their doggo. While in use, the light is blue, and turns yellow when it goes into sleep mode. Dogs can see both of those colours, which could help your pup to anticipate interactions with you. The only major drawback is that the power cord may restrict where you place the camera — but it's still a great option.

The Enabot Pet Camera is more than just a camera. Like the tech cousin of the robot vacuum, it moves freely around your home — either automatically or remote controlled via the app — becoming as much of a companion for your pet as it is a security measure.

It comes equipped with all the tech and features you’d expect from a pet camera: Night vision, two-way audio, motion detection, and mobile alert notifications. It’s designed to support multiple users, with the ability to record, store, and share pictures and video, including in-app editing features.

It also has a cutesy emoji light that changes along with its various functions, with a cartoony voice to keep your pet — or anyone else — company. Like a robot vacuum, it automatically returns to its base station to recharge. It’s worth noting that it struggles getting up and across high rugs.

Some of the cameras in this list have a double purpose. They're not just great pet cameras but security cameras too. Security is the primary purpose of the AOBOCAM Mini Spy Camera, but it’s also great as a pet camera if you fancy something that’s totally unobtrusive. At just under 4 cm wide, it’s nearly invisible once set up, but this little camera has a lot of features.

Particularly impressive is the fact it records 4K video — higher res than other cameras on this list — plus motion detection, text alerts, live video, video recording, and app control. It has a little stand, but it’s also magnetic so you can attach it in all kinds of places without faffing about with installation.

We also recommend this for owners of reptiles or rodents — so you can put this little camera into their enclosure and see what they get up to.