The best new smart tech makes our lives easier. But why should humans have all the fun? There are some seriously cool gadgets available for pets out there.
If you’re thinking of treating your faithful furry friend, we’ve rounded up some of the smartest pet tech below – along with some whackier ideas that might give you some ‘paws’ for thought!
Cheerble - smart ball for cats
Your cat’s going to have a ball if you buy Cheerble for it. The self-rolling smart ball makes a great playmate for fun-loving felines – shaking, bouncing and moving around all on its own.
With attention-grabbing colour-changing LED lights, your pet won’t be able to ignore it. And Cheerble is smart enough to automatically dodge obstacles, so it won't lead them astray.
The soft finish is gentle on paws, and you can switch between 3 modes to suit different pets playing style - passive, gentle, and normal.
Tractive - GPS tracker & activity monitor for dogs
We’re not suggesting you show your dog the door and tell it to go for a walk by itself. But if you want to keep tabs on your canine companion when it’s not on your lead, the Tractive dog tracker lets you do just that.
With real-time GPS tracking, you're only a couple of taps away from seeing exactly where your dog is. If you’re on a forest walk, or if you’ve got a big garden, you’ll know exactly where your it’s rooting around.
And if your dog’s an intrepid explorer, you can set a boundary and get notified on your phone if they wander further off.
Petlibro Granary - automatic pet food feeder
Say goodbye to the stress of rushing home to feed your beloved fur babies - the Petlibro automatic pet feeder can do the job for you.
You can schedule up to 6 daily meals, keeping even the pickiest pets satisfied. With precise portion control from the silicone rotor, you know they're getting just the right amount of food every time. Plus, with double bowls and an adjustable meal splitter, there's no need for anyone to go hungry.
And if your pets ever forget about their mealtime (as if), no worries. You can set up pre-recorded feeding reminders that'll have them racing to the bowl with excitement at the sound of your voice. “Dinner time, Bowser!”
Smart pet tech of the future
If you’re interested in anything you’ve read so far, the products above are all available from Currys right now. But what about the future? Let’s take a look at some ideas from companies that are coming up with the very latest ideas and in the world of smart pet tech. Bring on the robots!
Whisker - the litter robot
Scooping up smelly cat litter isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. But luckily, Whisker the litter robot is here to happily take care of business. Whisker will track waste and litter levels in real-time, sifts out waste after every use so you never have to scoop again. It also helps manage smells with the help of an intelligent Odortrap system. Whisker is suitable for up to four cats, so you won't have to buy more than one robot. Unless you’ve got more than four cats.
Flappie – a smart cat flap
Does your cat leave you unwanted presents every now and then? Dead rats, mice and poor little birds... yuck.
Flappie is designed to put an end to all those nasty surprises. It uses an AI detection system and locks the door if it senses that your cat is bringing you some freshly caught prey. The door only opens when your cat drop what’s in its mouth. And according to the makers of Flappie, this can train your cat to stop its dodgy gifting for good.
PawPort – doggie smart door
PawPort has created a smart door that opens up specially for your dog. It detects a sensor on your pet’s collar as it approaches, and then lets them in. A chime will alert you every time the door is opened.
This clever dog door comes with an app that lets you track exactly where your dog is, and you can even set curfew times – so no more late night barking sessions in the garden. Your neighbours will thank you for it.
Carlos – the smartest lead ever
If you’ve got a dog, you’ve got a lead. You hold it, and it connects to your dog. Job done. But wait! Wouldn’t it be great if your lead could also connect to an app on your phone? And cost you hundreds of pounds?
If you answered ‘yes’ to both questions then you might want to check out Carlos – the smart leash that guides, tracks and manages your pet’s walks. It can even recommend the perfect walkie length, based on your dog’s age, weight and breed.
And Carlos can do so much more… this lead can even charge your phone and hook you into a social network for fellow dog lovers. Be honest - now that you know about Carlos, will you ever look at your old ‘non-smart’ lead in the same way again?