Picking Best Security Camera for Your Pets in 2024

For many of us, pets are important members of the family, sometimes even as important as children. It is only natural to want to monitor them and ensure their safety when you are not home.

You could use a pet sitter or ask a family/neighbor when you are not around, but those options may not always be available. In such cases, you may want to rely on a pet camera.

Thanks to technological advances, pet owners can now use home cameras to monitor and communicate with their furry friends.

These cameras stream live video with audio of pets, and some even have a two-way talk feature. The pet camera’s features make it perfect for owners who are usually away from home to ensure their pet’s well-being in their absence.

Let’s look at what you need to know about these pet cameras and what to keep in mind before buying one.

Important Features of a Pet Camera

When picking a camera, you want to make sure it has the facilities to perform the task you need it for – in this case, watching your pets. Below are the must-haves for every pet camera.

1. Pet Detection - Get notified when your pet is captured by the camera

Pet detection is an AI-powered pet camera feature that detects your pet’s movement and alerts you when they come into the camera’s view. The technology uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze video footage and identify motion patterns.

Cameras with this feature help pet owners to observe what their fur babies are up to in their absence.This feature also filters out the non-pet-related motions and allow pet owners to customize the notifications to only important events that they truly care about.

Been awaited for a long time, the pet detection is a new feature available on very few home camera models. Take Reolink as an example, only cameras boasted smart detection feature with the latest firmware versions bring added peace of mind pet owners.

2. Audio/Two-way audio - interact with your pet through your home camera

The Two-way audio deature on a security camera make youto interact with your pet through your home camera in a nice way.
The two-way audio feature on pet cameras takes remotely monitoring your animal companions at home to the next level! Rather than just watching your pets, this feature allows you to listen and talk to them.

Training your fur babies does not need to stop when you are away; you can easily order Mr. Peanutbutter to stop clawing the couch while you are at work with cameras that have this ability.

The feature can also be useful for calming your four-legged/winged companions in stressful periods when you are not around, giving them soothing reassurance with your voice.

3. Pan, Tilt & Zoom - An Exciting Way to Play With Your Pet

With the Pan, Tilt and Zoom feature, you can get an exciting and immersive experience while playing with your pet! This technology allows you to adjust the focus of your camera vertically and horizontally, giving you a unique view. You can monitor your pet or simply have fun with them.

Zoom in to feel as if you're closer or out for a bird's eye view of the action. There is no limit to how much fun you can have with your furry friend.

4. Auto-tracking - A fun way to watch and record your pet’s activities

Auto-tracking is another AI-powered feature that lets the camera automatically follow your pet’s movement. Once the camera detects its subject, it adjusts its position to track the subject till it leaves the camera’s field of view.

5. Higher Resolution & Night Vision - See your pet clearly in low light conditions

You will need your camera to be able to record footage in low light conditions if you want to monitor your pets throughout the day. Usually, cameras with this ability typically use infrared technology to work in the dark.

6. Other features of a pet camera

There are extra features a pet camera can have. These features are not a must, but you may want them if you want to do more than watch over your pets when you are not around.

These features include;

• Smart feeders: Some pet cameras have food dispensers that can give treats to your pets at set intervals.
• Toys: Pet cameras sometimes come with toys like laser pointers and cat teasing sticks to offer more interactivity with pets. These allow you to keep your fur babies engaged in your absence.

Using a Security Camera as a Pet Camera

At their core, most dedicated pet cameras are specialized security cams with extra bells and whistles for pet interactions.

The extra features make pet cameras pretty pricey buys, and if you find that they are too expensive, we suggest you opt for a security cam instead.

Any modern security camera should do if you want to keep tabs on your pets when you are not around. You will want to pick security cams with some or all of the necessary features discussed above; most security cameras have those features nowadays.

Asides from their relatively low cost, security cameras can also warn you of intruders on your property since that is their main purpose anyways.

Pet camera recommandations

If you are in the market for cameras to watch your pets, we recommend the Reolink E1 Zoom and the Reolink Trackmix WiFi edition.

The E1 Zoom is one of the best Reolink indoor cameras designated for pets. Boasting 5MP super HD and 355° rotation, this camera gives you a full view inside your house, no matter where your pet hides.
Even better, the upgraded E1 Zoom camera now support pet detection and auto pet tracking functions, bring pet owners peace of mind to get alerted when their pets are having fun or messing around at home.

Reolink E1 Zoom

PTZ Wireless Smart Home Camera

Smart, Powerful and Affordable All-Round Home Protection. 355° Pan and 50° Tilt; 5MP Super HD, 3X Optical Zoom, Two-Way Audio, 2.4/5 GHz WiFi, with Google Assistant Integration.

Learn More about Reolink E1 Zoom

If you are looking for an outdoor pet camera, the TrackMix WiFi would be an ideal option. Thanks to its dual-lens design, this camera give you both wide-angle view and closeup view at the same time. Users can see the moving objects, for example, your happily running dog, and the whole garage simultaneously.

Reolink TrackMix WiFi

4K Dual-Lens PTZ Camera with Motion Tracking

4K 8MP UHD, Wide-Angle & Telephoto Lenses, Pan-Tilt-Zoom, Auto-Tracking, Person/Vehicle Detection, 2.4/5 GHz Dual-Band WiFi, Two-Way Audio.

Learn More about Reolink TrackMix WiFi

Both are excellent choices with features suitable for observing your furry friends in your absence.

Advice for Buying a Pet Camera

Here are some tips for you to keep in mind when in the market for a pet camera:

1. You don’t have to break the bank for a special pet camera. If you simply want to watch your pets, any modern security cam should do.
2. If you are picking a security cam, ensure it has features like night vision, motion detection, PTZ (pan, tilt & zoom), and the ability to view footage remotely.
3. Pick a camera with good resolution; 3MP or above should do the job.

Setting up the ‘Pet Detection’ Feature on a Reolink Camera

If you already have a Reolink camera, here’s how to set up its pet detection feature. This guide only works with cameras that support smart detection. You also need the Reolink mobile app or Reolink Client installed on your computer.

Here is a detailed guide on setting up the pet detection feature with your Reolink PC Client:

1. After syncing your camera to the Client, go to Device Settings and select Detection Alarm.
2. Select “Smart Detection” and adjust the pet detection sensitivity.
3. Specify the Object Size for pet detection by clicking “Set up.”
4. Save your changes.

You can also set it up on your smart phone's Reolink App.

Conclusion

As a pet owner, leaving your pet home alone daily or for long weekends may be unavoidable. However, you can rest easy once you are armed with the right pet camera keeping an eye (or lens) on your fur babies' activities.

Now that you’ve seen how important these devices can be, we hope you’ve also learned what to consider when shopping for one.

If you have any questions or comments about our topic today, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below! Don’t forget to share this article with anyone else who might be interested in learning more about using gadgets for their pets!