# Tell me about pet cameras **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2021, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711 "2021-02-11T22:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/1 "2021-02-11T22:16:30Z")
I love my cat but frequently I’m away at work so don’t get to see him. I’m thinking of getting a web-type camera but have no idea how they work. Specifically, if I set one up at home, how would I view it? Would I need a website? Are there any costs other than purchasing the camera? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/2 "2021-02-11T23:17:34Z")
The cam I have for my kittens connects to my home wifi and has an app I can log into on my phone. It doesn’t have any fees for this feature. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/3 "2021-02-11T23:21:24Z")
Would you mind proving the name/model or link? Are you happy with it? ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/4 "2021-02-11T23:22:52Z")
Better add a motion detector to this - you could spend a lot of time fast-forwarding in search of activity. Dan ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/5 "2021-02-12T00:36:13Z")
I know someone that has a pet cam that can toss treats to Fido or Tiger. You load a hopper with treats and the app has a button to send one flying. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/6 "2021-02-12T00:40:36Z")
I am happy with it but my specific camera has been discontinued. The brand is TOOGE. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/7 "2021-02-12T00:45:01Z")
There are lots of home security cameras you can get from companies like Ring, Wyze, and many others. You connect to the camera with your phone to set it up and then configure it. When you want to see the camera video, you bring up the webcam’s app on your phone and click on the camera to see live video. You can also set them up to send you notifications when it senses movement, turn on night vision, and lots of other things. For example, this one not only allows you to look at the video, you can tilt and pan the camera from your phone: [Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ). They’re really easy to use. Get a few and you can set them up to look out your windows as well as having one inside the house. Many of the cameras also offer some kind of cloud storage. They may have a free tier which just saves a short video when it detects movement. If you get a subscription, the camera will upload longer videos. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/8 "2021-02-12T06:09:24Z")
Thanks for that info. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/9 "2021-02-12T06:49:22Z")
You _DO NOT WANT TO KNOW_ what your cat is doing while he thinks you aren’t watching. Just a warning, Luke. ---
**Author:** ![steepone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@steepone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steepone)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/10 "2021-02-12T07:30:23Z")
I have no first hand experience but this interactive camera toy looks interesting, I’d love to hear if anyone has tried it [http://www.startplaydate.com/](http://www.startplaydate.com/) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/11 "2021-02-12T17:04:54Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > You _DO NOT WANT TO KNOW_ what your cat is doing while he thinks you aren’t watching. Just a warning, Luke. Per this documentary series it is NOT good: > **[The Secret Life of Pets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Life_of_Pets)** > > The Secret Life of Pets is a 2016 American animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Chris Renaud, co-directed by Yarrow Cheney, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, from a screenplay written by Brian Lynch and the writing team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The film stars the voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moy The... ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/12 "2021-02-12T17:14:12Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > The cam I have for my kittens connects to my home wifi Careful! What’s to keep them from logging into Zoom trials posing as lawyers? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/13 "2021-02-12T17:58:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > You _DO NOT WANT TO KNOW_ what your cat is doing while he thinks you aren’t watching. Heck, I don’t like half the stuff he does when I am watching. But he’s his own man I suppose, I still love him. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/14 "2021-02-12T20:01:39Z")
I have a wyze camera that connects to my smart phone. There are plans that cost money, like recording, but I don’t believe there are any other charges than the cost of the camera. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/15 "2021-02-12T20:04:15Z")
One of our cats can turn of the laptop wireless connection. She hasn’t to my knowledge started Zoom, but it is a beginning. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/16 "2021-02-12T20:57:43Z")
Just get a Wyze cam. They’re $25, connect via wi-fi, and you can view them via the internet. And even talk to your cat through it if you feel like it- they have a speaker. [Wyze Cam | 1080p HD Smart Home Camera With Free AWS Cloud](https://wyze.com/wyze-cam.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/17 "2021-02-13T01:50:26Z")
There are lots of indoor cams besides the ones mentioned. Some home security systems also offer indoor cams run off phone apps. There are power over ethernet cams i.e. connected to a POE switch, and wireless WiFi models. You can of course get one with a microphone so you can talk to your pet when you’re not home, but I’d worry about provoking neurosis in the poor animal subjected to the Disembodied Voice of Doom. “Hey! Get away from that cushion! You’re in trouble now, buster!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/18 "2021-02-13T06:45:58Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > … but I’d worry about provoking neurosis in the poor animal subjected to the Disembodied Voice of Doom. Well my cat is well into neurotic, so that wouldn’t be of concern. Likewise, telling him ‘no’… he ignores me anyway. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/19 "2021-02-13T14:34:13Z")
A modicum of feline self-respect ? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-pet-cameras/932711/20 "2021-02-13T14:35:29Z")
Quick show of hands: how many people would rather watch the OPs cat, live via a webcam, than to watch the Shit-Gibbon’s defense team at this point ?? 😉