We review the gadgets that solve real problems — and call out the ones that don't. Cat-first by design. Dog-fluent. We don't gush. We don't take vendor money for placements.
Most pet tech innovation happens in cat households. So that's where we start. Then we cover dogs honestly, without pretending every smart collar is a breakthrough.
Three months in a two-cat household. The gap between $699 and $499 isn't what you'd expect.
Five trackers tested on a 4kg cat. Battery, range, subscriptions — compared honestly.
Material matters more than pump quality. 60 days of biofilm tracking, full report.
SureFlap dominates the category, but is it actually the best? We tested it against two newer competitors.
Three weeks, two dogs, one fenced yard and one off-leash trail. Subscription costs included.
Six months of treat-tossing and barking alerts. The verdict is more nuanced than Amazon reviews suggest.
Microchip identification, portion calibration, multi-cat conflict — tested across all dimensions.
Whistle Health, FitBark, and three others. Most are marketing dressed as data.
Six categories across two species. We test in real households, not labs. Every product gets at least 30 days before we publish.
Self-cleaning, sifting, waste sensors.
Cat and dog GPS, AirTag, smart collars.
Microchip feeders, portioning, fountains.
Treat dispensers, audio, alerts.
Microchip doors, schedule locks.
Halo, SpotOn, invisible fences.
After 90 days in a two-cat household and 87 cycles tracked, the verdict is in. The Litter-Robot 4 isn't perfect — and it certainly isn't cheap — but the engineering gap between it and every competitor under $500 is significant enough that we're calling it a buy for households with the budget.
Read the full review →Every product is scored 0–10 across five pillars. Tested in real homes with real pets for at least 30 days. Vendors don't see articles before publication. Subscription pricing is always analyzed separately from upfront cost.