The ‘Pet Tech’ Craze: Can a $799 Treadmill Make Your Best Friend Happier and Healthier?

ACCORDING TO her Twitter bio, Sharkboots “Boots” Shadynasty, nine years old, is “allergic to chicken and has behavioral issues.” One of those issues is her propensity for peeing in beds. Her “mom,” Leisha Riddel, 34, an art director in Toronto, says she tried everything to persuade the cat to relieve herself in the litter box instead: changing litter thrice daily, using a motion-activated spray (named “SSSCAT”) meant to deter pets from certain areas of your home, even having three separate litter boxes so that Boots could rotate. 

The only thing that curbed Boots’s poor pee patterns? The Litter-Robot 4, a $699 spherical litter “box” that rotates slowly, sifting out the clean litter and dropping any clumps into an easily emptied drawer. The Wi-Fi-enabled device not only cleans itself after each use—hence its promise to eliminate odors—it tracks when each of your cats have used it. You can even purchase a camera attachment to watch your cat do its business. Riddel bought her luxury litter box second hand, and insists that, while the price caused some pain, the box is worth it.

A kitty pee cam might seem like overkill, but I get it. I come from a long line of pet-obsessed suckers. In an oft-told story, my grandmother attempted to dissuade Puma, the family cat, from jumping on the kitchen counter by offering him pieces of whatever meat my grandfather, a butcher, brought home. (You might understand that this only encouraged Puma). My aunt cooks full human meals for her beagles. My sister and brother-in-law let their Great Dane sleep beside them in an overpopulated queen-sized bed. In short, no one in my family has the heart to tell an animal “no.” 

Innovations in litter box design, monitoring cameras and pet trackers have only further enabled my clan to go overboard in the name of giving our animals better lives. Which is how, after a couple of glasses of wine, I found myself ordering a DNA test for my rescue dog, Party. When the results came back, they included a photo of a dog who is presumably her mom (they share 49% of their DNA and both sit in arm chairs the same way). I also found out that Party was marked “clear for 29 genetic conditions that could impact her early vet visits.” Should I ever want to, I can pay and upgrade to find out more about her health. 

It’s hard to resist products, even pricey ones, that promise to make our pets happier or healthier. Indeed, a 2022 study by Skyquest Technology Consulting reports that “83% of pet owners in North America and Europe own at least one pet tech device.” Among the factors driving this: increases in pet ownership over the past few years (“pandemic puppies” was a real phenomenon);  a growing desire to monitor pet health; and the way new technologies, especially AI-based ones, are fueling innovation. 

The Benefits of Sequencing Your Samoyed’s Genome

I asked St. Louis-based veterinarian Dr. Emily Goyda about DNA tests, and while she said she has used information from the results, she cautioned, “Some of those markers are clinically relevant, but I wouldn’t put a huge stake in an over-the-counter test.” Which is fair, but the test did mostly show dog relatives from Bakersfield, Calif., a city three hours away from where Party was found. 

I’m not a “reach out and try to meet up with my dog’s half siblings” kind of person—but I understand such information’s allure. DNA tests like Embark for dogs and Basepaws for cats, which promise to yield data relevant to the pet’s health, are skyrocketing in popularity. 

Both companies also offer tests that let you assess your dog’s gut health and your cat’s oral hygiene. (Assume it’s bad. They eat bugs.) Armed with a mountain of data, some pet owners are getting a little wound up. 

The Downside of DNA Testing

Dr. William Adams, a veterinarian who practices on Long Island, N.Y., says that owners often come in worried about results he doesn’t find concerning, such as an ancestry-based risk of kidney stones. “Knowing your pet is predisposed to things can have value, but it can also be abused. Every time your dog looks at you funny, are you going to freak out instead of just enjoying your time with your pet?” Both he and Goyda  say that knowing about medication sensitivities, which Embark offers, can help them in their practice, but neither think DNA testing is necessary. 

Companies understand, though, that pet owners will pay for the promise of health and safety. GPS-enabled collars let you find your pet if it runs off, and the Whistle Go Explore 2.0 Smart Tracker, for one, also tracks licking and itching, which can indicate a reaction or an allergy. The Furbo Nanny, a subscription upgrade to a standard Furbo pet camera can alert you if a person is in your home while you’re away, if your dog is barking, or if there’s a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm going off. 

Who Are These Gadgets Actually For?

Another large chunk of pet-tech gadgets comprises items that make your life as a pet owner easier. Who wants to scoop litter or throw the ball 947 times? Automatic pet feeders got the thumbs-up from veterinarians we spoke to, especially for cats—who prefer lots of little meals throughout the day. Programming an automatic feeder to feed your cat at night might prevent that dreaded 5 a.m. wake-up call. 

But sometimes the shortcut falls short. Plenty of gadgets promise to help your dog get  exercise while you mostly laze about. These can work for some pets, but not all. 

Dog treadmills, for example, could help dogs who get easily distracted and overreact to stimuli on walks but who still need lots of exercise. That said, treadmills can’t replace mentally stimulating activities your dog needs, like sniffing, digging or chasing. 

“Consult with your veterinarian to see how much activity is appropriate for your dog specifically, because you can overdo it,” said Dr. Heather Fraser, a New Orleans vet. Not every dog wants to run 4 miles, treadmill notwithstanding.

Vets issued similar warnings for automatic ball launchers, designed to play fetch with your dog without ever getting tired. Adams cautions that an endless round of fetch can make dogs obsessed, which can inhibit them socially. Games like fetch are great because they give dogs opportunities to spend time with you, and let you stimulate their minds. When you outsource that work to a machine that doesn’t ever stop, behavioral issues like fixation can emerge. 

Here’s the Bottom Line

Every expert we spoke to agreed that while any tech might work for some pets, the most important thing when purchasing gear is to know your pet. For example, grooming vacuums, which use suction to help brush a dog, often get great reviews, but knowing my dog Party’s relationship with the vacuum-vacuum, I doubt she’d welcome a pet-vacuum with open paws.

Your basset hound doesn’t need a treadmill, and if your cat freaks out every time you turn on your electric toothbrush, you could soon find yourself selling a fancy litter box at a massive loss on Facebook Marketplace. 

If you don’t know what is best for your pet, ask your vet to help you pinpoint what might or might not work. Most are more than happy to guide you through even the silliest questions. 

I know because I’ve now asked all of them.

FETCH THESE, SCRATCH THOSE

Not all pet gear is created equal. Here’s how the vets and other experts we spoke with rated nine accessories. 

Gear for Dogs

Recommend

Sylvia Wes, certified professional dog trainer, has tested multiple tracking collars, and calls the Whistle Go Explore 2.0 Smart Tracker her “favorite thing.” The collar not only actually uses LTE and GPS to track pets, but also keeps notes on their sleep and behaviors like itching and licking that you might want to bring up with a vet. $129, Whistle.com

It’s Fine

Vets and trainers say dog treadmills like the Dog Pacer 4.0, have uses, but only for certain dogs. Not all dogs want or need to run long distances, so ask your vet about your own dog’s exercise needs. Also, as Dr. Emily Goyda pointed out, exercise isn’t a substitute for mental stimulation for dogs with anxiety issues. $799, DogPacer.com

Skip It

While ball launchers like iFetch Ball Launcher can help you avoid the monotony of ball throwing duties, Dr. William Adams warns that, with some dogs, you should limit your reliance on such tools. “There have been some recent studies that actually say that fetch is addictive to dogs and it can have a similar feedback loop as drugs for people.” $230, GoIFetch.com

Gear for Cats

Recommend

If you’re ready to splurge on your cat (and yourself), vets recommend the Litter-Robot 4. Not only is it a litter box that literally cleans itself, eliminating the smelliest fact of cat parenthood, it also collects data about your cat (or cats) to alert you, via its easy-to-use app, about any concerning bathroom habits, like constipation. $699, Litter-Robot.com

It’s Fine

Automatic feeders are certainly not a requirement, but vets say they’re great for cats who like to eat multiple small meals throughout the day, sometimes at night. The Catit PIXI Smart 6-Meal Feeder can handle both dry food and wet food—thanks to room for ice packs that keep the food cool—which makes it work for any feline’s diet. $135, CatIt.us

Skip It

SurePet’s Microchip Cat Door uses your pet’s existing microchip to easily allow your cat to go in and out of the house and prevents other critters from getting in. It works well, which could make it a boon for folks who constantly find their neighbor’s bichon frisé in their den, but most vets don’t recommend letting your cat outside. $216, SurePetCare.com

Gear for Both

Recommend

DNA kits like Embark for dogs and BasePaws for cats offer a ton of information. Getting one back can be fun, allowing you to identify potential relatives of your pet. Some things you’ll learn won’t be relevant, but vets say the results can help them see how a pet will respond to certain medications. $199, EmbarkVet.com; $159, Basepaws.com

It’s Fine

The Furbo 360 Camera lets you stare at your pet all day, even when you’re away. You can speak to pets through its speaker and even toss them treats, though Fraser warns that some pets might be frustrated by the loud treat-shooting mechanism or their inability to find you after hearing your voice. Otherwise, she considers the device harmless. $210, Furbo.com

Skip It

If you’ve ever wished that you could simply vacuum the dog instead of every single surface in your house, the furMe Grooming Vacuum Kit might appeal. But pets might not exactly love having a vacuum on them. If your pet has a chill attitude, vets say this could be OK. But be careful using attachments with blades. $200, ShopFurMe.com

Should You Be Splurging on a Fancier Feast?

The primary form of nutrition for most American pets is some form of kibble—usually a mixture of ground meat, grains and vegetables compressed into a pellet. In recent years, however, several companies have begun pushing the idea that what your dogs and cats eat should look more like what you’d serve yourself, even if it costs more. These brands include the Farmer’s Dog and Nom Nom, both of which ship out prepackaged meals with ingredients such as turkey chunks, carrot slices and, amazingly, lentils. Other pet owners have taken to cooking meals for their dogs and cats, or purchasing raw meat for a “raw food” diet in hopes of benefiting their pet.

Some of these trends concern some experts. “Research has shown that the majority of online homemade diet recipes are not balanced or complete,” said Dr. Monica Tarantino, a  vet in Charlotte, N.C.  She says vets can often help devise specific plans for pets with cancer, cognitive decline or heart disease, but most pets don’t require the effort.

When choosing food, she and Dr. Kristi Chow, a vet in Indianapolis, say to check packaging to see whether the Association of American Feed Control Officials has verified the food. Commercial kibble from brands like Hill’s, Iams and Purina usually has this distinction, as do many premade fresh food diets. But don’t feel guilty if you’re not springing for fresh grub. If the food’s verified, what mainly matters is whether your pet will actually eat it.

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