Technology
The Pet Tech Boom: What's Useful and What's Noise
Smart collars, AI health monitors and automatic feeders — which products earn their place, and which solve problems that do not exist.
Where the technology genuinely helps
Activity and sleep trackers can detect gradual declines that owners miss, and several studies support their usefulness in monitoring osteoarthritis treatment response. Microchip-operated feeders solve real problems in multi-cat and therapeutic-diet households.
Where claims outrun the evidence
Devices claiming to translate barks or diagnose disease from a photograph should be treated with scepticism. Ask whether the product has been validated against a veterinary gold standard, and by whom.
The risk of false reassurance
A gadget that says an animal is fine can delay a veterinary visit. Any monitoring device should prompt earlier professional care, never replace it.
Data and privacy
Pet tech collects location and household data. Check what the company does with it, whether the device still works if the subscription lapses, and what happens if the company closes.