5 Best AI Pet Cameras That Actually Work (Tested in 2026)

February 8, 2026 · 14 min read · Pet Cameras Buying Guide

Leaving your pet home alone is stressful. You know they're fine. Probably. But wouldn't it be nice to actually see that they're fine? And maybe toss them a treat from across town?

That's where AI pet cameras come in. And the keyword here is AI — because in 2026, these aren't just webcams with a pet sticker on the box. The best ones can detect barking, recognize your specific pet, send smart alerts when something's actually wrong (not just when a shadow moves), and even track your pet's activity patterns over time.

I spent the last three months testing the most popular AI pet cameras on the market with my dog, Biscuit (a deeply suspicious beagle who barks at his own reflection). Here's what actually works.

Quick Comparison: Best AI Pet Cameras in 2026

CameraBest ForAI FeaturesTreat TossNight VisionPriceRating
Furbo 360°Overall bestBark alert, person alert, dog activity$210⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Petcube Bites 2 LiteBudget pickMotion/sound alerts, smart detection$120⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eufy Pet Camera S10No subscriptionLocal AI detection, activity zones$100⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wyze Cam Pan v3Budget no-frillsPet detection (with Cam Plus)✅ (color)$35⭐⭐⭐½
Blink Mini 2Multi-camera setupMotion zones, two-way audio$30⭐⭐⭐

1. Furbo 360° Dog Camera — Best Overall

If you want the best AI pet camera money can buy, it's the Furbo 360°. No contest. This thing was designed from the ground up for pet owners, and it shows.

What Makes It Special

The Furbo uses AI to distinguish between actual events and noise. It knows the difference between your dog barking because the mailman showed up and your dog yawning loudly. Over time, it learns your dog's behavior patterns and can alert you to anomalies — like if your dog hasn't moved in an unusual amount of time, or if there's a person detected who shouldn't be there.

The 360° rotation means it can track your pet as they move around the room. No more staring at an empty corner of the couch wondering where your dog went.

And yes — the treat tossing works beautifully. Load it with small treats, tap the button in the app, and watch your dog's confused joy in real-time through the 1080p HD stream.

Key Specs:

  • Resolution: 1080p Full HD
  • Field of view: 360° rotating
  • Two-way audio: ✅ (with bark detection)
  • Treat dispenser: ✅ (holds ~100 small treats)
  • Night vision:
  • AI features: Bark alert, person alert, dog activity tracking, home emergency alert (smoke/CO)
  • Storage: Cloud (Furbo subscription: $7/mo or $69/year)
  • App: iOS and Android

The Catch

You really want the Furbo subscription ($7/month) to unlock the best AI features. Without it, you get live streaming and basic alerts, but the smart bark detection, activity tracking, and cloud recording require the plan. At $69/year though, it's worth it if you use the camera daily.

Best For: Dog owners who want peace of mind. The AI features are genuinely useful (not gimmicky), the treat tosser works great, and the 360° tracking means you always have eyes on your pet.

Rating: 9.2/10

2. Petcube Bites 2 Lite — Best Budget Treat Camera

If you want treat tossing without the Furbo price tag, the Petcube Bites 2 Lite delivers about 80% of the experience at just over half the cost.

The AI detection is solid. It can distinguish between people, pets, and general motion, and sends categorized push notifications. The Petcube Care subscription adds 24/7 video history, smart alerts, and vet chat access (surprisingly useful for the "is this normal?" moments).

Key Specs:

  • Resolution: 1080p Full HD
  • Field of view: 160° wide-angle
  • Two-way audio:
  • Treat dispenser: ✅ (flings up to 6 feet)
  • Night vision:
  • AI features: Person/pet detection, sound alerts, activity zones
  • Storage: Cloud (Petcube Care: free basic tier, $6/mo for premium)
  • App: iOS and Android

The Catch

The 160° fixed lens means no tracking — if your pet leaves the frame, you're watching furniture. Works best in smaller rooms or aimed at your pet's favorite spot. Also, the treat mechanism can jam with larger treats; stick with small, round ones.

Best For: Best value pet camera with a treat tosser. Not as smart as the Furbo, but at $120 with a free basic cloud tier, it's a great entry point.

Rating: 8.4/10

3. Eufy Pet Camera S10 — Best With No Subscription

Tired of monthly subscriptions for everything? Same. The Eufy Pet Camera S10 processes its AI detection locally — no cloud subscription needed. Ever.

Eufy has been pushing local processing hard, and the S10 is their pet-focused offering. It uses on-device AI to detect your pet, track their activity, and send smart alerts without sending a single frame to the cloud (unless you choose to).

Key Specs:

  • Resolution: 2K (2304 x 1296)
  • Field of view: 360° pan & tilt
  • Two-way audio:
  • Treat dispenser:
  • Night vision:
  • AI features: Pet detection, activity zones, person detection — all local
  • Storage: microSD (up to 256GB) + optional HomeBase
  • App: iOS and Android (Eufy Security app)

The Catch

No treat dispenser. If that's a must-have, look at the Furbo or Petcube. The AI detection is good but not as nuanced as Furbo's bark analysis. It's more "your pet is moving" and less "your pet seems distressed."

Best For: Anyone who refuses to pay subscriptions. Great image quality (2K!), 360° tracking, and local AI processing. Zero recurring costs.

Rating: 8.6/10

4. Wyze Cam Pan v3 — Best Ultra-Budget Option

At $35, the Wyze Cam Pan v3 is almost suspiciously cheap. But here's the thing — it's genuinely good for the price.

The Wyze Cam Pan v3 is technically a general-purpose security camera, but with the Cam Plus subscription ($2/month or $20/year), it gains pet detection. It'll tag motion events as "pet" so you can quickly scrub through your day's footage and see only the clips of your furry friend doing weird stuff.

Key Specs:

  • Resolution: 1080p Full HD
  • Field of view: 360° pan, 93° vertical tilt
  • Two-way audio:
  • Treat dispenser:
  • Night vision: ✅ (color Starlight sensor)
  • AI features: Pet detection, person detection, vehicle detection (Cam Plus required)
  • Storage: microSD + cloud (Cam Plus: $2/mo)
  • App: iOS and Android

The Catch

Without Cam Plus, you only get 12-second motion clips with a 5-minute cooldown. The $2/month Cam Plus is practically required. The app can be buggy at times, and the pet detection isn't as reliable as dedicated pet cameras. It sometimes tags my dog as a "person" (flattering for Biscuit, confusing for me).

Best For: Pet owners on a tight budget. It's not a dedicated pet camera, but at $35 with solid features, it's hard to beat as a "just let me check on my dog" solution.

Rating: 7.8/10

If you want cameras in multiple rooms to cover a whole house (or monitor both your dog and your cat in their respective territories), the Blink Mini 2 at $30 each makes it affordable to go all-in.

The Blink Mini 2 integrates directly with Alexa — so you can say "Alexa, show me the living room camera" and pull up the feed on an Echo Show. For households already in the Amazon ecosystem, this is incredibly convenient.

Key Specs:

  • Resolution: 1080p Full HD
  • Field of view: 143° wide-angle (fixed)
  • Two-way audio:
  • Treat dispenser:
  • Night vision: ✅ (built-in LED spotlight)
  • AI features: Motion zones, person detection (with Blink subscription)
  • Storage: Cloud (Blink subscription: $3/mo per camera or $10/mo unlimited cameras)
  • App: iOS, Android, and Alexa integration

The Catch

No pan/tilt, no pet-specific AI detection, no treat dispenser. This is a straightforward security camera that works well for pet monitoring, not a purpose-built pet camera. Person detection requires the Blink subscription.

Best For: Blanketing your home with affordable cameras. The Alexa integration and multi-camera affordability make it great for keeping an eye on pets in every room.

Rating: 7.2/10

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Pet Camera

Not sure which one's right for you? Here's how to think about it:

Do You Need a Treat Dispenser?

How Do You Feel About Subscriptions?

  • Don't mind paying: Furbo ($7/mo) or Petcube ($6/mo) for the best AI features
  • Prefer minimal: Wyze Cam Plus ($2/mo) is dirt cheap
  • Absolutely not: Eufy S10 — all AI runs locally, zero monthly costs

What Kind of Pet?

  • Dogs: Furbo is literally designed for dogs. The bark detection and treat tosser are chef's kiss.
  • Cats: Petcube Bites 2 Lite — cats go wild for the treat flinging mechanism. Also, Petcube has a laser toy attachment for cats.
  • Small pets (hamsters, rabbits): Wyze or Blink for basic monitoring. The AI detection won't work well on small animals.

AI Pet Detection vs. Motion Detection

Motion detection triggers on any movement — a shadow, a curtain blowing, a cloud passing outside the window. You'll get dozens of false alerts.

AI pet detection uses machine learning to identify that the moving thing is actually an animal. Fewer false alerts, more relevant notifications. This is the single most important feature upgrade in modern pet cameras.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a regular security camera as a pet camera?

Absolutely. The Wyze and Blink cameras on this list are technically security cameras. The main things you miss vs. dedicated pet cameras are treat dispensing and pet-specific AI features like bark detection. For basic "check on my pet" use, any decent camera works.

Do pet cameras work with cats?

Yes! Despite most marketing showing dogs, all these cameras work for cats. The Petcube is particularly cat-friendly — they sell a laser toy attachment, and the treat tosser works great with cat treats. AI detection works on cats just as well as dogs.

Is it worth getting a treat-tossing camera?

If you have a dog with separation anxiety or you're away for long hours, the treat tosser is legitimately useful for positive reinforcement and breaking up your pet's boredom. For casual monitoring, you can skip it and save $80-$100.

How much internet bandwidth do pet cameras use?

A 1080p camera streams at roughly 2-4 Mbps. If you have 3+ cameras running simultaneously, make sure your upload speed can handle it. Most modern internet plans are fine, but if you're on a slower connection, set cameras to a lower quality when not actively watching.

The Bottom Line

Your pet's fine at home. Probably. But for $35-$210, you can know they're fine — and toss them a treat while you're at it. 🐾

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure for details.