The Best New Pet Tech* – The Financial Times highlights the latest advancements in pet technology, featuring products like AI-powered pet cams and smart pet fountains.

Introduction

Over the past decade, the relationship between humans and their pets has evolved from companionship to near-parental bonds. With this evolution, pet care has shifted from simple food and shelter to advanced health monitoring, entertainment, and safety. The Financial Times has consistently covered innovation across industries, and its focus on pet technology reveals a growing sector where technology meets affection. In 2025, the latest advancements in AI-powered pet cams, smart fountains, fitness trackers, and automated feeders are redefining how owners care for their furry, feathered, and scaled companions.

This article explores the best new pet tech of 2025, as highlighted by The Financial Times, diving into how these devices are transforming pet health, safety, and convenience. From artificial intelligence to sustainable designs, these technologies reflect a blend of innovation, practicality, and love.

The Rise of Pet Tech: A Growing Industry

Pet ownership has surged globally, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when millions of households welcomed new pets. With that rise came a demand for smarter ways to care for them. According to market research, the global pet tech market is expected to surpass $25 billion by 2030, driven by consumer demand for automated, AI-driven, and connected devices.

Pet owners today want to know what their pets are doing, how healthy they are, and whether they feel emotionally enriched. This has opened doors for startups and established tech giants alike to launch new products aimed at pet well-being. The Financial Times emphasizes that pet tech is no longer a luxury—it’s becoming an essential part of responsible pet ownership.

AI-Powered Pet Cams: A Watchful Eye

One of the most innovative trends of 2025 is the rise of AI-powered pet cameras. Unlike earlier models that simply recorded video, the new generation integrates machine learning and real-time behavioral analysis.

• Key Features
• Behavior Recognition: Cameras can now detect unusual behaviors, such as excessive scratching, lethargy, or destructive activity, and alert owners instantly.
• Two-Way Communication: Owners can speak to their pets or soothe them through voice commands, helping with separation anxiety.
• Automated Play: Some cameras, like those featured in the FT report, are equipped with laser pointers or treat dispensers that can be triggered automatically when the pet looks bored.
• Integration with Veterinary Services: AI analysis can detect potential health issues and share reports directly with vets.
• Example Highlight: The PawSense AI Cam, cited by The Financial Times, uses deep learning to identify stress signals in cats and dogs, providing data-backed recommendations to improve their daily routines.

Impact: These devices reduce owner guilt when away from home, improve pet health monitoring, and add a new layer of bonding despite physical distance.

Smart Pet Fountains: Hydration Meets Technology

Hydration is critical for pets, especially cats who are notoriously poor drinkers. Traditional bowls often fall short in maintaining freshness, which can affect kidney health. Smart pet fountains in 2025 go beyond simple circulation.

• Key Features
• Water Quality Monitoring: Built-in sensors measure pH, mineral balance, and cleanliness, sending alerts if water needs replacement.
• Self-Cleaning Functions: Ultraviolet (UV) sterilization and anti-bacterial filtration ensure the water remains safe.
• App Integration: Owners can track how much water their pet consumes daily, identifying early signs of dehydration or health issues.
• Example Highlight: The HydraFlow Fountain, featured in the FT article, uses AI-driven consumption tracking, comparing your pet’s drinking habits with breed-specific health data.

Impact: These fountains not only encourage pets to drink more but also give owners peace of mind regarding long-term health conditions such as kidney disease.

Wearable Pet Health Trackers: The Fitbit for Pets

Just as humans track their steps and sleep cycles, pets can now benefit from wearable trackers. Strapped to collars, these devices monitor physical activity, sleep quality, and even heart rate variability.

• Key Features
• GPS Tracking: Ensures pets don’t wander too far, especially useful for cats and adventurous dogs.
• Health Alerts: Devices can detect irregular heartbeats, changes in activity, or signs of illness.
• Customized Fitness Goals: Trackers recommend daily exercise routines tailored to the pet’s breed, age, and weight.
• Example Highlight: The FitPet Collar 4.0, praised by The Financial Times, integrates seamlessly with smartphones and allows owners to create a virtual health record shared with veterinarians.

Impact: These trackers help prevent obesity, detect illnesses early, and promote active, healthier lifestyles for pets.

Automated Feeders with AI Nutrition Insights

Feeding pets has always been a balancing act—too little leads to malnutrition, while too much leads to obesity. The new generation of AI-driven automatic feeders tackles this challenge with data science.

• Key Features
• Portion Control: AI algorithms calculate the exact food quantity needed based on pet size, age, and activity levels.
• Scheduled Feeding: Pets receive meals at consistent times, reducing stress and overeating.
• Custom Diets: Some feeders recommend dietary adjustments if pets gain or lose weight unexpectedly.
• Integration with Smart Cams: Owners can monitor feeding habits remotely.
• Example Highlight: The NutriBot Feeder, mentioned in FT coverage, learns over time and adjusts portion sizes dynamically, preventing long-term health risks.

Impact: Automated feeders reduce human error in feeding routines and support veterinarians in managing pet health.

Smart Toys and Enrichment Devices

Mental stimulation is as important as physical exercise. Pets left alone for hours risk boredom, which can lead to destructive behavior. Smart toys are emerging as solutions that provide entertainment, exercise, and training.

• Key Features
• Interactive Games: AI-driven balls and puzzle feeders adapt to a pet’s learning curve.
• Voice Commands: Some toys recognize the owner’s voice for personalized play.
• Remote Control: Owners can engage pets from anywhere through smartphone apps.
• Example Highlight: The PlayPaw Orb, covered in The Financial Times, uses motion sensors and AI to change game patterns, ensuring pets never get bored.

Impact: These toys strengthen cognitive health and reduce stress, particularly for indoor pets.

Veterinary Telehealth and Remote Monitoring

Beyond gadgets, one of the most impactful advancements is the integration of telehealth into pet tech ecosystems.

• Key Features
• 24/7 Virtual Vet Access: Owners can consult licensed vets instantly via apps connected to health trackers and cameras.
• Diagnostic Support: Devices transmit real-time health data, assisting vets in providing accurate advice.
• Emergency Alerts: If a pet’s vitals cross dangerous thresholds, owners are immediately notified.
• Example Highlight: The VetLink Cloud System, highlighted by The Financial Times, connects multiple devices—cams, trackers, and feeders—into a central dashboard accessible to vets and owners alike.

Impact: This minimizes emergency clinic visits, improves preventive care, and fosters stronger vet-pet-owner relationships.

Sustainability in Pet Tech

A noteworthy trend highlighted by The Financial Times is eco-friendly innovation. Many devices now incorporate sustainable materials, solar-powered options, and biodegradable accessories. This reflects growing awareness of the environmental impact of pet care, making technology both advanced and ethical.

In recent years, the pet technology industry has grown at an astonishing pace, and 2025 represents a turning point where innovation, artificial intelligence, and consumer demand converge to redefine how humans care for their furry companions; as highlighted by The Financial Times, pet tech is no longer a niche market reserved for luxury households, but a mainstream necessity for owners who view pets as family and want to ensure their safety, health, and happiness through the smartest tools available, and among the most groundbreaking of these advancements are AI-powered pet cameras, smart pet fountains, wearable fitness trackers, automated feeders, interactive toys, and even telehealth systems designed exclusively for animals, each product reflecting a shift in priorities from simple convenience to holistic well-being; AI-powered cameras, for instance, have evolved far beyond the early days of grainy livestreams and motion alerts, and now offer real-time behavior recognition, detecting patterns such as excessive scratching, lethargy, or destructive chewing, and instantly notifying owners while also suggesting potential interventions, plus two-way audio and even automated play features like treat dispensers or laser pointers, allowing owners to interact with pets remotely and alleviate separation anxiety, with standout devices like the PawSense AI Cam, which uses deep learning to identify stress indicators in cats and dogs and integrates with veterinary systems to generate health reports; equally transformative are smart pet fountains, which address one of the most common yet overlooked issues in pet care—hydration, since cats and many dogs are notoriously inconsistent drinkers, risking long-term kidney or urinary problems, and modern fountains now come equipped with pH sensors, UV sterilization, self-cleaning mechanisms, and mobile apps that track daily water intake against breed-specific health recommendations, with products such as the HydraFlow Fountain showcasing how AI-driven consumption analysis can provide owners with detailed insights and reminders, thus encouraging healthier hydration habits; meanwhile, wearable pet health trackers are becoming as popular for pets as Fitbits are for humans, with sleek collar attachments that monitor everything from steps taken and calories burned to heart rate variability, sleep quality, and even stress levels, ensuring owners receive a continuous stream of data on their pet’s overall well-being, and these devices also incorporate GPS trackers to prevent pets from wandering too far, while apps provide customized exercise plans tailored to breed, age, and weight, with examples like the FitPet Collar 4.0, which integrates with smartphones to produce virtual health records that veterinarians can access directly, allowing early detection of illnesses and prevention of obesity, a rising concern among household pets; feeding, another fundamental aspect of care, has also been revolutionized through AI-powered automated feeders that not only deliver food on a schedule but also analyze a pet’s weight trends and activity levels to dynamically adjust portion sizes, ensuring balanced nutrition and preventing overeating, with devices such as the NutriBot Feeder learning over time to refine feeding habits and even suggesting dietary adjustments for pets with special conditions, giving owners peace of mind that their animal companions are not overfed or undernourished; mental enrichment, too, has become a core concern, and smart toys are stepping in to ensure pets remain cognitively and emotionally stimulated even when left alone for long hours, offering features such as adaptive games, voice recognition, and remote control play, with The Financial Times pointing to innovations like the PlayPaw Orb, which changes movement patterns using AI and motion sensors to challenge pets continuously, thereby preventing boredom-induced destructive behaviors; perhaps one of the most significant breakthroughs, however, is the integration of veterinary telehealth with pet tech, where platforms like VetLink Cloud Systems unify data from cameras, feeders, fountains, and trackers into a centralized dashboard accessible to both owners and licensed veterinarians, enabling 24/7 consultations, remote monitoring, and emergency alerts if a pet’s vital signs reach dangerous levels, dramatically reducing the need for expensive and stressful emergency clinic visits while enhancing preventive care; another important dimension noted by The Financial Times is the rise of sustainability within pet tech, as eco-conscious consumers demand devices made from biodegradable plastics, energy-efficient hardware, and even solar-powered charging options, proving that innovation can serve both pets and the planet; together, these technologies represent a seismic shift in how we perceive and manage pet ownership, elevating standards from basic feeding and walking to data-driven, AI-supported, eco-friendly solutions that actively promote longevity, wellness, and happiness; in conclusion, the latest wave of pet technology underscores that pets are not just animals but family members deserving of the same level of care and innovation that humans enjoy, and by embracing tools like AI-powered pet cameras, smart hydration systems, health trackers, and telehealth platforms, owners can bridge the gap between love and responsibility, creating an environment where pets not only survive but thrive, making pet tech in 2025 not just a trend but a permanent evolution in modern companionship.

In 2025, the world of pet care is undergoing a transformation unlike anything we have seen before, and as The Financial Times highlights, the rapid growth of pet technology is reshaping the way owners interact with, monitor, and care for their beloved animals, with devices ranging from AI-powered cameras to intelligent fountains and health trackers that make pet ownership not only easier but also healthier, safer, and more rewarding, and the surge in innovation is no accident, as the global pet tech industry is projected to surpass $25 billion by 2030, fueled by the rising demand for connected solutions that reflect how deeply pets are now considered family members; among the most notable advancements are AI-powered cameras, which go far beyond the early static video feeds by integrating artificial intelligence to detect unusual behaviors such as lethargy, destructive chewing, or excessive scratching, and sending instant alerts to owners, while also featuring two-way communication so that owners can calm anxious pets from afar, and even interactive elements like treat dispensers or laser pointers to keep them entertained, with standout devices like the PawSense AI Cam offering behavioral insights and health-related data that can be shared with veterinarians, ensuring a seamless link between observation and medical advice; hydration, long recognized as a critical but often neglected aspect of pet health, is also being revolutionized through smart fountains that employ UV sterilization, mineral sensors, and app integrations to ensure pets drink enough water daily, with the HydraFlow Fountain, for instance, analyzing consumption patterns against breed-specific recommendations and alerting owners to possible issues such as dehydration or kidney disease, thereby preventing long-term health complications; wearable health trackers, often dubbed the “Fitbit for pets,” are also on the rise, offering continuous monitoring of a pet’s daily activity levels, calories burned, sleep cycles, heart rate variability, and stress markers, while GPS functions prevent pets from wandering too far, and the FitPet Collar 4.0 exemplifies this innovation by creating a virtual health record accessible to vets, allowing early detection of potential illnesses, prevention of obesity, and encouragement of a more active lifestyle tailored to the animal’s breed and age; feeding routines are similarly being reimagined through AI-driven automated feeders that not only dispense food at scheduled times but also calculate precise portion sizes based on pet weight, metabolism, and activity levels, with the NutriBot Feeder learning over time to adjust quantities dynamically and even recommend dietary shifts if weight changes occur, thereby eliminating one of the most common human errors in pet care—overfeeding; mental and emotional enrichment, which has become an essential concern in modern pet ownership, is now supported by smart toys designed to stimulate curiosity and prevent boredom-induced behaviors, with products like the PlayPaw Orb using AI and motion sensors to adapt games and movement patterns so pets never lose interest, while remote-controlled options allow owners to engage directly from smartphones, thus strengthening bonds despite physical absence; perhaps one of the most transformative developments in this ecosystem is the rise of veterinary telehealth platforms such as VetLink Cloud, which integrates real-time data from multiple devices into a single dashboard, giving owners 24/7 access to licensed vets who can analyze behavioral trends, hydration levels, and biometric data before providing professional guidance, with emergency alerts automatically triggered if critical thresholds are crossed, drastically reducing the need for stressful last-minute clinic visits and making preventive care a more practical reality; The Financial Times also notes the increasing emphasis on sustainability in this booming market, with many companies now producing eco-friendly, biodegradable, and solar-powered devices that appeal to environmentally conscious consumers, demonstrating that innovation can align with ecological responsibility; taken together, these advancements reflect a seismic shift in how pet care is perceived, moving away from the idea of convenience gadgets to essential, data-driven, AI-supported systems that enhance longevity, prevent disease, and promote emotional well-being, showing that technology is not only for humans but is equally vital in the lives of the animals we love; ultimately, the Financial Times concludes that the best new pet tech of 2025 is defined by intelligence, compassion, and sustainability, proving that pets are not simply companions but integral members of the family deserving of the highest standards of care, and by embracing these innovations—from AI cameras that detect stress to hydration systems that prevent kidney disease, from feeders that perfect nutrition to telehealth that ensures constant support—owners can provide their pets with safer, healthier, and happier lives, while also reducing their own anxiety about leaving them alone or managing their routines, marking this moment as the dawn of a new era where technology bridges the gap between love and responsibility in ways that would have seemed futuristic only a decade ago.

Conclusion

Pet technology is bridging the gap between traditional care and futuristic innovation. With AI, automation, and sustainability at the forefront, these advancements redefine what it means to be a responsible pet owner. The Financial Times makes it clear: the future of pet care lies in intelligent, connected, and compassionate technology. Pets are not just animals—they are family, and these tools ensure they thrive in health, happiness, and safety.

Q&A Section

Q1: What are the biggest trends in pet tech for 2025?

Ans: The biggest trends include AI-powered pet cameras, smart fountains with water-quality sensors, wearable health trackers, automated feeders with nutrition insights, interactive smart toys, and telehealth integration.

Q2: How do AI pet cameras help owners?

Ans: They detect unusual behaviors, provide real-time alerts, allow two-way communication, and even suggest health interventions through AI analysis.

Q3: Why are smart pet fountains important?

Ans: They ensure pets stay hydrated with clean, filtered water while tracking drinking habits, helping prevent health issues like kidney disease.

Q4: Can wearable trackers really improve pet health?

Ans: Yes, they monitor activity, sleep, and vitals, detect early health concerns, and support preventive care through data shared with veterinarians.

Q5: What role does sustainability play in new pet tech?

Ans: Many companies are using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient designs, and biodegradable accessories, making tech both advanced and environmentally responsible.