We get that dinner time doesn’t always fit around traffic and work. A smart feeder keeps the routine going without you, and a fountain keeps water moving so it stays fresh enough that your pet actually drinks it.

• Portions and meal times stay the same, whoever’s home
• Everyone gets their own dinner in a multi pet house
• Moving, filtered water can tempt a cat who ignores a bowl

Before you buy, have a look at how it comes apart for cleaning, whether it needs an app, and what the filters cost to replace.

Start with what you’d actually like to know. Whether they’ve settled, where they’ve wandered off to, or who’s coming through the door.

• See them and talk to them from your phone
• Decide which pet can come and go, and when
• Follow an outdoor cat or dog on a live map

Two things worth checking first. Live GPS tracking needs its own subscription, and a microchip door has to read your pet’s chip type, so confirm that before you order.

We get that one round of fetch is never enough. Tech toys pick up where you left off, waking on a nudge and settling again when play is over.

• Wakes up when your pet nudges it, so play happens on their terms
• Rechargeable, so there’s no drawer full of batteries
• Separate ranges made for dogs and for cats

Stay nearby for the first few sessions, and pick the size and material that match how your pet chews.

An automatic litter box sifts a few minutes after your cat hops out, so the tray stays fresh between empties. It’s still a job. It’s just a much smaller one.

• Sifts on its own, so the tray is clean for the next visit
• Waste collects in a sealed drawer you empty every few days
• Most cats settle in within a week if you take it slowly

Measure the space first, check which litter it takes, and think about whether your cat is happy in an enclosed box.