The Rise of Smart Pet Tech: How Collars, Beds, and Litter Boxes Are Changing Pet Care

Have you ever wondered how your pet is really feeling (or trying to communicate)? Are they getting enough exercise every day? How is their sleep quality?

As technology continues to evolve, it begins to seep into the world of pet care. Many questions and concerns that pet parents could once only find out during veterinary visits can now be proactively monitored at home. From smart collars to infrared therapy beds and color-changing litter, today's pet tech continues to elevate how we understand and care for our animals.

Smart Collars

Smart Collars are perhaps the most popular pet health technology for the general consumer. These devices have evolved far beyond their original location tracking purposes, now capable of monitoring a wide range of health and behavioral data.

For example, brands like Fi, Tractive, and PetPace provide insights into:

• Activity levels
• Sleep quality
• Vital monitoring
• Location tracking
• AI-powered behavior trends
• And so many more!

Each brand offers various price points and capabilities depending on the level of monitoring pet parents desire:

Fi Tracker is known for its sleek, simple design, exercise tracking, and GPS capabilities. Great for pet owners with active animals.

Tractive Collar combines GPS, activity tracking, virtual fences, and health insights. Tractive is a strong option for those looking for an all-in-one tracking system.

@tractivegps Schnitzel is pretty active cat 😹 #tractive #tractivegps #gpstracker #gpsforcats #catsoftiktok #outdoorcat #orangecat #orangecats #cats #funnycat ♬ original sound - Tractive Pet GPS

PetPace Smart Collar offers more advanced health insights. The collar can track pulse, respiration, posture, temperature, and activity.

One of its most notable features is its ability to share data directly with veterinary professionals, allowing pets recovering from illness or surgery to remain comfortable at home while still being remotely monitored. This type of technology is especially valuable for senior pets and animals with chronic health conditions.

@brunoandlinguine This life saving dog collar will give yourself a piece of mind about your dogs health! It tracks stress, activity levels, pulse, calories burned, sleep, wellness and more! It even lets you know when your dog is in pain so you can treat any illnesses right away. It even has GPS so you can know where you dog is at all times!🐾 use code:BRUNOANDLINGUINE50 to get $50 off your Petpace collar🐶 #dog #petpace #doggps #dogcollar #doghealth #mixbreed #cute #puppy @PetPace ♬ original sound - CXRSOUNDS™

Health-Monitoring Pet Beds

Your pet's bed can now do far more than provide a plush place to rest. New health-monitoring pet beds have begun to integrate biometric and sleep data tracking as well as therapeutic benefits.

Carepet Bed

The Carepet bed is an up-and-coming product that tracks your pet's overall health and patterns while they are sleeping. Similar to the PetPace collar, the Carepet bed has a connected mobile app that can also send live data to your pet's veterinary staff.

HigherDose Infrared Bed

HigherDose is a luxury healing brand focusing on infrared technology. Their infrared PEMF bed is designed to reduce inflammation, support joint health, and promote better relaxation.

@okay_vet As a veterinarian, I love seeing wellness products like the Highdose infrared PEMF bed designed with pets’ health in mind. The combination of infrared heat and PEMF therapy can help reduce inflammation, support joint function, and promote relaxation—especially beneficial for senior pets or those with mobility issues. It’s a thoughtful and effective holiday gift for any pet parent looking to support their dog’s well-being. Treat your pup to the comfort they deserve—grab one of these beds for the holidays! 🐾 #PetWellness #VeterinarianApproved #InfraredTherapy #PEMFforPets #HolidayGiftGuide ♬ original sound - Dr. Andrew - The Okay Vet

Smart Litter Boxes

Smart litter boxes are helping cat owners gain new insight into one of the most important indicators of feline health: bathroom habits. Cats are notorious for their ability to hide and show no signs of serious issues and illnesses until a condition becomes dire. These smart litters and litter boxes can help to catch the earliest warning signs of ill health.

Pretty Litter

Pretty Litter is veterinarian-developed color-changing litter that allows you to track your cat's health through their urinary output. They also provide odor-eliminating technology, a dust-free substrate, and long-lasting litter.

@prettylitter here’s some cat litter science for your feed 🥼#CatHealth #CatParents #PrettyLitter ♬ Science - ZydSounds

Purina Petivity LitterBox

Smart litter boxes like Petivity allow cat owners to receive live insights into their cat's litter box usage patterns, weight fluctuations, and frequency of bathroom visits. For multi-cat households, some systems can even differentiate between individual cats.

In all, pet tech continues to provide dog and cat owners with increasingly multifaceted options to observe and enhance their pets' health in tandem with veterinary care. These technological advances are charting a more nuanced, customizable, and proactive approach to pet health and wellness, helping owners better respond to their four-legged friends' needs and behaviors with more clarity and less guesswork.

For more emerging pet tech, keep reading here.