You might spend too much time glued to your iPhone, but what about your pet? With the right tips, apps, and gear, your smartphone can also help keep your furry friend happy, healthy, and entertained.
Whether you’re walking the dog, checking up on your cat’s whereabouts, or just building better routines, your iPhone can lend you a paw.
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Log schedules: Pets thrive on routine. Although you can use dedicated apps to track walks, vet visits, and flea treatments, first try creating a pet-specific list (and associated) tags in Reminders. Whichever option you choose, use widgets to put vital info front and center.
Be present: Dogs and cats crave affection and can tell when you’re ignoring them. Studies show dogs can become miserable when out for walks if their person is always on the phone. So put your device away when you’re meant to be having quality time together.
Don’t replace the real world: Many apps offer the convenience of remote training. That’s handy in a pinch, but in-person socialization is usually better for pets – and probably for you too. Your phone can still help by sourcing local sessions.
Check in from afar: When you’re away from your furry friend, tools like pet cams and GPS trackers can offer peace of mind. But be wary about remote audio and video – your voice might confuse or distress your pet instead of comforting them.
Soothe anxiety: Pets get anxious too, especially when it’s really noisy during a storm or when people nearby are setting off fireworks. Try calming sound apps and pair them with external speakers to drown out noise and create a more peaceful environment.
Capture memories: Chances are, you’ll outlive your pet. They’ll doubtless live on in your memories forever, but do make sure you use your iPhone to capture joyful moments along the way – not constantly, but enough to treasure later.
Download these apps
Pet First Aid (free): This potential lifesaver provides how-to steps during common pet emergencies, along with a raft of other advice. It’s no substitute for a vet, but nonetheless a great resource to have on hand.
Woofz (free + IAP) and Meowz (free + IAP): These all-in-one care apps bundle training videos, wellbeing tips, games, and body language guides. Worth trying, but do watch out for recurring subscription charges.
Puppr (free + IAP): When you can’t find real-world dog training, Puppr is the next best thing, with tools to help your pup become the next Lassie, such as video lessons, live chat when things aren’t going to plan, and a clicker to aid positive reinforcement.
Streaks ($6/£6): For your own positive reinforcement and habit building, use this app. It’ll help you spend more time with your pet by scheduling to-dos for sessions and tracking your progress.
Mouse for Cats (free + IAP): Essentially a whack-a-mole game for moggies, which can provide any cat with hours of chill ‘hunting’ fun. But probably don’t use a brand-new scratch-free iPhone.
Medika (free or $9/£9): This app provides a central space to track medical information for a single pet. Pay the one-off IAP to unlock multi-pet support, vaccine reminders, co-owner sharing, and PDF export.
Connect this hardware
FluentPet Connect (from $39/£39): Made famous by Instagram hit Bunny, this modular setup of buttons and tiles can get pricey but may genuinely let you communicate with your dog or cat in a way you’d never thought possible.
Tractive ($49/£44 + subscription): These trackers attach to your dog or cat’s collar, letting you keep an eye on their daily activity. Ideal if you’re concerned they’re not active enough or just want to know where they are.
Sure Microchip Cat Flap ($300/£225): Control your cat flap. The base system scans your cat’s microchip to allow access (and block neighborhood cats), and the internet hub helps you track your cat’s behavior from wherever you are in the world.
Petcube Play 2 ($99): This dinky (US-only) gadget offers a 160° wide-angle view, a speaker so you can remotely chat to your pet, and even a laser toy to send your kitty into a frenzy. Want something simpler? The company also sells Petcube Cam ($35/£50).
Wickedbone ($55/£51): Give your dog a smart bone with this zippy robot. You can control its movements with your iPhone, or just have it scoot about on its own for up to four hours in automated interactive mode. That should be enough to tire out any pup.