Technology and My Cat

Pet ownership.

Of all the things which have come a long way in the last few decades, this might be my favorite.

As people, we're able to enjoy all of the wonderful advances which ameliorate our days and make our lives more convenient.

What's interesting to me, though, is how we can now employ devices to make owning animals even more delightful, even enriching their lives while we're at it.

I have a cat. She's a 15-month-old rescue, and I thoroughly enjoy her company.

What's different between her and even the cats I've owned in the past however, is how much I've been able to use technology to make sure she's comfortable, healthy and happy.

Using a not-infrequent example of work - meaning I'll be away from home for a few days - I've no need to bother someone with petsitting.

From the comfort of my hotel I'm equipped to make sure she has (filtered...yes, seriously) water, remotely put down some extra food and even engage in a game of "chase the laser" without anything more complex than a couple of apps on my phone.

These advances aren't simply limited to the feline world, either. Not only are you able to enjoy the pure, unbridled hilarity of strapping a GoPro to your dog, but you're now able to check in on them, have a conversation and even launch them their favorite treat from anywhere in the world.

Reptile owner?

You can now remotely monitor the temperature and humidity of Mr. Scaly's habitat, even being alerted if either should fall outside a certain range.

The agricultural industry benefits too!

Ranchers are now able to monitor calves with totally wire-free cameras streaming directly to a tablet or smartphone.

With advances in tracking technology making devices smaller and more energy efficient, those same ranchers can now see the location of their herd in real-time using GPS enabled, solar powered ear tags.

Maybe Fido is a particularly efficient escape artist, in this case one can use an inexpensive and unobtrusive collar to track him down and return him to the confines of his domesticated life. If dog tracking isn't looked back upon as one of humanity's greatest achievements, I'll be incredibly disappointed.

Even devices not designed with animals as their primary purpose have made the lives of their owners easier.

Need to shoot a video of you riding your horse around the paddock?

Not only can you use a camera's subject tracking feature to keep you in frame, you could now have a drone automatically avoid obstacles while it takes cinematic footage of you from the air.

This subject, rather unsurprisingly, does bring about the question of need.

Is my cat truly better off for having bluetooth enabled accessories?

In my opinion: probably not.

She'd be just as happy murdering her dinner and drinking from a creek.

But, the application of technology in this space isn't without merit. Being able to track an animal of any size has real world applications beyond "Which closet are they hiding in?" and even the ability to check in with an aged or injured pet at times you can't be at home has immense value.

The biggest win in my eyes resides here.

If technology can offer us peace of mind that our pets are safe and well cared for, that's enough to get my tail wagging.

Richard Noble is the founder of Want For Tech, an IT company based in Glasgow.