PET TECH

Because pets love gadgets too… PetSafe ball launcher

There’s no substitute for a game of fetch between dog and owner. Even at a relatively old age, my Bedlington Terrier’s ears go up whenever he suspects I’ve got a tennis ball in my hand. But some dogs never quit and there’s only so many balls you can throw in a day. Enter the PetSafe automatic launcher – a waterresistant indoor and outdoor toy your dog can operate itself. With nine distance settings and six angle settings, the launcher shoots standard-sized tennis balls between 2.5 to 9 metres and up to a 45-degree angle.

£165, Argos

Cheerble cat board game

The cat, meanwhile, watches the dog and shakes a dismissive head at such silliness. He considers the game of fetch far beneath a creature of such superior intellect. The Cheerble interactive board game is far more his style. As well as a place to hide and scratch, it includes an electronic ball that he can activate with his nose to make it roll or jump and interesting holes to chase it through.

£63, Amazon

PitPat dog GPS tracker

One thing both the dog and the cat can agree on: wandering off and exploring is fun. Not so fun for the family when they get lost though – hence the need for one of these nifty little collar-attached GPS trackers. Super small and light (60mm and 30g), it pairs with an app on your device, so you can see where your furry friend is at all times. Best of all, unlike many competitors that charge you a monthly subscription in order for it to work, it’s a pay-once product. £149,

By Oliver Chesher

pitpat.com

Automatic fish feeder

Let’s not forget the fish. Sitting high up, safe from clumsy dogs and the rather more sinister intentions of cats, all they care about is getting their dinner as regular as clockwork. I originally bought mine an automatic feeder to make sure they get fed on days when we’re away from home, but I’ve rapidly come to trust it to take care of the daily feed. The dry food hopper silently rotates at programmable intervals to deliver a precisely controllable quantity of pellets, crumbs or flakes. It’s simple and satisfying to set up and as long as you keep an eye on the on-screen battery life monitor, it does the business.

£20, Amazon