The best tech gifts for cats and dogs

You and your dog are about to have some serious tennis ball-themed fun! One of the first dog ball launchers to hit the market, this offering from PetSafe manages to pack in the features while keeping the price affordable. There are nine distance settings that can launch up to three tennis balls at a time from 8 to 30 feet, plus six angle settings to provide that all-important element of surprise. It's water-resistant, can be plugged in or battery-powered, and it automatically pauses for 15 minutes after 15 minutes of play to ensure your pet doesn't get too tuckered out from all that excitement.

This high-quality cathouse from Petyella is the perfect addition to your garden, garage, balcony, or living room, with the heated mat giving your kitty a warm and snug place to sleep on those cold winter nights. It's easy to assemble and comes with a 1m chew-proof cord (plus an additional 3m extension cord) and a timer that lets you control when the mat is heated.

If your dog loves warm, snuggly spaces, this heated bed will be your pet's favourite place to lay their head. The innovative dual temperature thermoregulation system keeps the bed at a cozy temperature of around 10 degrees above the ambient room temperature when not in use, and then heats to your pet's natural body temperature of around 38 degrees when they hop in. It's available in medium (link above) and large and comes with a 5ft long cable so you can place it anywhere you like. Thanks to the removable heater and cover, it's a breeze to clean.

If you feel like you spend half your life on your hands and knees trying to fish balls out from under your cupboards and sofa, then you are going to love this super engaging toy that will keep your kitty amused for hours. Fully customisable, you can configure the circuit into over 100 different layouts, great if your cat gets bored easily. Assembly is simple with everything easily clicking into place, and once you've put it together, your kitty can bat the ball around the track until their heart's content.

When is a food bowl not a food bowl? When it's a smart bowl! This versatile bowl comes with a set of digital scales to help you accurately weigh food and give your pet the correct amount. It also has an optional slow feeder mechanism that reduces indigestion by encouraging your pet to eat at a more leisurely pace. Perfect for small and medium-sized dogs and cats, this durable bowl will stand firm during even the most frantic of feeding frenzies. Made from top-quality materials and sold at an affordable price, this easy to operate smart food bowl is a must for every home.

If your pet loves drinking from the tap or from a fresh stream, this customisable water flow fountain from PetSafe will be right up their street. Available in three sizes, the steady flow of water encourages your pet to drink more, perfect for keeping the kidneys and urinary tract healthy. It's large enough to hold plenty of water but compact enough for your pet to avoid an accidental dunking when they drink, the fountain features a dual-filter system that removes impurities and catches any hair or debris. It can be a bit fiddly to clean, but if you struggle to get your pet to drink from a regular bowl, this fountain will likely be worth it.

A fitness tracker, for a dog? Yep, you heard us right. If you want to track their fitness levels then our favourite GPS and activity tracker from Pawfit is a must-buy. The IP68 waterproofed unit can be submerged up to three meters and handily click-fits into a collar mount so you can pop it onto a charging dock without having to remove the whole collar. There are plenty of safety features, such as alerts when the tracker is removed from the collar, and geofencing to tell if your dog strays beyond a certain boundary.

This litter box is practically made for (cat) royalty. It can monitor your cat's toilet habits and features a programmable robotic rake that will sweep your cat's waste into a tray below. We love that when the tray is full you can simply remove it, cover it with its original lid, and throw it away. It's also easy to set up, and the covered hood offers both privacy and saves your floor from being scattered with litter.