Quick answer: For cats, prioritize a camera with a wide field of view, quiet operation (cats avoid noisy devices), and placement that captures both floor and elevated areas.
Unlike dogs, cats often notice and react to cameras — especially ones with audible fans, visible IR glows, or clicking sounds. Look for cameras described as quiet or silent in reviews. Test placement by leaving the camera running while you're home to see if your cat avoids it.
Cats use vertical space constantly — shelves, countertops, cat trees. A camera mounted at floor level misses most of their day. Mount it high and angled down, or use a ceiling mount to capture both the floor and elevated surfaces in one shot.
Cloud storage adds $3-10/month to your ongoing costs. Look for cameras with a local SD card storage option. A 32GB card stores 1-2 days of continuous 1080p footage — usually more than enough for reviewing specific incidents.
A quiet, wide-angle camera positioned to capture vertical activity gives the most complete view of your cat's day at home.