A while back we introduced you to a cat-attached video camera. Well, it looks like the CatCam frenzy is exploding, and is becoming the must-do thing with your pet. The original CatCam was a one-off by "Mr Lee," but now everyone can take part and buy the pet-friendly cameras online for £40. There is even a CatCam Facebook application.
A therapist kicked off the fad in the UK after she wondered where her Burmese cat Sarty disappears to during the day.
I have to say, the experiment with my cat Fish (the ugly Siamese pictured looking pleased with himself while making a jazz-whiskers face) was not a happy time. He bit my other cat Kevin (the one with black fur) then went to sleep (visual: wooden floor). NB: I used a hidden camera I was testing for work, not the official CatCam, hence the complicated harness.
But others are not blighted with such cats. Basically, the aim is to hang a camera around your fur baby's neck to see what they do during the day. There are even art exhibitions where the best images are displayed.
Curiously, humans never tend to feature much footage of cat travels, focusing instead on food and other cats. The view of a cat eating sums up feline living for me.
DIY Pet Cameras
The 'CatCam' How-To
Trend Themes
1. Pet Wearable Cameras - Opportunity to develop and sell wearable cameras specifically designed for pets to capture their daily activities.
2. DIY Pet Monitoring - Emerging trend of pet owners creating their own monitoring systems using cameras to keep an eye on their pets when not at home.
3. Catcam Community - Growing online community and social media presence centered around sharing and discussing videos captured by pet cameras.
Industry Implications
1. Pet Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity for pet tech companies to create and market advanced pet camera systems.
2. DIY Electronics - Opportunity for DIY electronics industry to create and sell kits or components for building pet monitoring systems.
3. Social Media Platforms - Potential for social media platforms to develop specialized features and communities dedicated to pet camera users.