Be Your Own Big Brother: Peeking at pussy

I know what your cat did last summer

Comings and goings

Besides tracking, it's also worth mentioning another area of pet-tech: access control. The traditional cat flap has long had various options, such as colour coded magnets, or infra-red remotes to ensure territorial integrity. But now there's an increasing number of doors that can read the chips implanted in most pets.

Sureflap microchip catflap: the tech bouncer for your pussy parlour

UK firm Sureflap makes the cat door that I use, which can store details of up to thirty two animals that are allowed in. Like many cat flaps, it doesn't restrict exit. If you want that, you'll need their 'dual scan' model or the Petsafe Passport both of which can be programmed to allow some cats in and out, while others are kept indoors. The Sureflap pet door, meanwhile, has a programmable curfew option.

The flap is battery-powered, with a fresh set lasting around one year. And it's so far been immune from random cats and the occasional angry fox. Pet RFID chips are cropping up elsewhere, too. Sureflap has a new feeder launching soon which will open its lid only for the right cats. Very handy if one of yours is on a special diet.

Food for thought: Sureflap microchip pet feeder

Coming full circle, back to Horizon’s Cat Watch. The BBC R&D team is sharing its catflap camera code on Github. It uses a reed switch sensor to detect the flap opening and take a photo. Now, all I need is someone to add frog detection code, so the flap won't open when Cagney and Lacey are bringing me "treasure". ®