Best freestanding pet camera for rented flat

Pet cameras range from basic motion-activated models to ones with two-way audio and even treat dispensers — the right pick really depends on what you want to actually do with it. Since you're renting and can't put anything on the walls, that already narrows things down usefully. Is this for a cat, a dog, or both? What's the main thing you want to use it for — just checking in, or something more interactive? And are you happy with a straightforward camera, or do you want features like two-way audio so you can talk to them?

That makes a lot of sense for a Whippet — they can be quite clingy and it's genuinely useful to know whether they're actually anxious or just having a snooze. Before I point you to something specific, a couple of quick questions: does he tend to move around the flat a lot, or does he have a favourite spot he settles in? And roughly how big is the main room you'd want to cover?

Perfect — that's really helpful. For a Whippet with a known settle spot but some wandering, and given you can't fix anything to the wall, I'd go with the TP-Link Tapo C225. It sits solidly on a shelf or unit without needing any mounting, has a 360-degree pan and tilt so you can sweep the whole room from your phone, and the 2K image quality is genuinely sharp — you'll easily be able to read his body language and tell if he's relaxed or pacing. The two-way audio works well and isn't tinny, which matters if you want your voice to actually calm him rather than startle him. It connects over Wi-Fi, the app is straightforward, and it has motion alerts so you'd get a notification if he starts moving around rather than having to stare at a live feed all day. It's around £35–40 on Amazon UK, which is good value for what you get. No drilling, no fuss.

It works fully remotely — you can pan, tilt, and zoom from anywhere as long as your phone has a data connection. The camera connects to the Tapo cloud through your home Wi-Fi, so you're controlling it over the internet rather than needing to be on the same network. That's one of the things that makes it genuinely practical for checking in during a work day. Just make sure your home broadband stays on while you're out, which is obviously the case for most people.

Good choice for the situation. The Tapo C225 should give you a clear picture of whether he's actually struggling or just napping — which is often reassuring in itself. Hope he settles well.