Tailio is the first wellness monitor for cats

Given the popularity of human health-tracking devices, it was only a matter of time before our pets got in on the action, too. There are already activity monitors for dogs, but being sedentary (and often rejecting collars entirely) that’s not the best option for our feline friends.

Enter Tailio, a new WiFi enabled device (with corresponding smartphone app) that keeps track of all your cat’s activities in order to flag up any potential problems as quickly as possible. And when I say ‘activities’, I’m talking about what goes on in the litter box. Yes, really. No, it’s not glamorous. But it is one of the easiest ways to tell if a cat’s under the weather, which is important as cats’ diseases are usually spotted a lot later than their doggy equivalents.

Tailio fits underneath the box and by gauging the weight of each cat in the house, creates a profile (or ‘Pawprint’) for each one. It then keeps track of your pet’s (or pets’) daily, um, deposits, and after learning what’s typical behaviour for each one, is able to flag up if there’s a problem – which could signify anything from constipation to kidney disease to cancer – by sending you a smartphone alert. It will also keep track of any behavioural changes and weight gain or loss. And the app can let you know when the box needs changing, but, y’know, so can your nose.

It’s just launched on Kickstarter where developers Pet Wireless are looking to raise $30,000 (around £19,000) in the next month to bring it to market. Early birds can order a Tailio now for $99 (£63) including worldwide shipping, with the device arriving in April.

The company’s founder Alex Treiner was inspired to help other cat owners after losing his much-loved pet to illness. He says, ‘I know the heartbreak of discovering your beloved cat’s illness a little too late. I knew if I could develop a device that detected signs of disease or distress earlier than owners would and alert them, it would help owners to avoid the pain of losing a beloved pet before their time.’

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