By Karen Chou | Pet Tech & Product Research Writer · OnlyPet Contributor
Prepared October 27, 2026 | Product information and listed offers checked October 27, 2026
Short answer: OnlyPet Buddy is the stronger fit if you want to move the camera toward your cat and start a short game from your phone. Furbo 360° Cat Camera suits owners who prefer a rotating view from one location and treat tossing. Both support viewing and conversation, but their everyday jobs differ. Buddy adds movement and owner-directed play without a required core subscription; Furbo’s purchase version and Nanny plan determine its ongoing service requirements. Choose around your cat’s habits and your home layout.
Key takeaways
- You can trigger a search attempt for up to three minutes in the app; it does not guarantee finding a hidden cat. Buddy can follow a cat already in view, and you can drive it yourself through accessible indoor areas.
- Furbo offers rotating room coverage, treat tossing, and a feather-wand accessory; it is also an interactive product.
- Buddy’s core viewing, driving, voice, and play features do not require a paid plan; recent rolling three-day cloud history is included.
- Buddy combines a viewpoint you can move with owner-directed play. Whether that is useful depends on your home’s layout and the interaction your cat chooses to accept.
- A mobile robot needs a suitable floor route; a stationary camera needs a useful placement. Neither choice guarantees your cat will join in.
Check in and interact from your phone. The phone screen is a conceptual illustration, not an actual app interface; no product hardware is shown.
OnlyPet publishes this guide and sells Buddy. Feature comparisons use the linked manufacturer pages and OnlyPet’s supplied specification sheet. The research below is reported by OnlyPet and is identified separately from current product specifications.
What happens when your cat leaves the camera’s view
Imagine opening the app during a break and seeing an empty sofa. A rotating camera can show more of that room, but furniture and walls still affect what you can see from its position. A mobile camera lets you change the position itself, provided there is a clear route.
Buddy gives you a few ways to look for your cat. Start the pet search mode in the app, or drive it yourself toward an accessible doorway or a favorite resting spot. Once your cat is in view, Buddy can follow them. According to OnlyPet’s specification sheet, it continues searching if your cat moves out of sight and stops after three minutes if it cannot find them. This is a limited search-and-follow feature, not a system that knows where your cat is throughout the home. The product page confirms that Buddy can follow a cat already in view but cannot independently search the whole home for a hidden cat.
If your cat usually rests in one open room, Furbo’s rotating view may already cover the places you want to check. If your cat often leaves that room or sits behind the original viewing angle, moving the camera can give you more useful context.
How do their features compare
Everyday question |
OnlyPet Buddy |
Furbo 360° Cat Camera |
|---|---|---|
Can the camera change its position? |
Manual driving, app-activated pet search, and following when your cat is in view; requires suitable indoor floors |
Rotating view from a stationary location |
What interaction does it offer? |
Two-way voice, owner-controlled laser and wand play |
Two-way audio, treat tossing, and an included feather-wand accessory |
What video is described? |
2K live view and infrared night vision |
Full HD camera and automatic night vision |
How is it powered? |
Rechargeable robot; return to charge requires a detectable dock |
Plug-in camera; requires suitable USB power |
What cloud history is included? |
Latest rolling three days; longer history optional |
Nanny history and features depend on the selected plan |
What should you prepare at home? |
Clear, dry, accessible floor route |
Stable placement with a useful view and suitable treats |
Sources: Buddy’s product information, Furbo’s setup and placement guide, and Furbo’s camera comparison. A higher resolution label alone does not establish better footage in every room; viewpoint, lighting, and connection also matter.
Why Buddy’s mobile play can be useful
With OnlyPet Buddy, the check-in can continue after you find your cat. Drive a little closer, pause, speak, and offer a short interaction. You can change the play position rather than rely on the cat coming to one installed camera. That combination is especially relevant when you want to participate during a short break away from home.
Buddy’s play options also give you ways to interact without dispensing a snack each time. Its included physical teaser and manual laser serve different preferences. Let your cat choose whether to approach; start slowly and stop when interest fades or the cat moves away.
For laser play, avoid eyes and reflective surfaces, and finish with an appropriate physical toy the cat can catch. VCA’s play guidance explains that repeatedly chasing a light without a catch can frustrate some cats. A physical teaser is useful when that kind of play suits your cat better.
Movement also adds preparation. Buddy is intended for indoor use on suitable floors, needs a stable connection for remote operation, and has no stair detection. Keep routes away from drops, water, loose cables, and troublesome rug edges. Its return-to-charge function depends on detecting the dock; it should not be treated as reliable navigation back from any room.
What OnlyPet’s scheduled-interaction record adds
The 15-cat scheduled-interaction record reported voluntary approach in 67.1% of executed sessions under two five-minute sessions per day, compared with 53.3% under one ten-minute session. Those figures compare two Buddy schedules, not Buddy against Furbo. For owners, the useful signal is that brief interaction opportunities may fit some cats better than one longer session; it does not promise a response from every cat.
This is a small, brand-run exploratory observation, not an independently peer-reviewed study or a head-to-head Furbo test. Results vary. Read the methods and limitations before applying the findings to your own routine.
What Furbo offers for a different routine
Furbo makes sense when your preferred interaction is watching a familiar area, talking, and tossing a treat. Its rotating view can widen coverage without a robot moving through the floor space. Its cat-camera accessories also include a feather wand, so the comparison should account for more than passive viewing. Furbo’s official introduction describes those interaction features.
The practical tradeoff is placement. A useful view from one position can be convenient in an open room, while a cat behind furniture or in another room may remain out of sight. Treat use also involves choosing compatible treats and refilling the device. Furbo’s setup guide recommends dry, firm treats of the specified size. Buddy offers movement and play as its main interaction approach rather than a treat dispenser.
How do prices and subscriptions affect the choice
Look at the complete offer, not just the number beside the device. The following amounts are in USD and reflect the pages checked on October 27, 2026; promotions and terms can change.
Purchase example |
Listed amount |
What the amount represents |
|---|---|---|
$199 |
Device with core use and recent three-day cloud history; longer cloud history optional |
|
$127.92 |
$44 camera component plus $83.92 for the first year of the displayed Standard plan |
That Furbo promotion has the lower displayed first-year amount. It is a camera-and-service offer; the $44 component should not be presented as the complete purchase cost. Its page describes a first-year discount, so check renewal pricing before projecting longer-term spending.
Furbo’s standalone-camera help page distinguishes subscription-optional and subscription-required purchases. On subscription-optional standalone cameras, basic live view, treat tossing, and barking/meowing alerts remain after the premium trial. Check which version you are buying rather than assuming every Furbo requires a paid plan for basic interaction.
Buddy’s value is the mobile camera and play combination with optional recurring cloud spending. Its free three-day history is rolling access to recent recordings, not a three-day trial or a promise of continuous recording. See the subscription-free camera guide for the storage distinction.
Which product fits your home
Your main priority |
Stronger fit to consider |
|---|---|
Change the viewpoint when your cat leaves the original frame |
OnlyPet Buddy, where floor access allows |
Move closer and offer brief play without dispensing food |
OnlyPet Buddy |
Check one open room and toss treats from a stationary device |
Furbo 360° Cat Camera |
Avoid preparing a floor route for a moving robot |
Furbo, after checking placement and the chosen offer |
Before choosing Buddy, check the route while you are home and introduce movement gradually. Before choosing Furbo, check whether its proposed location can see your cat’s usual spots. For either product, how your cat responds will matter more than a long feature list.
If mobile check-ins and owner-directed play are the features you want, explore OnlyPet Buddy or ask OnlyPet about your setup. You can also browse the collection.
For further comparisons, read OnlyPet Buddy vs ROLA Mini and the camera and drive-over guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can OnlyPet Buddy find and follow my cat automatically?
Buddy has a pet search mode you start in the app and can follow your cat when they’re in view. OnlyPet’s specification sheet says it continues searching if your cat disappears and stops after three minutes if it cannot find them. It does not independently search the whole home for a hidden cat. You can also drive it yourself through accessible indoor areas.
Does Furbo 360° Cat Camera move around the home?
Furbo provides a rotating view from its installed position. It does not drive between rooms like a mobile robot. Placement determines which areas it can show.
Can both products interact with a cat?
Yes. Buddy offers voice, owner-controlled movement, laser, and wand play. Furbo offers two-way audio, treat tossing, and a feather-wand accessory. The useful choice depends on the interaction your cat accepts and you want to offer.
Does Furbo always require a subscription?
No. Furbo distinguishes subscription-optional standalone cameras from subscription-required purchases. Basic features remain available on subscription-optional standalone cameras after the premium trial; check the exact offer and its terms before ordering.
Is one camera the best choice for every cat?
No. Consider your floor layout, the areas you want to view, your preferred interaction, and your cat’s response. This guide compares documented features and use cases; it is not an independent overall-quality ranking or a guarantee for every household.
What does OnlyPet Buddy cost without a paid plan?
Buddy is listed at $199. Its core viewing, voice, driving, and owner-directed play features do not require a paid plan, and recent rolling three-day cloud history is included. Longer cloud history is optional. Check the current product page before purchase.
About the author
Karen Chou is a pet tech and product research writer who contributes to OnlyPet. She writes about pet cameras, interactive pet robots, and the everyday needs of indoor cats, focusing on product comparisons, practical features, and how these devices fit into life at home. Her articles draw on manufacturer documentation and published test findings to help pet owners make informed choices. Find her on Medium and Quora.
