We're in the 21st century and we have Mac-books that fit in an envelope, mobile phones that recognize faces and cars that can travel at over 250mph. So what's stopping cat owners having their fair share of the gadgets? Well, nothing really...

Flea, tick and mite killing brush

That's right, cat owners can now invest in brushes that send out an electric charge through the teeth and kill the mites, fleas and ticks that might be in contact with them. That means no worrying that the fleas are going to jump out at you from the bristles once you've combed them and in no having to pull your cat's fur apart with your bare hands to find a nasty tick. We think this is a great gadget, especially for cat owners who live in the countryside, or those whose pets love to be groomed.

Electric cat flap

If you've got a female cat or kitten and she's on heat (whether neutered or not) then you'll know how difficult it is to stop Tom cats from gathering outside the back door. If you've got a standard cat flap they may even get in the house, potentially leaving fleas and fur and eating your poor kitty's food. An electric cat flap will open only when activated by your cat. No, we don't mean kitty has to learn to use a remote, instead you fit him or her with the collar provided with the cat flap. When the chip in the collar comes near the flap it will open and let your puss inside and away from her persistent admirers.

Laser pen

Do we really need to explain any further? Kitties go absolutely crazy for a laser pen and will dart across the floor at a million miles an hour to chase it. Do be careful though, it may fun to make them run into walls, but it's quite cruel!

Self cleaning litter tray

This is a kitty gadget for the slightly wealthier owner. At about $300 a pop a self cleaning little tray is probably worth it if you've got 3+ cats, but not just for one or two. It's basically a big contraption that you fill with litter. Kitty jumps in, does her business and then when she jumps out the change in weight starts the litter tray off to work. These devices usually have a rake type attachment that combs through the little and scoops out any droppings. It then places these in a compartment or bag that minimizes smell and optimizes the ease of you disposing of it. We've found that these litter trays are especially popular with cat breeders, who cannot let their kittens outside to 'do their business' until a certain age.

Portion controlling automatic feeder

This device is perfect for cat owners who go away a lot, but for short periods of time. It's awkward to keep asking your parents or neighbors to come and feed the cats, so a feeding device is often the best choice. All you need to do is time it to open and let out a certain amount of dry cat food at certain times of the day.

Stan Tian

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