app-controlled cat treadmill promises to help fat felines lose their holiday weight

cat owners with money to spare, it’s time to help your feline friend achieve their fitness goals. an IoT-based exercise machine, dubbed the little cat, has been unveiled by korean startup pet ding at CES 2019 and is designed to get your tubby cat moving. it’s basically a cat treadmill that looks like an oversized hamster wheel and functions like one too, with a few extra tech elements.

images courtesy of pet ding

the little cat is an app-controlled treadmill which can be used by the owner to set exercise plans for their pet remotely. the devices uses in-built lights to attract a cat onto the wheel which the cat then follows, causing the wheel to spin. it automatically calculates the cat’s body-mass index which pet owners can analyse before setting speed, calorie burning goals and even encouraging their pet with recorded voice messages via their smartphone. the app also works like a fitness tracker, recording your pet’s run data and apparently using that to develop a customized exercise plan.

‘in order to look after your cat’s health, [the little cat] has been created to become a friend to both owner and the cat,’ pet ding said in a video revealing the technology. gadgets like this are popular at CES where startups are coming up with unusual tech for pets. another device, the mookkie smart pet bowl, uses facial recognition to make sure the right cat is getting fed.

the little cat treadmill comes in four jewel-themed colors, and is scheduled to be released in march this year. while a regular treadmill may only cost £100, the internet-connected little cat will set buyers back £1,400.

video by chiichii bro

product info

name: the little cat

manufacturers: pet ding