Crazy cat ladies everywhere should rejoice.

 

Pet lovers can now utilize a technologically advanced cat collar to track their companion's activities.

 

Sony's new prototype details everything that cats are up to… and relays their movements to Twitter.

 

The new gadget is equipped with an accelerometer, GPS, and camera. The collar uses all of these functionalities to gather information on where your cat is and what it is doing, and then Tweets about it.

 

Sony has improved upon an existing idea and made it better. Back in 2007, On4 Communications announced a similar product that used GPS technology to help owners track pets. But that was before the age of social media. Nowadays, consumers don't just care about where their pet is - they want to know what they are up to.

 

And the consumers who actually care about their pets are proving to be a lucrative market. According to demographics collected by Echo Media, CatFancy magazine reaches over 2 million customers annually. Their readers have an average income of $50,000 - meaning they've got disposable assets that they might be willing to invest in their beloved felines.

 

According to the American Pet Products Association, general U.S. pet expenditures are expected to exceed $47 billion this year. This is a far cry from the $28 billion spent back in 2000.

 

As more and more manufacturers key into how valuable the pet lover demographic is, more varied products become available. Manufacturers' scopes widen to include all available technologies, and the price-tags can reflect that.

 

Whatever Sony intends to charge for its new cat collar, it is probably a paltry sum compared to what many pet lovers spend on their furry friends. I Love Dog Diamonds sells a 52-carat diamond collar for $1.8 million, and Harrods offers a $12,000 crystal-encrusted pet bed. The few hundred dollars Sony is likely to charge for the collar pales in comparison.

 

For some pet owners, money is no object. They may even be inclined to purchase gadgets designed for humans… for their pet! In this YouTube (News - Alert) video entitled 'iggy investigates an ipad,' a cat is transfixed by an iPad, actively playing with the device for over two minutes. The video has been viewed by over 5 million people, and I am sure that a few of them might be inspired to buy an iPad for their cat. Even with its $499 price-tag (News - Alert).

 

Sony is smart enough to tap into this market, and by developing its cat collar for a social media-focused society, it provides a practical and desirable device.

 

I, for one, am looking forward to getting one of these Tweety collars when they are available. I can't wait to see what my cat Minky is up to while I'm at work. Maybe she's a couch potato? Or maybe not. I've wondered the answer to that question for far too long - thank you, Sony.