We love our four-legged pals to pieces, crave time with them, feel terrible when we're apart. Thank heaven that a growing crop of innovators is working in the pet-tronics and pet-care space, helping to reassure us that Fifi and Fido are doing well even when we're many miles from home.

Surveys suggest that “checking in on the pets” is a core reason for the use of web-connected home-security cameras. Most video snoopsters also have a built-in speaker, so app-linked viewers can remotely coo words of comfort or bellow, “Get off the couch!”

Even better are video cameras that also distribute treats, such as the Furbo Dog Camera, the Petzi Treat Cam, and the Feed and Go Smart Pet Feeder.

Furbo ($249 at www.furbo.com) has the sleekest design and an easily popped-off lid for dropping in refills of your pet's favorite yummies. Furbo's Barking Alerts feature pushes a message to your smartphone when your high-strung pal is complaining, encouraging a quick response in your most calming voice.

The Petzi ($159.96 at www.amazon.com) has the Pavlovian response mechanism down pat. Remotely wake up Petzi through your phone or tablet app and a yellow light glows next to its lens, telling whomever, “You're on Candid Camera.” Other app-taps remotely cue Petzi's pleasant musical jingle alert, capture and then send your voiced communications and — most important — pump out a handful of dog or cat treats. Petzi's secure holding tank won't spill stuff if your smart guy knocks the box over. As with Furbo, remote video views of the darlings can be snapped, shared and compared on social media.

The Feed and Go ($249 at www.amazon.com) sits apart by serving full meals, with six rotating compartments that each hold up to 8 ounces of dry or (if you dare) wet food. An SMS or email message is pushed when the feeding starts. And you'll get a warning if there's a system failure.