Pet getting into trouble while you're away — what can you do?

Coming home from work to find scratch marks on the corner of the sofa, the trash can knocked over, or only one slipper left — many pet owners have had this experience. What your dog or cat actually goes through while you're away is usually something you can only piece together from the "evidence" left behind.

Rather than just cleaning up afterward, what most owners really want to know is: is my pet just bored and chewing things, having a separation anxiety episode, or acting out because it doesn't feel well? Without knowing the cause, the same thing is likely to happen again.

Spot the destructive behavior and stop it right away

The usual way people handle this tends to be a repeating cycle:

• Come home, find the damage → scold the pet → clean up → the same thing happens again next time you go out
• Buy toys or a scratching post to redirect attention, but you're not sure if the pet actually uses them, or if it just chews on something else instead.
• Consider a dedicated pet camera, but most on the market are complicated and pricey — for just wanting to peek at what your pet is doing, it can feel like overkill.

Watching your pet's behavior and mood through live footage, and responding right away, is an effective way to reduce destructive behavior.

Turn an old phone into your pet-watching window

You don't need to buy a dedicated pet camera — the old phone sitting unused at home is more than enough for the job:

1. Set up the old phone where your pet spends the most time, such as the living room, near its bed, or the corner it usually "targets."
2. Install Tomate Camera on the old phone and set it as the camera, keep it plugged in so it keeps running even during long periods alone.
3. Install the same app on your own phone and set it as the viewer, then scan a QR code to finish pairing.
4. Check in anytime during work or errands to see what it's doing: quietly sleeping, or pacing anxiously and scratching at the door?

With the actual footage, you can clearly see the "timing" and "trigger" of the destructive behavior — for example, whether it starts barking and scratching at every outside noise, or gets anxious about an hour after you leave. Once you have these clues, you can actually address the cause instead of guessing every time.

What to do after spotting unusual behavior

If the footage reveals obvious separation anxiety or unusual behavior, you can try:

• Gradual alone-time training: start with short absences and slowly extend the time, so your pet gets used to being alone.
• More exercise before you leave: a walk or play session to burn off energy reduces excess energy during alone time.
• Puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys: redirect attention and reduce boredom-chewing.
• Consult a vet or animal behaviorist if the behavior keeps getting worse: recorded footage of the unusual reactions is also valuable reference during the appointment.

Understanding your pet is how you truly help it

Pets can't talk — their destructive behavior is often just how they express anxiety or boredom. With a spare old phone and Tomate Camera, you don't need expensive equipment to check on your pet's real state anytime while you're out, getting to the root of the problem instead of just cleaning up after the fact every time.