A Moscow region resident built a smart home for cats.

Ivan Ershov He has lived outside the city since childhood, and cats have always been his neighbors and friends. 

"By the start of the pandemic in 2020, there were 12 cats in the house, and it became clear that their care needed to be taken care of more than just manually. The solution seemed to be to organize outdoor living for the cats so they would be warm, dry, and safe," Ivan says.

Ivan runs a family business that deals with smart home systems. So, the solution was a Kotodome—with underfloor heating, a feeder, a waterer, and a fully integrated heating system. The system monitors temperature and humidity, controls ventilation, and automatically controls the underfloor heating and outdoor patio heating. 

Chip-recognizing doors allow only the cats belonging to your family to enter, and a backup battery ensures operation during power outages. The cathouse is also equipped with cameras and a speaker, allowing you to monitor your pets and communicate with them remotely. 

The project proved popular: first among friends and acquaintances, then throughout Russia. Ivan plans to stream live from the cat house, where viewers can observe the lives of cats. He also hopes to interest municipal authorities in his project—he believes a simplified version of the cat house could be used to rescue homeless animals.