WebCam - Help me catch the cat pi$$ing in my kitchen!

OK... Every now and then some neighbours' cat is spraying in my kitchen. So I can throttle the correct animal, I first need to identify the culpret!

Can anyone suggest some software/hardware I can maybe run on my laptop in the kitchen overnight to easily monitor/video it? I'll leave the side lights on so there will be reasonable low lighting!

I don't want to spend much! ie: Just tens of pounds?

If I can get some free motion detection software, great! If worse case scenario is my sliding a scrollbar along to zoom through the night, then so be it...

I assume you have some form of a cat flap of your own other wise that's one hell of a cat if it gets into your kitchen all willy nilly, Couldnt you just some how hook up a web cam and find a program that allows you too record for X&Y Ammount of minute's//hours a night. macro'ing it so it repeats the record process over & over once its finished untill you wake up.... Sounds complicated to me but im sure theirs easier way's.... like SFAL(Shoot First Ask Later) shoot all the cat's on street untill you have a clean kitchen in morning

Berto said:

I assume you have some form of a cat flap of your own other wise that's one hell of a cat if it gets into your kitchen all willy nilly, Couldnt you just some how hook up a web cam and find a program that allows you too record for X&Y Ammount of minute's//hours a night. macro'ing it so it repeats the record process over & over once its finished untill you wake up.... Sounds complicated to me but im sure theirs easier way's.... like SFAL(Shoot First Ask Later) shoot all the cat's on street untill you have a clean kitchen in morning

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Yes, we have a catflap there, which our cats use...

I'm after someone recommending a good/cheap USB webcam? And some software (maybe that comes with it?) that can either:-
a) Record just when there is motion
b) At say 1fps overnight...

Option (a) is obviously ideal, and I get the impression some webcams just come with sort of software these days!?

I must admit I don't like the idea of leaving my laptop on for 10hrs a night though

Creative Live! Cam Vista IM
£9.99
£11.74 Inc. VAT

FRAPs is a type of recording program but only with whatever is happening in your PC But im not sure if it would work with Web Cam's & Outside of your PC, Best bet is to Google Video Recording Software and see what come's up until some one replies with a .. serious notion?

Berto said:

Creative Live! Cam Vista IM
£9.99
£11.74 Inc. VAT

FRAPs is a type of recording program but only with whatever is happening in your PC But im not sure if it would work with Web Cam's & Outside of your PC, Best bet is to Google Video Recording Software and see what come's up until some one replies with a .. serious notion?

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A friend of mine got a free webcam with his PC MANY years ago, and that came with motion detection/record software with it all those years ago...

So I'm hoping someone can recommend a current cheap webcap that has this sort of software! Anyone?

One word: Dorgem.

Set it up on motion detect, then it takes a photo every specified number of seconds until the motion stops

http://dorgem.sourceforge.net/

I had to use a guide to get it going, there was a strange option keeping me back, but you might not have that trouble. Search for a guide if you can't

Works with any webcam, so the cheapest Logitech would be fine.

gumbald said:

One word: Dorgem.

Set it up on motion detect, then it takes a photo every specified number of seconds until the motion stops

http://dorgem.sourceforge.net/

I had to use a guide to get it going, there was a strange option keeping me back, but you might not have that trouble. Search for a guide if you can't

Works with any webcam, so the cheapest Logitech would be fine.

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That looks interesting... There looks like there's an AVI option with it? Can you set it up so on motion it takes pictures every second for say 30 seconds?


Anyone have webcam they bought which came with motion detection software?

NeilFawcett said:

That looks interesting... There looks like there's an AVI option with it? Can you set it up so on motion it takes pictures every second for say 30 seconds?

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Yeah, I've tested it, not found a use for it yet. Get a big set of images if it hangs round long enough. Take them every half second or whatever and you could turn it into a video.

gumbald said:

Yeah, I've tested it, not found a use for it yet. Get a big set of images if it hangs round long enough. Take them every half second or whatever and you could turn it into a video.

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Right, so worse case scenario then, I could set it up when there is motion to fire off a minute of photos at 1 every second?


Still recon there must be some cheap/good webcams that come with sort of software as standard?

NeilFawcett said:

Right, so worse case scenario then, I could set it up when there is motion to fire off a minute of photos at 1 every second?

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Yeah, takes photos as long as it detects motion if that's how you set it up. That way you're guaranteed not to miss anything the cat does. I've found it to be much better than bundled software

gumbald said:

Yeah, takes photos as long as it detects motion if that's how you set it up. That way you're guaranteed not to miss anything the cat does. I've found it to be much better than bundled software

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So finally then, anyone able to recommend a cheap webcam which gives good quality stills, especially in slightly low lighting conditions?

ps: If it comes with a free shotgun all the better!

NeilFawcett said:

A friend of mine got a free webcam with his PC MANY years ago, and that came with motion detection/record software with it all those years ago...

So I'm hoping someone can recommend a current cheap webcap that has this sort of software! Anyone?

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I use smartsentry, it's a great program and cheap to buy for the latest version, i think the older version is free.

http://www.smartsentry.co.uk/

It will probably end up being your cat so make sure you set the turret to fire paintballs rather than explosive rounds!!

my ex had an electronic catflap at her house. with the transmitter on the cat's collar it worked very well cant open it unless the transmitter is infront of the flap

james.miller said:

my ex had an electronic catflap at her house. with the transmitter on the cat's collar it worked very well cant open it unless the transmitter is infront of the flap

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Too much faff! Batteries, devices not working etc etc...

and a webcam to catch a cat isn't

Werewolf said:

and a webcam to catch a cat isn't

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Our neighbour has one of those electronic flaps, and the cat is forever getting trapped indoor/outdoors...

If I can plug a USB webcam into my laptop - still waiting for a good suggestion of one to get - and have it monitor the kitchen for a few nights, I can then hopefully work out the ****er doing it...

I have four wheels and 3/4 of a ton that suggests he might then stop

You better hope the cat doesn't spot the laptop humming away and decided to pee on that instead.

TheGreatGrrrr said:

You better hope the cat doesn't spot the laptop humming away and decided to pee on that instead.

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Do Overclockers stock laptop-pee-protectors? Do they have good cooling fans?

i thought cats were stationary when they pi$$....id set it for longer than 1 min(software could switch off) just incase it decides to have some kitikat or lick its privates first.