Keep your cat from sneaking out the door. Two solutions, pick what fits your setup.
| Lite | Frigate | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Single Python script | Docker stack (Frigate + MQTT) |
| Detection | YOLOv8 (direct) | Frigate NVR built-in |
| Setup | pip install + run |
docker compose up |
| Web UI | Built-in (live stream + zone drawing + config) | Frigate UI + Zone Picker |
| Push channels | Bark (iOS) + Feishu (with screenshot) | Bark |
| Recording | Alert snapshots only | Continuous + event recording |
| Best for | Quick setup, single camera, low-power devices | Multi-camera, NVR, long-term recording |
| Dependencies | Python + OpenCV + Ultralytics | Docker |
Lite — Zero infrastructure. One script, one camera, instant alerts with annotated screenshots. Start monitoring in 2 minutes.
Frigate — Full NVR pipeline. Continuous recording, event timeline, multi-camera support. Needs Docker and more resources.
├── README.md # This file
├── lite/ # Standalone Python solution
│ ├── cat_sentry_pro.py # Server + detection engine
│ ├── index.html # Web UI (Chinese)
│ ├── config.json.example # Config template
│ ├── requirements.txt # Python dependencies
│ ├── build_exe.bat # Windows exe build script
│ ├── build.spec # PyInstaller spec
│ └── README.md
├── frigate/ # Docker-based Frigate solution
│ ├── docker-compose.yml # All services
│ ├── Dockerfile # Monitor image
│ ├── Dockerfile.zone-picker
│ ├── monitor.py # MQTT → Bark push
│ ├── zone-picker-server.py
│ ├── zone-picker.html
│ ├── .env.example # Config template
│ ├── requirements.txt
│ ├── config/ # Frigate + Mosquitto configs
│ ├── storage/ # Runtime data (gitignored)
│ └── README.md