If I was to be honest, there have been moments in time when Lilo's gone 'missing', causing our family to panick. Lilo loves exploring but she's also very consistent in coming home every night by dinner! If you've had these heart-stopping moments regarding your cat's whereabouts too (we've all had them, let's admit it!), or you're just plain curious about what your cat gets up to, you might need the help of the GPS trackers.
How GPS Pet Trackers Help:
Peace of Mind
With a tracker, you can finally have a peace of mind (which is priceless, really!). You’ll be able to know where your cat is, without worrying.
Different Features
A lot of trackers offer live time tracking, while others do not. Many are available to be paired with an app on your phone. With all the different kinds of trackers out there, you’ll be able to find one to fit your needs.
Also read: How To Use Cat Repellents To Keep Your Cat Safe
Difference Between Dog and Cat GPS Trackers?
Dog Trackers
Most dog trackers are larger and heavier than cat trackers. Dog trackers can also become very expensive, very quickly. Also, most dogs are more comfortable with a collar one them, while most cats don’t enjoy them.
Also Read: Why these cat litter mats actually work
Cat Trackers
While many pet trackers can be used for cats and other animals, it would be helpful to find one made just for cats. This way, it’ll be smaller and not so heavy on a cat. Specific cat trackers are usually more lightweight; which makes it easier to place it on the cat.
What to Look Out For
Size
Try to find an actual full collar tracker for your cat, this way they can’t rip the tag off of it. If you choose to go with a tag that attaches to a collar, look for one that is small and lightweight. It would also be helpful if it was sturdy enough to stay on even with a cat attempting to take it off.
Read about using Pet Cameras to monitor your cat
Quality of Product
You’re going to want a good brand name that you can trust; because pets are family, right? I prefer an actual GPS locator over a RF technology tracker, Yes, RF technology keeps other wireless devices from interfering with your location signals, but GPS is more accurate. A tracker with a phone app would also be helpful. No one likes to constantly charge batteries or change batteries out, so look out for a tracker with a long lasting battery.
Also Read: Cat Harnesses? How and Why To Use One
Top 7 Feline GPS Trackers: My Top Recommendations
TabCat Pet Tracking
The TabCat comes with two tags, a splash proof cover for protection, and a handset. This tracker uses RF technology to track your pet with your small (about the size of a credit card) handset. The handset will light up red if you’re not very close to your pet and will become green if you’re getting closer. It has up to a four hundred foot range.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Small handset
- Lights direct you to your pet
- Better range than the usual keyring finders with better accuracy too
- Comes with a splash proof cover to protect it from weather elements
Cons:
- Tags need to be re-registered to handset often
- Battery life doesn’t last very long
- There’s no app
Tractive
This specific tracker is made for cats that are at least nine pounds or more. It has an app you can use that has a lot of features. One helpful feature is the geofencing, which means you set a “safe zone” and if your cat travels out of it, you’ll receive a notification. The battery life is two to five days and takes about two hours to recharge. It uses cell towers to provide live tracking GPS. Read my full post on Tractive here.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Decent battery life
- Waterproof
- Live tracking
- Can also be used for other items (kids, wallet, etc)
Cons:
- You have to pay a monthly service fee
- Not made for smaller cats
TrackR Bravo
You only have to pay
Pros:
- Comes with a one year warranty
- Affordable
- Rings to find your cat
- Works off of Bluetooth
Cons:
- App doesn’t have any special features
- It’s really only useful if other TrackR users are around your area
Whistle
This is a more basic type of tracker. Although it’s a more simpler model, it is still waterproof. It is more for animals that are at least fifteen pounds, which means, unless you have a cat the size of Garfield, this probably isn’t the tracker for you. It has an outstanding battery life of ten days. It there is a low monthly fee to use this service. Read my full post on Whistle here.
Pros:
- There is an app, that has features including geofencing
- Affordable
- Good battery life
- Uses live GPS
Cons:
- Monthly charge
- Requires a cell phone plan
- Only available in the United States
- Not made for small cats
Pawscout
This tracker is available in different
Pros:
- Great battery life, never have to charge
- Affordable
- No monthly fees
Cons:
- Short range for tracking
- Doesn’t use GPS
- No live tracking on the app
Girafus
This tracker can work with up to four tags, which is helpful for
Pros:
- Can be used with up to four pets
- There is no monthly fee
- You can use the same handset with multiple pets
- Tags already come paired with the handset
- Very long tracking range
Cons:
- Uses RF technology
- Can’t pair with tags that weren’t bought at same time
- Not live GPS
Anysun
You can track your cat by text or
Pros:
- Uses live GPS which sends location to Google Maps
- Low battery alarm
- It is an actual collar, not just a tag
Cons:
- Not made for smaller pets
- There can be added fees
- You have to buy a SIM card
If Your Cat Goes Missing…
When outdoor-access cats get lost, it could be because something happened that kept them from returning home. There are a few reasons why cats get lost, yet here are some spots where usually end up:
Outdoor-access cats are at a higher risk of harm than cats that are kept indoors. Just because you don’t see predators does not mean they’re not around. There are owls and coyotes that are generally nighttime seekers, and they can prey on cats or little dogs. Additionally, during winter, cats tend to slither into the motor part of cars to keep warm, putting them at danger when the car starts.
A few cats are taken care of by more than one family. I’ve known about many situations where two families had a similar feline yet never realized that they both cherished the same cat. There are cases wherein a stray cat is received by a family. The cat may consider living in that home but eventually goes to its first home from time to time and decides to have two homes.
Many cats are expelled from your area by somebody who deliberately wants to keep them away. It could be a heartless neighbor or a pest control group. They could also get trapped and are transported away accidentally. Because of their curiosity, they get in to doors that are left open and sometimes get trapped inside a garbage bin, a truck or even inside the neighbor’s garage.
They escape and they set up another territory.
When cats get chased by dogs or other cats and they get terrified, they run away and they get too anxious to return home. They tend to not use their homing intuition because of fear.
They end up at a cat shelter or get taken by people who love cats.
Some people bring stray cats to a shelter to keep them safe. Try to check out nearby local shelters because you might find them there. Lost cats frequently wind up in the shelter for weeks and even months. Many lost cats are also embraced by individuals who discover them. They may understand that somebody most likely owns the cat and that it has not been living as a stray. But most individuals who discover them usually expect that the cat no longer has a family.
Conclusion
Now that you have some information on cat GPS trackers, hopefully you can find the right one for you. Just remember to find one that is affordable while also giving you what you need to safely keep track of your furry family member. Save $20 on Whistle with coupon code FETCH
