Do you ever wonder where your cat goes and what they get up to when they aren’t at home? Well, thanks to cat trackers you can find out.
A good cat tracker will show you your cat’s current location, where they have been, the route they’ve walked and much more.
Below are what we are convinced are the three best cat trackers available:
Not all cat trackers are the same so we’re reviewing a selection to help you find one that offers the features you are looking for.
The above table is showing our carefully chosen top three Cat Tracking devices currently available in the UK.
We have reviewed a range of GPS collar, tag trackers and radio-frequency trackers to find out each of their features, pros and cons – you can read our review of each tracker by clicking the name of the device below or by skipping ahead to the product you are interested in.
Tractive ¦ Findster ¦ Weenect ¦ Tabcat ¦ petTracer ¦ Tailit ¦ PawTrack ¦ Whistle ¦ PawScout
If you’re not quite sure which device is the best fit for you please have a quick read through our buyers guide here.
Contents
1. Tractive IKATI GPS Cat Tracker Review
We are convinced that the Tractive IKATI is the best cat tracker available, this lightweight GPS tracker is packed full of useful features.
It is fast, precise and reliable and offers a range of tracking options at a very reasonable upfront price.
Users have said that Tractive is easy to use and allows them to give their cats freedom while having the peace of mind of being able to check where they are at any time.
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This tracker allows you to receive live location updates directly to the Tractive smartphone app and with no distance limitations you’ll never be left in the dark about where your curious kitty is.
There’s a good reason the Tractive IKATI pet tracker is so highly rated (on the Tractive website the device has received over 1700 reviews scoring an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars).
It is a reliable tracking system that allows you to see where your pet is in real-time and by using historical data and activity information you can also see what your cat has been up to.
This is a multi-layered tracker so rather than just seeing a dot on a map, Tractive takes it that extra mile providing you with information that answers questions cat owners have been asking for a long time.
Using this system, you can get to know your cat better than ever before, it will give you a unique glimpse into your cat’s activity and behaviour when they are not at home and you’ll find out where their favourite neighbourhood hangout spots are.
The app also allows you to set up a virtual fence which means you mark an area as a ‘safe zone’ for example your home and garden, then if your cat leaves this zone you will instantly receive a notification.
This is a fantastic feature that will help to put your mind at ease.
If your cat wanders out of the area you are comfortable with then you’ll know about it instantly and if you wanted to you could easily go outside and bring your cat back inside before they wander off too far.
The IKATI tracker works over any distance so you don’t have to worry about the signal cutting off if your cat wanders too far from home.
The basic subscription works in your home country and the premium option offers worldwide coverage!
To test this I put the tracker in my wifes car to see where she went, the journey was 5.83 miles, far further than even the most adventurous of cats would ever go.
It worked perfectly showing me exactly where she had been without having to engage ‘live’ mode.
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Another benefit of this tracker is the sturdiness of it. The last thing you want is for the tracker to fall off or break while your cat is out and about.
The small tracker simply clips to your cat’s collar and can survive whatever adventures your cat takes it on.
The simplicity of the system is a big plus too, it can be daunting to invest in new technology like this but it is actually very easy to set up and connect.
You simply need to download the app on a smartphone or iPad, put in the tracker code and then the app and tracker are linked up.
Tractive really couldn’t be more simple to setup, mine came with some charge already in the battery (but I recommend you plug yours into a USB port for a while just to make sure).
All I had to do was:
- install the app
- input the tracker number from the back of the device
- press one button on the tracker and it was working!
Turn the tracker on and attach it to your cat’s collar and you’ll be able to see their location in the app.
The app itself is very easy to navigate and you can fill in details about your cat and even include a picture of them if you’d like to.
The app gives you a couple of different map options so you can view the location on a satellite image or on a standard map.
The tracker clearly has a lot to offer but are there any cons to be aware of?
Here’s a couple of things some users have flagged up:
- The Tractive GPS Cat Tracker runs out of battery between 2 and 5 days depending on how much it is being used – If you regularly use the live tracking function for extended periods it quickly burns through the battery, however if you just have it in the normal mode with period location updates the battery will easily last for 5 days (or longer).
- There is a non-exchangeable SIM card within the tracker that relies on cellular networks in order to connect so if there is no mobile coverage in the area your cat is venturing it means you won’t receive the location updates – This works in the same way as your phone will sometimes have ‘no service’ in some areas. This can cause delays or intermittent service but this is not at the fault of the tracker. If you know your area has poor mobile coverage you may want to find an alternative tracking system to use.
- The tracker is recommended for use on cats larger than 4kg so it is not suitable for very small cats or kittens.
Despite these shortcomings the IKATI GPS seems to have a lot more to offer than a standard pet tracking system, below are the key features that make this tracker stand out against other options:
1. Virtual Fence
Something that catches our eye about this tracking system is the ability to create a virtual ‘safe zone’ around your home or your garden so that when your cat leaves this zone you will receive an instant alert either through a notification or email.
The safe zone is fully customizable; it’s easy to move, change and activate/deactivate too.
This allows you to personalize the tracking experience and means you don’t always have to be refreshing the map to know your pet is safe and close to home.
2. Live Tracking
After setting up the tracker and connecting it with the app you can see the exact location of your cat.
The live tracking mode updates the location of your cat every 2-3 seconds so gives you an accurate, up-to-date location.
As well as receiving the live information you can also see where your cat has been over the last few minutes allowing you to determine the direction they are going in.
3. Location Map with History
You can view the location map with the history of where your cat has been. In this mode, you can choose a date and time and view where your cat has been over that period.
You can also see a heat map which shows you where they have spent the most time.
4. Activity Information
Another interesting feature of the IKATI is that you can actually see your cat’s activity levels. This can be very helpful in monitoring their health and fitness.
The Tractive IKATI tracker is one of the most complete tracking systems available to help cat owners keep a closer eye on their adventurous companions.
The Design
The tracker itself weighs less than 30g and can be used for cats larger than 4kg. It can be attached to most collars using rubber clips and it sits comfortably without being irritating for your cat.
The battery lasts between 2 and 5 days (depending on signal and usage) and can be fully charged in just a couple of hours by simply plugging it into a USB port:
The IKATI tracker is durable, 100% waterproof and is shock-resistant too.
It has a helpful light and sound feature that can be controlled from the app and helps you narrow down your search and more easily locate your cat at night or in a dense area.
What You Get in the Box
When you buy the Tractive IKATI set you will receive:
- The GPS Tracker
- A USB Charger
- User Instructions
This system requires an active subscription plan in order for it to work.
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There are two plan options available:
Basic Plan
The basic plan is the cheapest option and costs £6.99 on a monthly plan, £44.99 on a yearly plan (£3.75 a month) or £79.90 (£3.33 a month) on a two-year plan.
The basic plan includes:
- GPS Tracking (2 – 60 minute intervals)
- Live Tracking
- Activity Monitoring
- Home Country Coverage
Premium Plan
This plan offers more features and costs £54.99 (£4.58 a month) for a one year plan, £89.90 (£3.75 a month) for a two-year plan or £179.90 (£3.00 a month) for a five-year plan.
The premium plan includes:
- GPS Tracking (2 – 60 minute intervals)
- Live Tracking
- Activity Monitoring
- Public & Family Sharing
- Worldwide Coverage
- Unlimited Location History
- Data Export Option
- Premium Customer Service
You may think that with lots of features and tracking options the app would be confusing or complicated to use but it’s really not.
The ease of use and customer support is fantastic and although using this product requires a subscription, it is worth the price.
Weight & Size: The Tractive Cat Tracker weighs 30g, is 72mm x 29mm x 16mm is suitable for use on cats weighing more than 4kg.
What’s Good:
- Live tracking mode
- Easy to use app
- Abundance of features
- Can personalize the map by adding a ‘safe zone’ geofence
What’s Bad:
- Requires an ongoing subscription to work
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Top Tip: Worried about letting your cat out on its own even with a tracker?
Use a cat harness and lead to help them safely get accustomed to their surroundings before giving them complete freedom.
2. Findster Duo Tracker
The Findster Duo is a GPS tracker that doesn’t charge you a monthly fee, doesn’t require cell coverage and works everywhere.
This well-designed tracker looks smart, works well and offers users multiple features.
Findster stands out from competitors because it doesn’t require a monthly subscription in order to use it.
This “pay once, use forever” system is an option that pet tracking systems have been lacking and before you worry that this means you’ll miss out on features, you won’t!
You get everything you need to track your pet including many features that are often seen on ‘premium’ subscriptions with other systems for example; family and friend sharing, location history and activity tracking.
The Findster Duo+ allows you to track your cat in real time and has a range of 0.8km in congested urban areas and around 4.8km in open outdoor areas.
It is best suited for tracking your pets outside rather than remote monitoring or indoor tracking.
The tag is shockproof and waterproof so should be able to handle any adventures your cat takes it on. However, some users would like to see a more secure tag attachment system.
The battery can last up to 7 days depending on usage and you can turn the GPS tracking on at the press of a button.
When the GPS is not on, the tag will still be tracking your cat’s activity levels.
The activity data is saved in the app where you can see summaries and your pet can earn badges by reaching goals and milestones.
When using the Findster App you can monitor your cat’s live location, see their location history and you can also create safe areas.
You will be immediately notified if your pet leaves the marked area.
The app also includes a built-in radar which shows you your distance from your cat and helps to guide you directly to their location.
The Findster tracker also has an LED light to help you track your pet in the dark.
The LED lights also indicate to you when the device is paired, turned on, turned off, has a good battery level, has a low battery level, is charging or is fully charged.
There are other indications too such as a blue light to show when an update is in process.
Weight & Size: The tag weighs 21g and is 5cm x 5cm x 1.3cm, it is recommended for use on pets over 3.5kg.
What’s Good:
- No monthly fees
- Easy to use
- Does not require cellular coverage
- Built-in radar shows your distance from your cat
What’s Bad:
- Communication range limited in built-up areas
- The battery life is short if in constant use
3. Weenect Tracker
The Weenect 2 is an impressive device that allows you to track your cat using the Weenect GPS app which is available on iPhone and Android.
It deserves to be considered among the best cat trackers available, if it’s not the best it’s a very close second to the Tractive IKATI.
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The app allows you to live track your cat with pinpoint accuracy and no distance limitation. You can see where they are in three distinct ways:
- Map – This shows a simple map interface with the location of your pet clearly mapped out on it making it easy to find where they are.
- Compass – Yes, you’ve guessed right, this method shows a simple compass showing the direction and distance of your pet.
- Radar – This is a cool virtual reality type interface (think Pokémon Go), which shows you where your cat is and how far away they are through a camera interface.
One of the most unusual features of the Weenect 2 is the fact that it can be used to call your pet!
The Weenect 2 uses a microphone and speaker to allow you to call your cat from the app on your phone to calm them down or tell them to come home.
You get up to 10 minutes of call time per month and the built-in microphone means you will be able to hear your cat too so you will quickly know if your cat is in distress or stuck somewhere.
The Weenect 2 tracking device communicates with the tracking collar every 30 seconds regardless of how far away your pet is.
One of the useful features of this tracker is that you can get the collar to ring, this is particularly useful if your pet has disappeared within the confines of your home.
Being able to get the collar to ring or vibrate can also be used for training purposes to teach your cat to come home when they hear the sound.
The best way of doing this is by making the collar buzz or ring when you feed your cat so they associate the two events.
Then when your cat is out and about and the collar buzzes they will know that if they come home they will get food.
You can also view your cat’s recent location history, allowing you to learn more about their territory, behaviour and movements. You’ll get to know your cat’s usual routine and their favourite hangout spots.
A few of the other features of the Weenect 2 Cat Collar are:
- Very good battery life lasting up to 3 days when left in standby mode and 3-hour recharge time.
- Allows you to set up Geofences so that you can receive alerts if your pet wanders too far.
- Water-resistant casing which will keep the tracking collar fully operational regardless of the weather.
Weight & size: this tracker is one of the smallest and lightest GPS on the market weighing only 25g.
What’s Good:
- Lightweight
- Water-Resistant
- Great price & full of features
- Voice call from any distance
What’s Bad:
- SIM card fee a minimum of £3 a month
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4. Tabcat Tracker (AKA Loc8tor)
The Tabcat uses radio frequency to track the location of your cat. You get a small, discreet tag to attach to your cat’s collar and a stylish receiver handset that will guide you in your cat’s direction.
The handset uses a light system to tell you the direction of the strongest signal so you can be led directly to your cat.
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As the tracking system uses radio frequency as opposed to GPS you can accurately find your cat indoors or outdoors at close range.
The range of the Tabcat Tracker is 122 meters (400 feet) (on a clear line of sight) so it isn’t as far as other systems but the good thing is that it does precisely track to within 2.5 centimeters of your cat.
Tabcat insists the range is sufficient as cats tend to stay close to home but it is important to keep the range in mind as cats can travel a lot further than this if something catches their eye!
A cool feature of the Tabcat system is that when you press the ‘locate’ button it activates a beep on the tag.
You can train your cat to associate this beep with a treat by pressing locate and giving your cat a treat a few times.
Before long, your cat will be making their own way home as soon as they hear the beep.
The tag, although small and lightweight, is not waterproof or even water-resistant.
You can buy additional covers to help protect the tag from water damage but the lack of built-in water resistance does seem like a bit of an oversight.
Tabcat have decided not to use GPS within their tracker as they have found it too be too large for comfortable use on cats, it also has a short battery life and a tendency to lose signal if your cat is indoors and is less accurate than radio technology.
The Tabcat tracker is noisier than a GPS tracker as it uses a series of lights and beeps to guide you and the beeps increase in frequency as you get closer to your cat.
The Tabcat tracker is simple to use, requires little setup and has no annual subscription fee.
Weight & size: the Tabcat tag weighs just 6 grams making it one of the lightest on the market. The circular tag are the smallest we have seen at 3.2cm x 3.2cm x 0.5cm.
For more information, you can read our full review of the Tabcat tracker here.
What’s Good:
- Small, lightweight tags – ideal for smaller cats
- No annual fees
- Beep sound which you can easily train your cat to respond to
What’s Bad:
- Limited Range
- No mobile app
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5. petTracer Review
petTracer combines multiple tracking technologies in one device meaning you can receive accurate and reliable location data for your cat even when GPS is not available.
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The tracker does not come with a dedicated app but you can easily use the browser on any phone, computer or tablet to access your personal account on the petTracer portal.
The combination of technologies means that petTracer can be used to find your cat both indoors or outdoors accurately and effectively within the 1 mile collar range (there is a 3.14 square mile maximum area coverage with this device).
The three types of technology used to obtain an accurate signal are:
- Motion Sensor – the motion sensor can help save battery life as it increases or decreases the amount of GPS positions needed to get your cats location.
- GPS – coordinates are collected by GPS signal.
- Radio – the exact location is sent via radio which allows you to view your cats position in real time.
The radio signal means you can find your cats location even when there is no GPS reading.
This can often happen if cats are in closed spaces, particularly if they have found their way into garages or outbuildings.
Rather than being a device that you clip onto a collar, the petTracer is itself a lightweight collar. It is designed specifically for use on cats and is durable while remaining flexible and comfortable.
The collar battery lasts up to 30 days on one charge which is the longest battery life of the cat trackers currently on the market.
You will receive an email to alert you when the battery is low, a full charge takes 2.5 hours.
There are four search modes to choose from:
- Fast: GPS position sent every 10 minutes when cat is active and every 60 minutes when not active
- Standard: GPS position sent every 30 minutes when cat is active and every 3 hours when not active
- Slow: GPS position sent every 4 hours when cat is active and every 24 hours when not active
- Search: GPS position sent every 15 seconds.
You can view your cat’s historical data by choosing the time frame you’d like to know about and selecting the map type you would like to see.
There are three map types allowing you to view the exact locations of your cat illustrated by circles, view their routes using lines or see where they spend most of their time using a heat map.
The petTracer can handle all weather conditions and has an LED light to help you locate your cat when it is dark outside.
Another important feature is the safety buckle that will release if your cat gets into trouble or the collar gets snagged on anything.
The petTracer has interesting features but the coverage, need for a constant Wi-Fi signal and high cost let it down slightly.
Weight & size: The petTracer collar weighs 34g, its minimum circumference is 21.5cm.
What’s Good:
- Long battery life of up to 30 days on one charge
- More accurate location data
- Lightweight
- Works indoors and outdoors
What’s Bad:
- Requires a subscription (minimum of 1 year)
- Short distance coverage
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6. Tailit Tracker
One of the newer cat trackers on the market, the Tailit Tracker is possibly the smallest cat GPS tracker available at the size of a 50p coin.
It may be small but with a battery life of two weeks, it packs plenty of power too.
Thanks to the small size of the tracker it can be used on all cats, many of the cat GPS trackers are bulky, awkward and heavy which mean they are only really suitable for larger cats but the Tailit Tracker ensures even smaller cats can be comfortable and safely tracked.
This device also comes with an easy-release collar so it will open if there is pressure put on the collar ensuring if the collar gets snagged or stuck your cat will be safe.
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It’s not only your cat’s safety that is a priority for Tailit, they also ensure the cat tracker is encrypted in order to protect your cybersecurity – something that many GPS trackers do not take into account.
This additional security also means that less data is being used which supports the battery life too.
This tracker operates with a user-friendly app that is available in multiple languages to help break down any barriers between the users and a smooth, easy-to-understand experience.
When live tracking is turned on the location updates every 5 seconds so you can see exactly where your cat is at any time.
This system of tracking when you need it (rather than tracking constantly with automatic updates) helps to conserve battery life so you don’t need to charge the collar every day and worry the tracker will run out of battery when you need it most.
If you’ve narrowed down on your cat but they are on the move you can activate ‘live’ which will show your cats real-time position on the map (updating every second).
This feature can be used for 5 minutes before you need to approve further use as monitoring the location live uses more battery. This is an amazing feature for emergency situations.
There is a light and a sound feature on the Tailit Cat Tracker, this helps you to find your cat in the dark or if they have hidden.
These features are particularly helpful if your cat has become trapped or is hiding and you still cannot see them even when you are close to their GPS location.
Another interesting feature of the Tailit tracker is that when your cat is indoors, it uses a Wi-Fi chip to locate your cat.
Although this doesn’t show your cats exact location within the house, it will show that your cat is inside and then you can use the sound and light features mentioned above to find them.
There’s also a backup LBS location system that helps to locate your cat when they are out of GPS signal and out of Wi-Fi signal.
The LBS location will show you the area your cat is in allowing you to narrow down your search.
Again, the sound and light features will be useful here to pin-point your cat’s exact location.
Weight and Size: At only 23g and a size of 27mm x 42mm x12mm this may be the smallest cat GPS tracker available.
What’s Good:
- Small tracker size
- Long battery life
- Utilizes multiple location technologies
- Offers light and sound features to help you pin-point your cat’s location
What’s Bad:
- The instruction manual is very basic
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7. PawTrack
Pawtrack are an experienced company that have been making tracking collars for cats for over 10 years.
They offer cat collars in three sizes so you can ensure you get the perfect size to comfortably fit your cat.
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PawTrack: Use coupon code Tux2 for 2 months free tracking |
One of their unique selling points is the fact that they have their GPS on the back of the neck, rather than slung under the cat’s chin as they commonly are with the majority of trackers.
This makes a crucial difference when it comes to accuracy, as the GPS antenna is facing the sky to help get the best positions possible and ensure that they will get as much signal as possible.
The Pawtrack collar offers automated tracking that updates every 6 minutes as well as on demand tracking.
This can help you to see where your cat goes and will help you to build up an idea of your cat’s behaviour.
There’s no limit to how much you can track your cat and how much data is used so you can track your cat as much as you want.
There are four levels of tracking used on the Pawtrack collar, this includes Wi-Fi that recognizes when your cat comes home or goes out and will send you a notification to let you know.
When your cat is at home the Wi-Fi chip will connect to the home Wi-Fi and will automatically shut down the collar to conserve battery.
The collar also uses GPS, cellular and beacon tracking systems to ensure you can always get an accurate location on your cat even when they are in challenging environments.
The tracking system comes with 2 detachable rechargeable batteries which each last up to 2 days.
To track your cat, you will need to log onto the app (multiple users can log into the same account which is very handy).
The app is full of great features: there are the usual geofence and low battery alerts, but there are also heat maps, animated playbacks and path drawings showing what your cat gets up to. You can also see up to a month’s tracking on your screen.
For those more technically minded you can send a .csv with all your cats’ data and GPS positions on it.
For Android users, there is an additional feature of a Wi-Fi beacon in case your collar is lost, it will help guide you in by turning the collar into a mini Wi-Fi hub.
Weight & Size: The collar weighs just 35g and they are available in three different sizes.
What’s Good:
- Sleek, smart design
- Two batteries for constant tracking
- Great value
- User-friendly app
What’s Bad:
- 2-day battery life
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PawTrack: Use coupon code Tux2 for 2 months free tracking |
8. Whistle Tracker
The Whistle Tracker is a tracker suitable for both dogs and cats, it has not been designed specifically for cats but it is recommended for use with pets over 3.6kg so it should be fine for medium to large cats.
It may not be the best choice for smaller cats as it is quite a chunky tracker.
Once you have charged the device and attached it onto your pet’s collar you can log onto the Whistle App and monitor your pet’s location and activity.
The tracker uses GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular technology to provide you with your pet’s accurate location.
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The Whistle Tracker allows you to track your cat’s location, the live mode gives you real-time tracking that updates every 15 seconds.
You can set up safe places on the app and receive alerts when your pet leaves the safe zone or has achieved activity goals.
While this is a tracker, it has a lot of features dedicated to your pet’s health and fitness and is not too dissimilar to a Fitbit!
Your pet’s activity is tracked and the app takes a record of the distance travelled, active minutes and calories burned which can be a very helpful feature if you are trying to increase your cat’s daily activity.
Whistle also tracks behaviours such as licking, scratching and napping.
You can be notified of behaviour changes and can even email the pet health reports generated to your vet.
There are a few tracking device options available from Whistle including the Whistle Go Explore and the Whistle Go.
There’s only a couple of differences between the two devices, the Go Explore is more expensive and has an extended battery life offering up to 20 days vs. the Go’s 10 days.
The Go Explore also features a built-in light and has more effective waterproofing, aside from this they share the same features.
With either device, you’ll get an alert when the battery needs to be charged and when your pet is in your Wi-Fi range the device goes into a power-save mode.
The Whistle Trackers requires an active subscription to work, each pet needs its own subscription which can quickly get costly if you have more than one cat you want to keep an eye on.
Depending on the plan you are on, you may be charged an early termination fee if you decide this device isn’t right for you so be aware of this when choosing which plan to sign up for.
Weight & Size: The device weighs just over 25g and is 35mm x 45mm.
What’s Good:
- Good battery life
- Accurate location tracking
- Whistle Go Explore features a light that makes night tracking a lot easier
What’s Bad:
- Not specifically designed for cats
- Requires a monthly subscription to work
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9. PawScout
PawScout is a Bluetooth-enabled tag that allows for short-range tracking. It is best suited for keeping an eye on your cat indoors or in the garden.
If you want to track your cat while they are out and about then this isn’t the best choice but if you have a cat that spends most of their time indoors and you want a small, inexpensive tracker that shows you on a radar where they are in the house then PawScout is a fantastic option.
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The tag is small, lightweight and customizable so you can choose the design and include your contact info like traditional pet tags often have.
The tag has a 6 – 12 month battery life, is water-resistant and has a communication range of around 300 feet (which is impressive for a Bluetooth connected device).
A big draw of the PawScout is the features offered by its app, you can create a digital profile for your pet featuring important information such as your contact details and your cat’s medical records.
When you track your pet, you can see both your location and your pet’s location on the map.
Something that’s really neat is that you can see pet points of interest such as vets, groomers, parks and pet-friendly restaurants in your area on the PawScout map.
One of the key features of the PawScout app is that it allows you mark your pet as lost and fill out vital details including where you last saw them, the circumstances and your contact information.
This report is then shared and nearby PawScout users will be notified of a lost pet in their area. If another app user comes close enough to your pet they can notify you that they’ve found your pet and you’ll receive the date, time, location and contact details.
This community pet tracking can be very helpful in bringing your cat home safely.
On the app, you can see how many PawScout users there are in your area and there is a search & discover tab that allows you to see content from other users.
It’s a good idea to download the app and take a look at how popular PawScout is in your area to ensure there are enough users to be able to help you locate your pet if they do go missing (currently PawScout is mostly used in the USA and Canada so elsewhere the user communities are very small).
Weight & Size: This tiny tag weighs 5g and is approximately 4cm x 5cm x 1cm so it can be used comfortably on cats of all sizes.
What’s Good:
- Very affordable
- Long battery life
- Small, lightweight tag
- No monthly fees
What’s Bad:
- Not suitable for long-distance use
- Does not have the most accuracy
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When you are looking to purchase a cat tracking device, there are a few important factors to consider. Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions:
What is a Cat Tracker?
A cat tracker is technology that you attach to your cat’s collar, the tracker sends out signals that lets you know your cat’s location.
Generally, cat trackers will use either GPS, mobile data or radio to send signals back to the receiver.
Many trackers have dedicated mobile apps that record your cat’s location history and allows you to view their live location on a map.
If the tracker does not have an app then it will have a browser page that you will need to log into to view the location information.
Many cat trackers clip onto collars or are built into a collar themselves which can be easily fitted to your cat.
Having a tracker built into the collar reduces the risk of the tracker coming off as sometimes tags can become snagged or fall off.
When buying a cat tracker there are a number of different features and functions that you should be aware of before making a purchasing decision:
GPS or Radio Frequency?
Radio Frequency trackers are much simpler and therefore much cheaper to both purchase and run, a big bonus is that they require no annual fees (something that is very common with GPS trackers).
However, radio trackers are limited in that they provide pretty much none of the trackable data which you get in abundance with GPS trackers.
GPS trackers allow you to accurately locate your cat at any moment and record all of your cat’s activity from the convenience of your phone.
If you’re not fussed about having tons of data about what your cat does and where exactly he goes then a Radio Frequency tracker would be the logical choice.
If you like to have access to loads of data and like to be able to quickly and effortlessly pin-point your cat’s location you should definitely invest in a GPS tracker.
How Good Is The Battery Life?
The variation in battery life of cat trackers is huge. Some of the smaller trackers barely last a day while others (often larger devices presumably with bigger batteries) can last more than a week.
This is particularly true of GPS trackers as they tend to record a lot of data and often have automatic updates which means the location is frequently being recorded and stored – something that uses a lot of battery.
If you can’t be bothered perpetually charging yet another electronic device then make sure you opt for a tracker that has a longer battery life.
Having a longer-lasting tracker can also provide you with peace of mind as you know it’ll more likely have battery when you need it most.
Pro-tip; Radio Frequency trackers use significantly less battery (they last for weeks!).
Does It Have An App And What Functions Does The App Have?
Most GPS trackers make use of mobile apps for ease of use.
Some apps offer very basic functions such as location updates every two minutes and nothing else.
Whereas more advanced apps such as the Tractive have a huge array of functions including virtual fencing, calorie tracking, measuring distance covered, top speed and more!
Don’t make the mistake of presuming that just because the tracker you bought has an app it is going to be able to do everything you could ever dream of, do your research first and make sure the app has all you need.
Most apps can be downloaded from the app store or Google play before you purchase a device so it is a good idea to do this before investing to allow you to get a feel for the functions and usability of the device.
Many apps are very user-friendly and easy to navigate which is a big plus for those less tech-savvy.
Does It Offer Geo Fencing?
Geo-fencing is a really useful feature that some of the tracking devices enable. It is basically a virtual fence that you can draw around your home, garden or safe area.
If your cat leaves the safe area (moves beyond the virtual fence line) then you will receive an instant notification alerting you.
This is very handy and allows you to act quickly if they leave the area when they are not supposed to.
The Price Range
You can expect to pay between £60 – £150 upfront for a good tracker depending on what you are looking for.
However, it is important to remember that most GPS trackers will charge an annual (or sometimes monthly) subscription fee which covers the cost of mobile data usage, this can quickly add up and can easily add £30-£50 per year to your initial cost.
Some trackers offer different levels of subscriptions (standard or premium) which provide access to different features so make sure you read the purchasing information before buying the tracker to find out if a subscription is required and what will be best suited to your needs.
How Big/Heavy Is It?
There is a vast range in size differences from one tracker to another.
The smallest tracker featured on this page weighs only 5 grams, while the biggest weighs 35 grams.
Each of the trackers are light enough for a cat but some are bulky or awkward in their size and shape.
This may be the case particularly with the larger trackers or smaller cats.
The smaller the tag, the more comfortable it will be for your cat but battery life tends to be reduced with size so it may be worth going for a slightly bigger tracker for longer battery life.
Also Read: How Do Cat Trackers Work
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I am awaiting the new launch of the Pawtrack latest collar. It looks good and due out mid May, but that has been delayed since January.
£125, with free first year subscription , £45 annual after that, slightly more if monthly.
We are also eagerly awaiting the release of that tracker, it sounds very promising!
Great insight here! I’m open to more tracking devices from those who could recommend. GPS 3G signal specific. Thanks! This is for my free-spirited cat’s own good.
Thanks for your message Abby, which devices have you used in the past?
I wonder if anyone has thought of kinetic charging in the devices to cut down on size but retain a good battery time?
I tried the Pawtrack and it’s potentially absolutely great. When it was working it tracked my cat extremely well. The problem was that it wouldn’t stay on him, and that led to other problems and eventually to me losing my money.
The first time it came off I found it again with very little trouble by activating its bleep. I was worried though because he’d barely been wearing it three days. I put it back on him and it barely lasted two days after that, and that’s when the real trouble started. He lost it just before midnight on a very wet night and because of the weather and other problems I wasn’t able to get out and look for it immediately. By morning, when I’d expected to get a good fix on it and activate the bleeper it had malfunctioned due to water getting into it. I eventually found it in a neighbour’s back garden but it was dead as a dodo.
Pawtrack replaced it, and said they’d improved the fastening to address the problem – it was obvious I wasn’t the only one experiencing this. However, within a day he’d lost it again, this time by the side of a road, and by the time I found it, it had been run over by a car and smashed. Pawtrack refused to accept liability and I lost about £150.
The incident with the car was pure bad luck, but the collar was coming off far too often. My cat has never lost his ordinary collar, not even during the two months when he was lost and living wild in the hills (the reason for wanting a tracker collar). The combination of the thing repeatedly coming off and its not being waterproof is lethal. It’s not possible to ensure that it doesn’t come off and lie in the rain overnight, but if that happens it’s dead.
I tried the GPcats thing, but it wasn’t tracking accurately in my area, which is odd because the Pawtrack was. But the manufacturer said the collar was working OK when I sent it back, so they refunded me the money.
I would try the Pawtrax Halo, but they say it’s not recommended for cats with necks less than 22 cm in circumference and that’s quite big – bigger than my boy. They also have a draconian no-refunds policy which includes saying they won’t accept a return made because the collar can’t get a signal in your location. I can’t afford to lose another chunk of money like this.
I had another scare today when my cat didn’t come in in the morning and I had to leave for an all-day appointment. He did come back, but I was worried sick all day. I need something that would at least locate him if he vanishes again but I simply don’t know what to buy. I really wish the Pawtrack was a bit smaller and lighter AND ACTUALLY STAYED ON THE DAMN CAT (and was waterproof enough to survive a wet night out) because it was brilliant when it was on him.
What to do?
Hi Morag,
thanks for sharing your story, some cats seem to have uncanny knacks for losing them perhaps by wriggling through unseemingly tight spaces all the time, who knows!? The trouble is cats that are good at escaping from their collar will escape regardless of what tracker or collar type you use.
I wonder if it would be worth considering getting a chest harness for your cat and securing the tracker to that?
Do let us know what you decide on!
Thanks & good luck!
Hi Dan
I think the problem I had is a specific fault in the Pawtrack. It has an unusual velcro fastening and I noticed a lot of people on their own forum complaining about the collars coming off. The fact that they modified the fastening suggests they were aware of the problem but I don’t think the modification has helped.
It wouldn’t be so bad if the damn thing was waterproof. However, rain happens, and if a collar has a tendency to come off it’s only a matter of time before it ends up lying in the rain for long enough to be drowned. That’s the main reason I wouldn’t go for another Pawtrack.
Jori isn’t a habitual collar-loser. He has never lost his ordinary collar in a year of wearing it. When he got lost and was living wild in the hills for two months he still didn’t lose it, and indeed it was that collar being noticed by someone who had seen the lost cat posters that eventually reunited us.
I really don’t want to send him out on the prowl in a harness, the idea makes me quite nervous. I also think the Pod is too bulky and will swing like a pendant from his neck which I don’t think is satisfactory. I want something that’s either built into an integral collar or that’s small enough to clip on to his collar without dangling like a pendant.
Based on your reviews I was wondering about the Trax. I don’t mind charging it every evening – I was doing that with the Pawtrack anyway – so long as it does last a couple of days. What do you think?
To be honest, I’m still shaking, after having spent today imagining he’d vanished again. I’m being ridiculously paranoid, but after having spent two months searching for him, then him coming in injured a couple of months after I got him back, I just can’t help worrying.
Hi I have a neutered Tom aged 13 years old. Despite this he is a wanderer and can be gone 24 hours or more causing no end of worry! He is quite a small Tom as well and often comes back having been in some kind of scrap and having lost his collar. I’d love to know where he goes and would like an efficient small tracker also cost is important. I’ve read all the reviews and still can’t make my mind up.
Hi Andrea, thanks for stopping by, I would recommend either the Weenect based on it’s value for money or the Trax based on it being nice and small.
Do come back and let me know which one you decide on in the end, thanks.
Hi Dan, and thanks for the reviews. This is a minefield for us, as we live in a very rural area with barely-2G coverage plus trees and bushes galore. Our large garden is supposedly cat-proof-fenced, but we have a youngster who sometimes gets through to the road, so we really could do with a device that tells us exactly where he’s been (RF is not sufficient, as it would be a random chance that we’d track him on one of his escape bids). Would the multi-technology Pod3 cover the gaps in coverage, do you think?
Just another aside re. G-Paws: I bought one a while back and it would never so much as switch on. Very poor quality and absent customer service too.
Hi Amber,
I agree with you here the Pod 3 has GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile tracking capability so if coverage is a problem it’s a great option as you have a lot of different ways of keeping track of him.
GPS often works well for people in rural areas with low mobile coverage, so i would definitely go for the Pod 3, it’s the market leader for a good reason!
Also you can use this link to get 5% OFF all Pod products Storewide.
thanks for visiting my site, please do come back and let me know which one you bought in the end and how you get on with it,
thanks,
dan
Hi again Dan. Well, after all I said there, and a lot of research, we went for the Tabcat after all. It came down to the potential (in)precision of any of the other devices, which we decided might cause more concern rather than less.
It’s true that we are still going out every hour or so to check on our youngster, but the great thing is, if Tabcat tells us he’s in the other direction, we can come straight back in!
I must say, it’s also great fun – for us and the cats. They seem to like the bleeping, and associated it very quickly with us. As some other users have said, it’s also turned out to be an alternative way of calling them – without the hoarseness or annoyance to neighbours that the conventional method entails! My husband was sceptical at first, but he’s a complete convert.
Many thanks for your input in any case – much appreciated.
Hi Amber, thanks for coming back and letting me know how you got on, I do love the tabcat, so long as you aren’t worried about being able to track their data on your phone it is a brilliant little tracker which is very reliable and gets the job done well!
Hello, I have a deaf cat that I let out into our garden which is huge but she wanders off and can’t hear me calling her. Which device would be best for her, she is a smallish Persian female. I just need to know where she is and to locate her rather than where she has been.
Many Thanks
Jean
Hi Jeanie,
I would recommend the Tabcat, it’s a fairly simple Radio frequency tracker which doesn’t use a mobile app or anything to record where they have been. It directs you to your cat using lights and a series of beeps which get quicker the closer you get to your cat.
It’s a reliable tracker which I’m sure you will be happy with, do let me know which one you go for and how you and your cat get on with it.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Dan, thank you for your reply but I feel with such a large area to look and find her, the beeping system could have me walking all over the place lol, I need something small and maybe if she is hiding and not moving ( she has a collar with lots of bells on) the maybe something that can beep? I don’t mind paying a subscription but because she is petite the device needs to be small. Thank you ?
Hey dan, looking at the pod3 and weenect in isolation, which would you recommend and why?
Whatever I buy I am going to need 2. They also need to be part of or attached to a safetycollar as I get through about 10 lost collars a year.
One of my cats stays close to home (I think) the other one roames well over 100m so the radio frequency devices are out.
I live on a housing estate with some woodland attached and am interested in knowing the history of where they go, but not nessesarily the fencing with notifications as I spend most of my working day away from a mobile so a web based option would also be useful.
Thanks
Hi Emily, thanks for paying us a visit.
I would recommend the Pod 3 as they are one of the few trackers that allow you to view their data through a web based browser.
They can easily be attached to a safety harness and tick all the boxes you have mentioned plus loads more.
Do let me know which one you go for and come back and let me know how you got on with it, thanks!
Hi, our cat is a house cat (on recommendation from vet) and we only really want a tracker to help us find her if she ever decides to run past us when a door is open and go for an explore. We’re not that interested in where she has been or how active she is, we only really want to know her specific location if she does get out.
Reading the reviews we prefer the idea of one of the trackers with an app that can show us exactly where she is, instead of following a beep that might lose track if she roams too far from us, but there doesn’t seem to be something that just gives us the basic location, they all seem to have a load of additional functions that we don’t really need. What would you advise?
I see you responded to Jess B’s comment mentioning the Novita Kippy Vita but that link seems broken, so I wasn’t sure if there was now something better out there.
Hi Keiren,
The Novita Kippy Vita could well be a good solution for you guys, sorry about the broken link I have fixed that now!
Let me know how you get on and which tracker you end up choosing,
Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks. That’s my number one concern with all the other products…. just can’t see MY cat wearing anything the size of the pod3 even though they show pics of cats on their Site.
Yes that is the one issue with it, it is fairly bulky.
The Weenect is a good alternative which is often overlooked because of it’s low price. The Tabcat is also very good too if you don’t need all the digital data tracking.
I isit family in U.K. And live in Dubai. I fly my two fur babies in and out need something compatible can you help pls
Hi Sophie,
most of these trackers should function fine in both the U.A.E and the U.K.
Personally I would recommend either the Pod 3 or the Tractive.
Do let me know which one you choose and how you get on with it.
Hi Dan, Have read your reviews and thought I had decided on the Pod 3 but on reading the reviews on the argos site, I’m now not so sure. Like Kat, I have also come across PawTrack and like that its a collar. We live in a rural area, so the cats may stray across fields etc, so I need some decent coverage and also need to buy 2 so I need to make sure I get it right 😉
Let me know how you get on with the pawtrack, I’ll definitely get it added on here at some point!
Hi there. I ran across another product called PawTrack. It’s different in that it’s an actual sleek flat collar tracking device designed just for cats. Do you have any experience/thoughts about that product?
Hi Kat, I have come across the PawTrack too, I haven’t yet reviewed them but we mad add them on here in the future. They look like a very good collar tracker that tick all the boxes as far as I can see. I’d probably still go for a Pod3 given the choice but the PawTrack looks like a high quality alternative and I like that it’s built into a collar rather than being a bulky attachment.
I lost the will to live with the Pod3, which is sad as I was a massive fan of my Pod2, so upgraded using the 30%. Bought the Pod3 in May17 with the XLBattery, and finally I received it Dec17 (without battery as they were stillnot available), and it was awful, with GPS not connecting, battery dead in 20hrs (should last 4days). Pod said I had been sent US stock along with many other patiently waiting customers and they’d swap it out in January. March18 I was still waiting for a Pod to get me my May17 order sorted, still getting excuse after excuse, constant delays and failed promises. I gave up and demanded full refund which I got.
Now on the lookout for alternative, possibly the new Pawtrack collar with delayed launch May18.
So sorry to hear of your bad experience with the POD3, I know many people have had good experiences with it. Do you live in an area with poor reception at all?
I think you might have the size wrong of the Novita Kippy no.3.
No way is it 600mm x 300mm x 200mm.
That is massive. Try 60mm x 30mm x 20mm! 🙂
Oops thanks for pointing that typo out. That would make it bigger than almost all cats! I’ll get it fixed!
I’d be careful about the G-Paws system, apart from the shop page, the rest of the website no longer works, you cannot register the product and we can’t get our computers to recognise the devices
Contacting the seller is pointless, as they do not respond
Thanks for letting us know about that one Gillian, that is the last thing you want from a tracker! I will update the article shortly…or possibly remove it from the list.
Under pros for the pod 2 it states 50% discount on future models for all existing users. I have a pod 2 that has recently broken, how do I go about getting 50% off the pod 3?
Hi Louise,
I’ve just checked and the discount is now 30% (apologies – I’ll update the article!). To claim it you just need to login to your pod app and then click on your pet picture and then the pod picture to get your Pod ID.
Send this to the guys at Pod either by email or through their live chat for a quick response and they will send you a discount coupon back which can be used in the site shop. Hope that helps!
Hi, I’m not bothered about where my at has been but more where he is when he hasn’t been home for a few days, eg shut in a shed or on someone else’s lap – I think he has found himself a holiday home 🙁 . I’m lousy at changing batteries and don’t really do techy stuff, could you point me in the right direction please? We live in a rural location but said cat would be somewhere in the village I suspect as he’s turning into a porker! Many thanks.
Hi Jess,
Thanks for stopping by, I would recommend the Novita Kippy Vita. It has an app which will show you exactly where your cat is and the battery lasts up to 20 days, probably the best battery life of any of the trackers which use mobile apps.
Let us know how you get on!
Which RF tracker did you go with?
Your title says GPS trackers yet you include RF ones?
This is true, I intended for it to be just about GPS trackers but there are a few great RF alternatives out there that I ended up putting in too, maybe I should amend the title!
Do you use a cat tracker HMD?
I’ve been using the Pod2 for a couple of years and it’s great! Would highly recommend!
I’ve tried it too, the one thing that could be improved is the battery life, though this is the same with all the smart trackers, so definitely rate it as the best of the mobile app trackers.
Have you tried using anything else?
I’m a Pod 2 user, but would like to try something smaller. I guess the size really has to do with the functionality. This write up makes that pretty clear. For now I’ll stick with the Pod 2!
Yes Pod 2 is very much the market leader at the moment, the Pod 3 is coming soon though so watch this space!
The Pod3 is out now Jessica – see our review here: https://www.tuxedo-cat.co.uk/best-cat-trackers/#Pod3
Do you think you’ll buy it?