Have you ever wished you knew your cat's exact location at all times and ensured its safety, even when you're away?
With new GPS cat collar technologies, this goal is now achievable. Whether you're looking for a cat tracking collar , a GPS cat tracker , or a smart collar , this guide will help you choose the best GPS tracking device for your cat.
A GPS tracker for cats is a device that monitors your pet's location using various technologies such as GPS , Bluetooth, and radio frequencies. The main advantage is that if your feline disappears, it can be found quickly thanks to this GPS cat locator .
Some cat GPS trackers also feature an automatic alert and recall system. Choosing an effective and reliable GPS cat collar is all you need to ensure complete peace of mind regarding your feline friend's safety!
So you're probably wondering which GPS collar to get for my cat?
How to choose your GPS for your cat?
With so many different GPS collar models on the market, choosing a cat tracker can be a real headache. Distance, battery life, and features are all factors to consider before buying. But don't panic! Our guide below will help you navigate all these parameters so you can choose the device that best suits your needs.
1. How does the GPS collar work?
GPS cat collars are often referred to, somewhat inaccurately, as tracking devices for our beloved feline friends. While it's true that most trackers use GPS satellites to locate your pet, some models employ other technologies.
Radio signal, Bluetooth, or WLAN—do these terms ring a bell? Traditional GPS collars have no range limit but usually require a paid subscription, while older trackers that rely on other tracking systems have a much shorter range: around 500 meters for wireless and 20-30 meters for Bluetooth or WLAN.
Real-time GPS cat collars use satellites to precisely locate your pet. However, several technologies may be used, depending on the model:
- Radio signal and Bluetooth : Shorter range (20 to 500 meters), ideal for locating a cat in the immediate vicinity.
- Traditional GPS technology with SIM card : Often requires a subscription for unlimited coverage, allowing live GPS tracking wherever your cat is.
Some models are also subscription-free GPS cat collars , but these often impose a position update delay of a few minutes.
For optimal real-time geolocation, it is advisable to choose a model with a subscription and SIM card, or a long-range radio tracker for use without a subscription.
2. What are the options for the GPS collar?
The best GPS cat collars offer real-time geolocation as well as a range of additional features. For example, you can access a tracking log that summarizes a pet's movement history over a period of time. Handy for finding their favorite spot during a nighttime stroll!
Another interesting feature is the creation of virtual boundaries with the new GPS geofencing collars . You can use this to trigger an alarm when your cat leaves a certain safe zone (like your home).
For some second-generation GPS collars, you can also use the device to hear what is happening around your pet and use the microphone and speaker functionality to communicate with your pet remotely.
Smart GPS collars offer customization options to ensure your cat's safety in all situations:
- Travel history : Allows you to view your cat's routes and habits via a GPS location application.
- Safety zones : Create virtual barriers that trigger alerts when your cat leaves its comfort zone.
- Built-in microphone and speaker : Some models include a sound beacon and speaker to establish audio communication with your cat, which can be an asset for recalling it when needed.
Wireless GPS trackers for cats, like waterproof location tags , are also popular for their waterproofness and durability, a valuable feature for outdoor cats.
3. Battery life of the GPS collar
If your cat gets lost, it's important that your GPS tracker 's battery lasts long enough for you to find it. Depending on the model and technology used, battery life can vary considerably, from a few days to several weeks.
Due to current limitations of GPS technology, the battery life of a GPS collar is limited to 1 to 2 days. This can vary depending on the frequency of geolocation updates (which is configurable) and network quality. Be wary of manufacturers boasting overly optimistic battery life claims (1 week to 10 days).
This battery life is generally equivalent to standby mode when the device is not detecting a GPS location . If long battery life is important to you, you should opt for a modern GPS collar based on wireless technology. In this case, the battery life could reach two weeks, but you would have to forgo some features inherent to GPS collars, such as activity tracking and alerts for dangerous situations.
A GPS cat collar requires a powerful battery, especially if your cat likes to explore. Battery life varies depending on how often the location is updated and the network signal strength. Here are some battery life criteria:
- Long battery life (1-2 weeks) : For standby tracking with slower GPS update, ideal for short walks and peace of mind.
- Daily autonomy (1-2 days) : For intensive monitoring with real-time notifications, often necessary for cats that stray far from home.
Some cat collars offer rechargeable batteries, perfect for extended use without interrupting tracking.
GPS cat collar without subscription
The main criticism leveled at GPS cat collars is that they require a monthly subscription. There are a few exceptions, such as Micolax GPS. To operate without a subscription, this type of GPS tracker relies on the use of open frequency networks, which are free and accessible to everyone.
However, the problem with this type of GPS network is that it imposes limits to avoid overloading each connected device. Therefore, you are forced to observe a certain delay in sending and receiving real-time geolocation data. A GPS collar without a subscription means you have to wait 3 to 5 minutes for the animal's position to be updated. Under these conditions, it can be very difficult to locate a cat on the move. It is therefore far from being a reliable product meant to reassure you in the face of your pet's unexpected disappearance.
To provide real-time tracking, a GPS cat collar without a subscription requires a SIM card and a phone line, so you'll need to pay an additional subscription fee. If you absolutely need real-time location tracking without a subscription, you can use a radio tracker. However, in this case, the range is limited to a few hundred meters and the functionality is minimal compared to the GSM-GPRS signal of a receiver equipped with a SIM card.
What are the best cat trackers?
This comparison of tracking collars for cats and dogs features trackers equipped with a receiver that allows you to locate your feline friend using the GPS tracker and their mobile app via Google Maps. Locating your cat with a mini waterproof GPS tracker attached around your four-legged friend's neck in case of loss is now possible at a lower cost.
Tractive & Weenect: the older GPS trackers for cats on the market with paid subscriptions
The Weenect and Tractive are arguably the oldest GPS trackers on the market. They are accurate, functional, and waterproof. And like other GPS-based tracking systems, their range is virtually unlimited if the area has satellite reception.
GPS locations must pass through mobile networks to be sent to smartphones and web browsers. Therefore, this GPS tracker requires a SIM card with a monthly or annual subscription. The cost is approximately €10 per month, depending on the options chosen and the service duration. Compatible with Android and iOS, the free apps associated with these GPS tracking devices are comprehensive and offer many useful features:
Live tracking (real-time location on a map or in augmented reality using radar and compass), activity tracking, territory analysis (to find your cat's favorite hiding places), virtual fences (to track animals and be notified when you visit) left your defined safety zone.
All these features are very useful, but they also significantly impact battery life, reducing it to just a few days (1-2 days). However, these larger devices charge quickly, taking approximately 2 hours.
What sets these older-generation GPS trackers apart from the competition is the ability to make the cat tracker ring or vibrate on command. Thanks to these optional features, you can train your pet and teach it to come back on its own when you send it a signal.
To do this, you need to go through a training phase where your GPS tracker beeps or vibrates every time you dispense kibble. Your cat will associate these two events and will come back to eat on its own whenever you send this signal.
These transmitter collars also feature a built-in microphone and speaker, allowing you to speak to your four-legged friend remotely and hear the sounds around you. Naturally, these features will drain the batteries of these tracking collars even faster.
Note that these GPS trackers for cats are generally quite bulky and heavy, which can be difficult for felines to bear. For these reasons, the use of these geolocation devices is recommended for adult pets weighing over 5 kg.
Gyrafos: the radio tracker without a subscription
Unlike traditional GPS collars , Gyrafos trackers operate using radio waves . Therefore, no GSM network, internet connection, or satellite broadcast is required. It is also compact and extremely lightweight (approximately 6 grams), requires no monthly subscription, and boasts a battery life of up to two weeks!
Unfortunately, the major drawback of radio trackers is the limited range of their tracking device in case your cat or kitten gets lost.
The detection range is limited to tens or hundreds of meters at most, and the advertised range (500 meters) only applies to flat, open terrain. Obstacles (walls, trees, etc.) can significantly reduce the real-time cat detection range.
Is this type of tracking device completely useless in this case? No, because cats are generally felines who prefer to stay close to their territory. Consequently, they rarely stray beyond the range of low-power, interval-based radio tracking devices. These geolocation tags are useful, for example, for easily locating animals hiding in your garden or your neighbor's, and for tracking their movements in real time.
Functionally, radio trackers for cats are still very simple to use. They only allow you to locate the transmitter using a small device that emits a sound and light signal of increasing intensity as you get closer to it. Therefore, there is no smartphone app to download or other connected devices via the manufacturer's app, apart from a simple SOS button to geolocate and find your pet.
Hisotag: the next generation AirTag collar
If you watched "The Secret Life of Cats" on TF1, you saw the Hisotag GPS collar in action on TV.
Functionally, the Hisotag GPS tracker is very similar to older GPS collars, but with the added benefit of AirTag technology! Real-time tracking is possible without distance limitations, location history, or the use of virtual fences. Therefore, we can say that it's the best GPS collar for cats , thanks to its battery life of over a year without needing to be recharged.
This cutting-edge new geolocation technology relies on 3 alternative connectivity modes to find your lost cat at any distance from home, without being constantly terrified by a possible battery failure that would render your cat's GPS collar completely useless:
- Bluetooth for proximity location
- Ultra Wideband for precise location
- NFC added to support Lost Mode
The Hisotag GPS cat collar truly stands out because there are no additional monthly or annual subscription fees to pay to use this mini GPS tracker equipped with a global geolocation beacon (unlike its competitors). And while its purchase price of less than €50 is comparable to its rivals, you'll see significant savings by the end of the year.
No wonder this Airtag collar was voted best seller of 2023 among more than 50 different models of pet GPS trackers.
Also equipped with a speaker, this mini cat tracker is resistant to splashes, water and dust, and extreme temperature variations (-20 to 60 °C).
Furthermore, to reduce its environmental impact, the AirTag was designed with the following features:
- 100% recycled tin
- Mercury-free
- Without RFB
- PVC-free
- Beryllium-free
Which GPS cat collar should I buy?
Each of these GPS cat collars allows you to locate your cat , kitten, or other feline via a mobile app on your smartphone if they run away. It allows you to find your pet using the same principle as GPS car or child tracking collars.
However, some GPS collars are more suitable for felines because the GPS beacon units that allow you to track your cat in real time are smaller and lighter than those of dog collars or connected objects, to track the movements of the distance traveled by your pet.
In addition, the low power consumption battery of certain compact geolocation beacons means that you don't need to recharge the trackers for several days, so you can walk your cat with peace of mind.
Older transmitter collars equipped with a rechargeable GPS are sufficient for walks but are poor tracking collars when it comes to tracking the location history of lost animals.
How can you find your lost cat if the lithium battery in the GPS tracker on its collar is completely dead?
Indeed, GPS tracking collars are not simply gadgets like smartwatches. While they are easy to use for GPS tracking of your runaway dog or cat, their GPS tracker requires GSM-GPRS network coverage for accurate pet location.
Regarding hunting dogs, the tracking device with tags in the dog collar doesn't need to be small, unlike for cats. For hunting, hunters often have several dogs equipped with safety harnesses that track their location, regardless of breed. The electronic chip in their GPS radio manages a real-time position update interval for better tracking of the hunting dogs. These connected tracker models are too heavy and bulky and are also unsuitable for a female dog, for example.
Therefore, the most sensible choice, to keep your cat safe and be able to find it if it runs away, is certainly the GPS Cat Collar from the brand Hisotag thanks to its patented AirTag technology.
Small and lightweight, about the size of a coin (11g), it will no longer bother your cat after a few days of use and will quickly become unnoticeable. It is waterproof (IP67 rating), equipped with a long-lasting battery (CR2032) that lasts over a year, and works worldwide.
Tips for Choosing the Best GPS Cat Collar
Here are some tips to consider before buying a smart cat collar :
- Lightweight and comfortable : Make sure the collar weighs no more than 20 grams for your cat's comfort.
- Weather resistance : Opt for a waterproof GPS collar if your cat is often outdoors.
- GPS safety zone and alarms : Opt for models with a zone exit alarm to guarantee your cat's safety in case of escape.
- Accurate location technology : Check if the device offers long-range GPS tracking and includes a reliable built-in GPS.
In conclusion: Which GPS collar should you choose for your cat's safety?
Choosing the best GPS collar depends on your needs: a cat tracker with an alarm might be ideal if your cat is curious and adventurous, while a lightweight, rechargeable GPS collar is perfect for a domestic or indoor cat. The Hisotag GPS collar, which doesn't require a paid subscription, is recommended for its versatility and battery life, with no additional costs. However, Tractive and Weenect models are also excellent for those seeking ultra-precise tracking and advanced features.
Protect your companion with a reliable and comfortable GPS collar : in addition to preserving its safety, this will offer you unprecedented peace of mind.
