Hey guys! What's the most important feature in a cat tracker for you? Do you need a tracker that connects to your smartphone, one that works as well indoors as it does outside, or one with a massive range? Is price your top priority or are you willing to pay anything to keep tabs on your cat? Let us know in the comments!
My cat has been going outside for a while now. Recently or last night we let him out for the evening and we couldn't find him. We called him and used his favorite treats and he wouldn't come. We do live in a neighborhood with lots of friendly people and they all love him. We think he goes to the mountains, but one day his collar was off and he smelt like someone elses house not the woods. Will the Whistle GO track my cat if he is in someones room? I'm scared that if someone finds him they might take him in their house. This has only happened one time were we smelt it but we just want to be safe. He does go outside and in the woods but if we use the Whistle GO will it work if he is in someone elses house or will the signal shut off letting us know he is inside something? Please answer because I am freaking out and keeping my cat inside because I don't want anyone taking him inside their house or him going to far that we can't find him. If the Whistle GO doesn't work what is the best option? I've seen the pawtrack but it wasn't in this video so I'm not sure. Thank You in advance.
Hey there, the Whistle GO will not track your cat if he goes inside of someone's house. Similarly, the Pawtrack is also a GPS collar and therefore can't connect to satellites or transmit location data if it's indoors. I'd recommend a good RF tracker like the Pro-Track-Tor or the Marco Polo tracker. Although we didn't list the Marco Polo due to its high price, it's probably the most powerful RF tracker on the market and can help you to locate your cat whether he's in the woods or in a neighbor's home. Hope this helps.
I am becoming a full time RVer with 3 cats. I need a tracker that works without cell phone service or wifi as I am out in the mountains with absolutely no service anywhere. My cats are primarily indoors but one escapes like Houdini
Well ,I guess that I am screwed because I hate cell phones and if one has no cell phone then one is screwed .B.S. I tell ya . I will find a way ,make it myself ,some youtube dude will have a video i am sure.
I'm using your referral link because you are the only review I found that is someone actually testing them and not poorly written articles based on the amazon reviews.
@@markdemell3717 I bought the Girafus for my mute cat (he can't meow, so if he get trapped somewhere he has no way to call for help, learned my lesson after he spent 11 days in a crawl space half a mile from my house) and it works great for me. If he has wandered too far to pick up a signal at my house I just drive around until the receiver beeps and then I park and find him on foot. He also seems to know to walk to the beeping sound, so if he hears it he comes.
@@markdemell3717 the girafus model doesn't involve a phone and no subscription. It uses radio and comes with a receiver that basically gives you a warmer and colder system to find your cat. It's a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it it works well.
I have a Tab Cat that I have been using for my 1 cat and 3 kittens. 3 days ago one of the 7 month of kittens did not come home and I used the Tab Cat to look for him. I walked in 200 meter radius in all directions from my house which is located among a field and forest.Nothing, silence.Drove around with the Tab Cat in my hand. All my neighbors have been looking for him for 3 days and he is still lost. I held the Tab Cat for 3 nights walking around, calling him. Silence. No cat. Boo Tab Cat. Once the cat is out of range, not a chance. Hope my cat manages to find his own way home. I miss him.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the TabCat tracker. I'm sorry that your kitten has been lost for three days and hope that he'll come back or you find him (safe and well) soon.
It's all down to the batteries essentially. Scientists are always trying to develop smaller and lighter batteries, but we only have for now, the current state of the art to work with..
@@weirjwerijrweurhuewhr588 An apple watch is designed to transmit and receive over just a meter or so. It does not have GPS which is relatively power hungry.
THE VERY BEST DEVICE imho is not a Gps, and it is not in this list... it is the radio transmitter called Cat Locator from com-spec.com. Heavy duty, loooong range, light collar, and super simple: just follow the "Beep beep" of your receiver. Only con.. it is pretty expensive. But i wouldn't want to rely on cheap electronics. Tried it before and returned the products. I have been using this device for 4 years now ! Old school radio transmission and an antenna ! Never failed us. Unfortunately I found no youtube video on that collar, maybe, because the company who manufactures it is mainly producing talky walkies for the Police, so this is just a side activity for them... I wish it was more popular, because what we want is reliability at all times. And I am pretty sure it will last for decades...
@@jeffellermeyer4517 Depending on the range, it might be worth that price. They claim it can detect the direction of the tracker for over 1 mile away. I doubt if the cheaper ones can do that.
@@rikkoshaeromero2977 Glad if I could help... I change collars every 6 weeks when they get dirty (my 2 panthers roam freely in the coutryside) and the breakaway system becomes too sensitive (I take the collars off every night). Many times, the sound of the beep is enough to make them run back ... if they're not too far, or hunting ! I used to spend a lot of time looking out for them at random, it was awful. Now I just check in what direction they went, and if they are moving, and i don't worry so much. Lately I made a search for a friend, because i wanted to know if there was anything newer/better. Every other system has too many downsides IMO... Feel free to ask if you have any question ! Cheers from MARTINIQUE
Thanks for the reviews. We used podtracker (GPS + Wifi + bluetooth) with great results for 3 years but they recently went out of business. Our cat hides behind privacy fences so we use GPS to find her general location. Then we use the audible alert on the Tile Pro to find her exact location. Now, we're looking for a new cat tracker.
Thank you for your great review! With your help I have tested the tabcat, girafus, and the findster duo+... The tabcat is gonna be returned and I am keeping the other 2. What I'm doing is placing the girafus on my fur babies collar and the findster on her harness. In my opinion these 2 are great! And used together it's even better! And hey heads up! Findster is coming out with a findster home which is a device that stays at your house and allows you to track your pet wherever you are! I can't wait! I already pre ordered it lol so I hope everyone takes that into consideration...no monthly fees either! If anyone is reading this in search of pet trackers like I was please don't waste your money on anything else, it's absolutely legit! 👌👌👌 The most important for me was range and quality and that's what I got for sure ♥️🙏
I trained my little kitten when he was small, I fed him so he understands his food dish, then i would give him scenarios where i take him from the house and away a couple hundred feet ata time(i live on 40 acres) and coach him back to the house. As time went on and he was learning I would go little farther till he was understanding his territory. He learnt how to get around the acreage very well, knowing his food dish is “at home”. So far no tracking needed. But a good tracker would be the alternate method
That's great but aren't you worried about coyotes? A gps tracker would be great to know if some predator took him or her God forbid, and you can see where he or she was last seen for peace of mind
@@ericaespinosa4030 you are right. Coyotes here usually don’t bother us, because there is a hobby farm not far away where they usually focus their attention on.
A hobby farm is a small farm, that has a couple chickens, some goats maybe, couple cows and few other animals. It’s not like a normal farm where you can make a living with. Rather more for people who like animals, and the farm life. Most hobby farmers still have a job they go to for their regular income, to cover for their small farm
@@candylegorreta3000 Hello, no I'm from Sweden and purchased it from online website cdon.se But you can try weenect.com I really recommend it, it is the most stable tracker for us. And for 2 year subscription I paid 900 Swedish kr. In euros it is about 90.
I did a lot of research on reading things online. Your review was the best and gave me the best info. I ordered the Whistle Go GPS for my kitty Gregor. He likes to jump off of our balcony and wonder around. He worried me a couple of times when he hasnt returned right away. So this is well worth it in my mind!
I have five cats. I've gone thru half a dozen of the Girafus, and while the range is excellent, the tags have a serious reliability problem, as well as an uneven battery life problem. There has been an upgrade which is called Guardian Angle. It uses the same type of finder, but the tags, while a bit larger as flat ovals, they have a far better battery holder, and especially has an on/off switch so the life can be extended dramatically. The range is at least 50 yards better than Girafus. The tag alarm is much louder than the Girafus, so one can hear it from a good distance. The only drawback is that when it searches for a tag, all the other tags will emit the alarm signal. No big deal, tho. Neither Girafus nor Guardian Angel have truly adequate anti-water aspects, but I use 7 inch balloons for gIRAFUS and 9 inch for Guardian Angel which can then attached to collar by clear flexible tape. I cut the ends off the balloons, stretch them open with my fingers and insert the tag. Then clear flexi tape to seal.
So it works if you insert it into a balloon? It's important to me cause I just ordered Girafus and where I live it rains constantly. The balloon is a good idea.
I'm still confused to which product to choose for my cat. I just want a strong GPS tracker that has a moblie phone app so I can see where my cat is in my neighborhood!
@@dayd893 did u find anything? I wonder the same thing because sometimes he takes a while to get home but the best ones that she reviewed seems to bulky for a cat in my opinion:(
@@sirwhisker Yea I agree with the bulky ness and nope still haven’t got one yet. Don’t know if they are all worth the price because they are not even want I want you know? I’m probably just gonna have to and find one at a petco or something but if I find anything I’ll update you. (:
I think this is one area of tech where the UK and Europe have better products available. In the UK we have a pretty good range of GPS trackers including a few that are part of the collar itself like PawTrax, Tractive and PetTracer. The ones being reviewed here look huge by comparison. It might be because in the UK it's unusual to keep house cats - nearly all of them are allowed outside - so maybe there's a bigger market here for these kinds of devices? Hopefully some of these products will break into the US market.
Findster Duo is actually the best, yes it's technically called "Start a Walk" but that really just means "Start tracking" - you don't actually have to go out walking and be around them. Cellular GPS signal sucks in my area so Findster is really the only choice - though its app and location can get glitchy. Also not too bulky, the Whistle looks HUGE because it's meant for bigger dogs, I'd never strap that to my cat.
Thanks for this review! Didn't hear about WhistleGO - sounds reliable, but it seems it's only available in the US. But the Giraffus got my attention. Looks like a perfect one for me, when cats roam around nearby streets, walk into people's houses etc.
Thanks for all this info! Our cat is an outdoor cat by nature and was outside for an unusual 7 hours until 5am today. Since it's a relatively dense city neighborhood, I figure the Pro-Track-Tor might work well based on your review. Thanks again 😊
Geez why do almost all the decent GPS tracking cat collars require a subscription? I'm considering buying a used apple watch and strapping it to my cat and using the GPS that way. No subscription and I only have to pay once
This would only work if your cat is in range of and connected to Wifi, but if your cat escapes and goes out of range of Wifi, you won't be able to track anything. That's why the GPS subscription is necessary
As an electronics engineer who has looked into this, it’s all about getting the electronics size down which always comes down to power to weight / size ratio. To build such a device you need to have a GPS receiver, a controller CPU and a cellular transceiver module. Then there is the battery unit. Having a rechargeable system adds a further weight / size issue but for replaceable battery systems you have the hassle of having to replace the battery. Because the system uses GPS, it can on,y receive information from the satellite and not transmit it has to be “listening” at all times to get its location and this consumes the most power which is significant. I’ve bought complete tracking systems used for tracking cars etc which use all of the “ingredients” above and these are usually about the size of the GPS tracking system reviewed here. For most dogs it’s not a problem as they can carry such a device in their collars but as you all know, these devices are realistically too big for a cat to be comfortable with. Only better technology is likely to reduce the packet but power is probably the biggest problem. I think the device needs to be spread out all around the cats caller and built into the fabric that way you could have a number of collars each of which could be on charge and quick to change over. It’s something that is on my list of items to design so maybe if I can add it to my list of priorities I could come up with a prototype. I think probably the best solution is to forget the GPS and cell phone solution for now and use a system of a radio transmitter device which pairs up with a handheld tracker unit that will allow the owner to “ping” the cat. As long as the tracker isn’t pinging I’d when the cat isn’t missing, the cats system will remain in listening mode. Unlike the GPS the receiver is very low power and can receive a signal from probably miles away easily. The problem is the transmitter is limited in power (again due to battery size) but you could get a few 1000 metres range which would work if you say drove around in your car around a town in a way that could cover a fair,y large area in a short amount of time. I think that is the solution and is featured here in one of the products.
I started with a Tile tracker. That lasted a few months, but the range wasn't good and couldn't reach the backs of people's yards when walking down the street. There were obviously no other Tile users in my area, as it never connected with anyone else (I live in a typical late sixties suburban neighborhood). Cat pulled his collar off one day while escaped from the yard (I also use Cat Fencin product), and I was not able to locate the lost Tile. Then I moved on to Tractive (GPS) - the smaller cat version, which seems to no longer be available. That worked well, although I had to charge it every night. It would give spurious bounce signals occasionally, but was I was reasonably happy with it, and the live tracking was great. The unit was getting kind of beat-up though, so I didn't renew that subscription at the end of the year because you can't get the small cat one anymore. Next up, was Pawtrack. Had that for about 3 months. The wifi zone on that is pretty big, so unless you turn wifi off, you have no idea where your cat is -could be anywhere for several houses in any direction. Had to swap the battery every day, but at least they give you two to start. Same cat has now lost that collar - destroyed it in getting it off (or someone removed it), and trashed it, as there was no signal from it once it left wifi. Will probably get a replacement even though I find the GPS not quite as good as the Tractive. Going to also try Tabcat with Tile combined too. Fingers crossed - my cat is a total Houdini. (Note - I am in Canada, so not all GPS trackers are available here).
I’ve just moved to Canada from Australia! I didn’t realise it was going to be so tricky to find something like this, wow. Not sure what to try first yet.. I’d originally thought Tile but I live in the city so hopefully more users? I just want something I rarely have to charge 😅
@@brittanykateevans For what it's worth, given the limited choice in Canada for GPS, I went back to Tractive, but I also put a Tabcat on the collar which give me an idea if he's hiding somewhere under the deck or close by, without having to activate the live tracking on the GPS. Charging frequency is very dependent on usage of course.
Thank you so much for doing this review. I had me an incident of losing my feline for a few hours and (this was not the first time) decided that was the last straw. Time to get a tracker. I was planning to do the Tabcat as the RF style tracker fit my circumstances as i work and dwell in rural areas, but when you mentioned 1500' for the pro-track-tor, that was more betterer. I will go for that. Thanks again.
You missed one - The loCATor by com-spec.com its pricey but works really well. Very long range. Doesn't use GPS or phone. It is a scaled down version of a falcon tracker used by falconry people. You have to locate by triangulation. It has a 1 mile range granted that is line of sight. But if you drive around you will eventually find your animal. Found my cat a few times far from my house. The tracking unit is over $200 and each collar is $50 but it is worth it. The collar tracker is a little over 1 in - smaller than every one in your review. Their tracker is not a toy like all of the trackers in your review. The company is a serious radio freq company selling very high tech telemetry electronics for industry and falconry. The decided to apply this to a pet locator and scaled down the falcon tracker, which has many mile range, to a 1 mile range.
This is a comprehensive and well written review. Thanks for the info! I'm a little confused as to why the gps trackers need a subscription though... If anyone remembers standalone GPS devices, like TomTom, you didn't need to pay a monthly fee. Only reason I can think of for the subscription fee is greed.
Getting the position of the tracker using GPS technology is only half of the job that needs to be done. This information has to get to you and that's where cell phone technology is used. The trackers are basically crippled cell phones (no voice calls, no screen, no apps) that need a subscription to send data to the internet. There are trackers that only record GPS data and you could review the path your pet traveled, but only after your pet returned. My first cat lost her collar with this kind of tracker four times, we found the tracker only three times. But we gained a good impression of her territory.
you first need to pay for the GSM operator. And then you need to pay to the device operator - because in order to see where your pet is, you have to connect with the system (as well as the cat has to) which informs you about the location.
PLEASE ....BE WARNED, I ATTACHED A "TILE" LOCATOR TO MY CAT'S COLLAR WITH HIS TAG. WHILE HE WAS PLAYING, SOMEHOW IT FLIPPED UP INTO HIS MOUTH AND THE COLLAR WAS STUCK ON HIS CHIN. ....HE WAS CHOKIMG AND PANICING. AT ABOUT 1-1/4" SQUARE, THE TILE IS THE PERFECT SIZE TO COMPLETELY OBSTRUCT A CAT'S AIRWAY. AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL I KNOW WITHOUT DOUBT THAT IF I WASN'T HOME HE WOULD HAVE DIED. PLEASE ADD A WARNING TO THIS REVIEW VIDEO. I AM CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Jacqueline. It sounds like the accident may have been due to a combination of the collar being too loose and the fact that your cat was wearing the Tile. At any rate, this is concerning and I'm glad that you shared your experience. Glad that you were home and able to save your cat.
Omg I’m terrified now 😰 almost killed her cat?!! My kitten tries to get his collar off & bites on the bell so I was wondering if it was a choking hazard?? Today my kitten was beside me in the backyard today then he was gone!! He never does that, I couldn’t hear his bell & he wouldn’t answer my call! 😭 I looked around frantically for 20 minutes not understanding how he could have got out of the backyard without me knowing?! It turned out he was stuck behind the shed in this weird little area where the air conditioning thingy is & my dad had to go in & get him. Thank god it’s all blocked off so he couldn’t get out but he couldn’t get back either & idk how he even got there!! & it took him 25 minutes to finally start calling for me! 😫 I had a cat that use to follow me to the park & play fetch like a dog & sleep under the blankets & was so friendly but someone stole him... I wish I would have had some kind of GPS for him. My elderly cat Midnight doesn’t leave the property but I definitely want to get one for Pooper after what happened today!!
Thank you for this. I've been using the Tractive pet tracker on my cat now for about 5 years after she went missing for a month. I tried a few that were around for the first year but settled on the Tractive ones. They've improved a lot over the years in terms of battery life and size, offer box free cheap replacements if they break (only happened once) or get lost (once). Like always there are pros and cons as you stated in your video - doesn't work indoors (but will tell you which house they are in) or last location before going inside. I was wondering if now there was a better one but will stick with the Tractive I think. My cats are regularly sized and have been wearing these 24/7 for 5 years and no issues. They are 12 and 14 yrs old.
My cat usually stays within a range about 200 meters around our house. But we have a lot of small houses with different gardens. I didn’t want to buy a very expensive tool at the first time, so I bought the Tapcat Locator. For me and my cat, it works very well. She never goes far away - but if she hides where I cannot see her, it is very helpful. Then, my neighbour’s cat disappeared. He was found playing with children several hundert meters away, he even crossed a busy street :/ for him a GPS would be better in the end but that is quite expensive. So I just gave her the 2nd Tabcat transmitter and as long as the cat stays in the neighbourhood, I was able to find him within a few minutes, hidden under the bushes or so. Of course I have to walk around until I get the signal, but that is no problem. I find it also more safe as it would be possible to locate the cat inside a garage or another house. I just had to learn how to use the receiver properly, but now I am quite happy with it. It is recommended for people with small budget and a cat that stays in the direct neighbourhood.
Reading my own comment I wrote a year ago, I am still happy with the Tabcat. My cat lost her collar one day and I found it within 30 seconds in the neighbours garden 50 meters away. This would be much more difficult with a GPS as it cannot tell you exactly on the centimeter where you have to look. The collar could be everywhere, even in a tree or somewhere above your head. Same with my neighbour’s cat wearing my other tabcat: he also lost his collar a few times now and I found it also very fast. And we know now where his preferred area for wandering around is, so I my search goes there first and I am mostly successful. It is also very important to use a safety collar which opens when it has to or the cat could die or get hurt. Wrong collars can kill your cat!
We are new cat owners and none Apple phone users but I suppose an update to this would be the new Apple Air Tags. Meshed with all the Iphones out there the Air Tags might be a good option for those in suburbia? We are here in England and rural with only one network that has reliable coverage. Lol. Little cat is not allowed out yet because of illness (had been dumped, has some cancer and infection/breathing issues) and may yet never be allowed out. It is time to start the cat tracking research just in case though. This video whilst based across the water helped me greatly and gave me an insight into the different tech options. So, many thanks you. A happy and healthy new year to you too.
Thank you for your wide ranging review. I own one similar tracker to the Girafus Pro-Track-Tor, the Marcopolo Tracker. It is waterproof and has a wider range but comes more costly. Also people maybe find in the Girafus Guardian Angel a more economical solution than the Pro-Track-Tor, though it is more heavy.
Hi Micha B, thank you for sharing your recommendations! We've heard a lot of good things about the Marcopolo tracking system. The Guardian Angel could also be a good alternative, though, as you said, the tracker might be a bit too large and dangly for some cats. Thanks again for stopping by! Take care. - Mallory
my cat ,Beans, went missing for a week and we got him back very beaten up but he is all healed now. but we haven’t let him outside since i am so scared, but he is dying to go out so i am trying to find a way to feel comfortable letting him out
Hi Missy, just remember that these trackers won't keep Beans from getting into fights or accidents, and it's very difficult to use a tracker (even the best tracker!) as a means of protection. I would prefer taking him out with a harness and leash or in a catio rather than relying on a tracker.
Great reviews!!! Wish i watched this before wasting money on the D35 GPS tracker. Buyers beware of that tracker!! Will be buying the Girafus Pro-Track-Tor next!
My kitten is still fairly little, so the tile feels too big as do most of these, which seem designed for dogs. The only size appropriate one seems to be cat tailer. And I don't know how worth it would be to purchase as my kitten is traveling in my van with me. Most of the time he's on leash outside the van. He's not really a dasher and even when I have him out on a long tether/lead usually goes under the van. Still, if he did see an intresting thing to go after one day, these all seem far too big for him to have on his collar.
My cat is a backyard cat. She loves going outside, but due to outdoor cats being illegal here and my fear for her safety, in the backyard, she stays. I use the Petster Duo and "start the walk" whenever she goes outside so I can make sure without watching her that she doesn't hop onto the fence and book it after a bird or something. It is less bulky than the others and I hate monthly subscription fee's.
Bluetooth trackers including Pawscout are pretty well useless, unless you're tracking an indoor only cat. I struggle to find him in my own yard. The range and accuracy is bad, as bluetooth wasn't meant for this kind of thing. Don't waste the money if your cat is a wanderer. Strongly recommend a high end RF tracker, if not a good GPS service as my first choice. With GPS you have to expect sometimes it could be spotty or not pin-point accurate all the time, but you'll have a good idea where to look. With RF you won't always know where to start looking, but once you have the signal it'll lead you directly to them. Cheaper means lesser quality, and potentially useless if your cat goes missing. At least with GPS and RF, you can still locate the device if the cat looses it. Spend the money on the better quality product, some day you'll be glad you did.
This a very informative video so thanks for your great effort. I've looked at many trackers but could never find one that I felt would fit the bill. Speaking of bill since I have several cats I did not want to break the bank either. After watching your video I am going for the Pro-Track-Tor RF tracker as I can use one unit with four different tabs for a reasonable price. None of mine venture too far but I have a large lot and a couple of them can be very naughty and will hide or not come in when called (like today) so this tracker should work great.
Thanks for the comment, John! So glad the video helped you and I hope the Pro-Track-Tor turns out to be the right fit for you and your cats. Have a good one!
The two main problems are the longevity of the akku and of course the weight. Now my cat weighed only 3.7 kg, so a 40 gr tracker would equal me carrying around 1.2 kg around the neck all day! Of course it's different if you have a 8 kg cat but still do the math folks and think if you want to burden your pet with that weight. Design is also important as most trackers so far are too buldgy and the weight is concentrated on one spot.
you can't charge the Tile tracker though when its charge goes down. you have to ship it back to the company to get it 're-charged', which was so annoying I didn't do that.
Thank you for taking the time and doing this video! So do you personally use the Whistle Go? I am having a hard time deciding what to get for my outdoor/indoor cat. He ran away from home 4 miles away! So something that's decent
Hailey, my cats didn't continue to use any of the trackers shown here; they don't go outside unsupervised and it just didn't seem necessary. That said, I would consider using the Whistle Go for an indoor/outdoor cat like yours.
Just wanted to say thanks for the video, answered my questions and pointed me in the right direction as far as how to Track this hide and seek demon of a cat.
You are so awesome to have done this! It was really helpful and I was on the verge of buying one that I'm not quite sure would have been the best fit for our circumstances. We have a 13-year old cat that has spent her entire life in a NYC high-rise but we've moved to Hawaii. For the moment, we are in a high-rise apartment but will be moving into a house near a canal and I have great fears about her getting out of the house. Based on your video, I suspect a RF would be best so that I can both find her indoors and outdoors, does that sound accurate? I was hoping to find one that would allow for me to be alerted if she got out and left the house/yard because it's a big house and we often go on trips and have cat sitters. Can you tell me if the RF devices like the Eureka Technology MARCOPOLO and Girafus Pro-Track-Tor provide an alert if they get out? Again, many thanks!
Hello ASPS NY, thanks for commenting! I can see why you’d want a good tracker to help you keep tabs on your cat in case she gets out of the new house. You’re right-an RF tracker is the better option for finding your cat indoors as well as outside. But RF trackers also have a big shortcoming, which is that they won’t send you an alert if your cat gets out. Unfortunately, neither of the systems you mentioned will do that. A good GPS tracker, on the other hand, will send an alert if your cat leaves the safe zone. While not all of the GPS trackers did this consistently in our tests, the Whistle GO immediately sent an alert to my smartphone. You can set up the app on multiple devices and it works from any distance, so both you and the sitter could get an alert while you’re away on a trip. As you can see, there’s a bit of a conundrum here. No cat tracker does everything right at the same time, so you’ll have to choose which features are most important to you and which you can live without. Hope this helps you to make a decision! Best, Mallory
@@AllAboutCatsYT Thanks so much! I am torn between the Eureka Technology MARCOPOLO and the Whistle GO GPS Tracker. As you say, neither has it all. I do think it might be better to have a device that alerts us (and the sitter) if she leaves the premises. I'll continue to reflect but all of your info has been helpful. Many thanks!
tabcat breaks and needs replacement at least 1x/year. most common issue i had was that it would drain the battery in days. I just had a problem with the metal clip flattening, but was able to fix it. it doesn't stay shut, so I put pieces of tape on it to keep it together. At this point, I can't find replacement tags (tried ebay/amazon/direct, etc) Thinking about the tile pro, but it looks big.
Amazing how user unfriendly all of these are. I can buy rechargeable walkie talkies that are good for miles for less than $100, but these are all seemingly barely off the drawing board.
We’ve bought trackers for our cats but when we first got them they looked almost as big as the kittens. They are house cats and if I lose them in the flat (apartment) I just turn on their massage machine and they come running. Please do a review on massage machines as mine is about 10 years old now and they are the third and fourth cats to use it. They are one of those things once used there’s no going back.
For the findster duo cant u just keep the walk button on all the time so that ur always on a “walk” then it would always work and don’t have to worry about turning it on and off
My cat Ruby disappeared 7 years ago, so I RARELY let my cats go out (like maybe 5 times a year) but if they do go out, I put a Whistle on them. I only have one Whistle and 2 cats though. A friend let me borrow her Tabcat which was great and more economical, but they've been out of stock for almost a year. I'm happy to hear about the Girafus with an even better range than Tabcat, I'm definitely going to get those . But I feel like I need GPS and RF, so I'm looking into Jiobit because it looks a bit smaller than my old Whistle. So for the $250 a year in cell fees plus one time hardware fees for two types of devices, is it worth it? Way cheaper to just keep cats safe indoors. :(
We're planning to do an updated version of this video, and I've had the Jiobit tracker in the house in preparation for that video for months. However, I haven't yet tried it out and can't comment on how it compares to the Whistle. You're right that it's much easier to just not let your cats outside or perhaps let them go out in a catio enclosure.
Your video is well thought out, serious, and worth whatever affiliate fee you get if any from the products mentioned. I have a question however, is there a tracker that can access my smart phone with a location feature that is inside only and is crowd sourced like the tile GPS? I also would also require as Much accuracy as possible? I hope this makes sense. I would not be adverse to a monthly fee. My use case, is roaming cats in a neighborhood that could be inside or outside. They could go into the subdivision clubhouse and be in any room and still we could not find them in the 15,000 square-foot multi room facility. Thanks a bunch. Put on your best thinking cap. I would like to do business with you.
Hi Robert. What you're describing sounds very similar to the Tile but without the limitations of Bluetooth-something that, to my knowledge, doesn't yet exist. A few products come close in different ways. Besides the Tile, the Findster Duo has an RF mode that uses the Guardian unit-in part an RF receiver-to display those readouts on your phone. It may be possible to build on that idea to create a crowd-sourced, smartphone-connected RF tracker. Something like that would work for your roaming cats and would help you to find them anywhere in your facility, but again, it doesn't seem to exist at this time.
So if I’m understanding correctly, a Whistle Go GPS tracker would be best for a cat with a large outdoor range? I don’t want to be alerted when my cat leaves a small radius - I live in a rural area, so him leaving a small radius is precisely why I want a tracker :) I want to be able to find him if he’s miles away from the house , which has totally happened.
That's exactly what i am looking for....whats the point of a tracker if it only tracks close to homing signal ? that means you have to drive around like a crazy person with the app open looking everywhere. i want to open the app and see his location and go to him straight.
I'm a cross country truck driver and sometimes my cat likes to go out and catch the bugs. She always comes back within a couple hours (once she's finished frolicking) but I have a heart attack every time because idk where she is. Which tracker do you recommend?
com-spec.com has a great radio transmitter with light collars. The cat locator is expensive, but both my cats have been wearing one for years and it never ever failed us. I 've bought stuff that did not work and it was awful... I hope you can afford it... It is simple to operate and so sturdy !
Hey Shai, there's a tracker that we weren't aware of when this review was made, but I think it would suit your needs pretty well. It packs multiple tracking technologies into a single unit, so you'd be able to track your cat no matter where she goes. It's called the Pawtrack: pawtrack.com/ Hope this works for both of you!
I have a blue point Siamese who I spent some $$$$ for, he’s an indoor cat but has escaped a couple times, I managed to grab him pretty quick. Thought I’d get a GPS in case he gets out. I do take him out on a leash, so it’s not like he’s not allowed out. I just don’t think it’s safe. Someone will steal him
We have had someone shave chunks of hair on our cat. I need to find something to map where he is going and been so I can try to find the person that’s doing this to my cat. I need to watch this again and see if I can figure out what the best one would be.
@@itsmidtrib1569 they stopped shaving him. I never found out who it is. I think some of the neighbors were talking about it and the news spread that I was trying to find out who it was and that I was out for blood.
@@itsmidtrib1569 yes I have the tractive. It’s great to see where he goes but that didn’to help as much as I thought it would because he travels about 6-8 miles throughout the day and all over our neighborhood and the 2 next to us. Tried a camera too but the battery life was only an hour and never caught anything on it really.
@@Billymfp my cat just came home after 10 days...I'm really wanting to track it somehow but all these trackers seem useless. I need something that works
Been lot a research can not find that is light enough to fit my ferret necks. seems make these trackers for cat and dogs but what pet owners who own smaller animals then cats dogs like rabbits, guinea pigs, and so fourth because good pet owners want them to let them outside but mistakes happen. But you did good job on the this reviews and really got to see actual size of these trackers I really like whistle go now but looks to big for my ferrets. to bad make it in different sizes for the weight of the animal. Furthermore water proof not where it last in the water if in there for few minutes.
Mallory - Have you - or any of your readers - had any experience with the Pawtrack cat tracker? The website makes it look quite attractive but some of the reviews are not good. Comments?
You're right-the technology looks great. I wanted to think it was a good option, but I've learned that the company has been taking money and not fulfilling orders for about a year. It's a very serious problem, and frankly, they're stealing from people. I would not recommend it.
I'd consider buying the whistleGo for my cat, if it wasn't so MASSIVE! definitely a need for smaller products in my opinion, once the battery technology gets there! Im now considering using an Apple airtag... hmmm.
Thank you for review, my cat is missing for 2 days, I don’t know if he died on accident or lock on neighbor’s rooms or garage. planning to buy a tracker now.
Your website isn't working. When I try to go there, I get the message, "There has been a critical error on this website." Please fix it as I was excited to find you!
Have tried so many of these and more. All are too large and bulky or poorly designed. Really need something that is nicely integrated into a collar, that doesn't stick into the cat's neck or throat. Findster Duo works the best for me but it too is too large and not really meant for long range tracking, although it works well enough usually. The company made a total shift though. Verizon Smart Locator isn't bad.
Which of these would you recommend for two strictly outdoor barn cats? We have 12 acres of mostly woods, and our cats probably venture onto nearby farms as well. Cell service isn’t very reliable here, so any 3G trackers are probably not gonna work well.
Hi Antoini, if you're living in an area with spotty cell reception, I'd recommend a radio frequency tracker. Consider the Pro-Track-Tor or the Marco Polo tracker (not mentioned in this video).
We have a house cat that goes out in a fenced backyard every day. Unfortunately, in spite of our efforts, he has become quite adept at escaping even though we have put in deterrents. we would therefore like a tracker that would do the following: 1. notify us when he leaves our backyard area 2. give us a history track to see where in the fence he escaped from 3. be able to find him once he escapes Any suggestions on the best tracker for our situation?
Hey guys! What's the most important feature in a cat tracker for you? Do you need a tracker that connects to your smartphone, one that works as well indoors as it does outside, or one with a massive range? Is price your top priority or are you willing to pay anything to keep tabs on your cat? Let us know in the comments!
My cat has been going outside for a while now. Recently or last night we let him out for the evening and we couldn't find him. We called him and used his favorite treats and he wouldn't come. We do live in a neighborhood with lots of friendly people and they all love him. We think he goes to the mountains, but one day his collar was off and he smelt like someone elses house not the woods. Will the Whistle GO track my cat if he is in someones room? I'm scared that if someone finds him they might take him in their house. This has only happened one time were we smelt it but we just want to be safe. He does go outside and in the woods but if we use the Whistle GO will it work if he is in someone elses house or will the signal shut off letting us know he is inside something? Please answer because I am freaking out and keeping my cat inside because I don't want anyone taking him inside their house or him going to far that we can't find him. If the Whistle GO doesn't work what is the best option? I've seen the pawtrack but it wasn't in this video so I'm not sure. Thank You in advance.
Hey there, the Whistle GO will not track your cat if he goes inside of someone's house. Similarly, the Pawtrack is also a GPS collar and therefore can't connect to satellites or transmit location data if it's indoors. I'd recommend a good RF tracker like the Pro-Track-Tor or the Marco Polo tracker. Although we didn't list the Marco Polo due to its high price, it's probably the most powerful RF tracker on the market and can help you to locate your cat whether he's in the woods or in a neighbor's home. Hope this helps.
All About Cats Do you think we could get a gps tracker and a RF tracker or would that be too much?
I am becoming a full time RVer with 3 cats. I need a tracker that works without cell phone service or wifi as I am out in the mountains with absolutely no service anywhere. My cats are primarily indoors but one escapes like Houdini
Well ,I guess that I am screwed because I hate cell phones and if one has no cell phone then one is screwed .B.S. I tell ya . I will find a way ,make it myself ,some youtube dude will have a video i am sure.
I'm using your referral link because you are the only review I found that is someone actually testing them and not poorly written articles based on the amazon reviews.
This is a money grab rip off ! A little piece of crap that costs way too much ,ridiculous price.
@@markdemell3717 I bought the Girafus for my mute cat (he can't meow, so if he get trapped somewhere he has no way to call for help, learned my lesson after he spent 11 days in a crawl space half a mile from my house) and it works great for me. If he has wandered too far to pick up a signal at my house I just drive around until the receiver beeps and then I park and find him on foot. He also seems to know to walk to the beeping sound, so if he hears it he comes.
@@TheRacerRich But I do not own a phone ,only a computer with the Ubuntu O.S.
@@markdemell3717 the girafus model doesn't involve a phone and no subscription. It uses radio and comes with a receiver that basically gives you a warmer and colder system to find your cat. It's a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it it works well.
@@TheRacerRich Halleluyah ,thank you.
I have a Tab Cat that I have been using for my 1 cat and 3 kittens. 3 days ago one of the 7 month of kittens did not come home and I used the Tab Cat to look for him. I walked in 200 meter radius in all directions from my house which is located among a field and forest.Nothing, silence.Drove around with the Tab Cat in my hand. All my neighbors have been looking for him for 3 days and he is still lost. I held the Tab Cat for 3 nights walking around, calling him. Silence. No cat. Boo Tab Cat. Once the cat is out of range, not a chance. Hope my cat manages to find his own way home. I miss him.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the TabCat tracker. I'm sorry that your kitten has been lost for three days and hope that he'll come back or you find him (safe and well) soon.
If a 7 month kitten is missing, it's probably been eaten or taken by someone. Cats that age don't roam or wander far on their own, unlike adult cats.
@@AQHackAQ why tf would you say that
@@oookie1946 It's called being realistic. There's no point dabbling in hopeful optimism. It's a 7 month old kitten, not a 7 years old cat.
I hope he came home x
I spent hours trying to figure out what all these trackers were about. This is a great summary. Thank you.
Which one are you thinking of getting? I have no idea myself
Someone needs to invent a smaller tracker with a longer range 🙏🏼
It's all down to the batteries essentially. Scientists are always trying to develop smaller and lighter batteries, but we only have for now, the current state of the art to work with..
We need apple on this lol
Without monthly fees
@@TonyLing But an apple watch is smaller and does much more. Surely this is possible these days.
@@weirjwerijrweurhuewhr588 An apple watch is designed to transmit and receive over just a meter or so. It does not have GPS which is relatively power hungry.
THE VERY BEST DEVICE imho is not a Gps, and it is not in this list... it is the radio transmitter called Cat Locator from com-spec.com.
Heavy duty, loooong range, light collar, and super simple: just follow the "Beep beep" of your receiver. Only con.. it is pretty expensive. But i wouldn't want to rely on cheap electronics. Tried it before and returned the products.
I have been using this device for 4 years now ! Old school radio transmission and an antenna ! Never failed us. Unfortunately I found no youtube video on that collar, maybe, because the company who manufactures it is mainly producing talky walkies for the Police, so this is just a side activity for them...
I wish it was more popular, because what we want is reliability at all times. And I am pretty sure it will last for decades...
Delphine Bez $$$500.00
@@jeffellermeyer4517 Depending on the range, it might be worth that price. They claim it can detect the direction of the tracker for over 1 mile away. I doubt if the cheaper ones can do that.
Just checked out their website. Amazing! Might end up investing in one. It says it’s what actual biologists use to track animals they’re studying
@@rikkoshaeromero2977 Glad if I could help... I change collars every 6 weeks when they get dirty (my 2 panthers roam freely in the coutryside) and the breakaway system becomes too sensitive (I take the collars off every night). Many times, the sound of the beep is enough to make them run back ... if they're not too far, or hunting ! I used to spend a lot of time looking out for them at random, it was awful. Now I just check in what direction they went, and if they are moving, and i don't worry so much.
Lately I made a search for a friend, because i wanted to know if there was anything newer/better. Every other system has too many downsides IMO... Feel free to ask if you have any question ! Cheers from MARTINIQUE
This is an idea I’m thinking of trialing, I am an electronics engineer with years of radio experience. It’s all about size to power ratio.
Thanks for the reviews. We used podtracker (GPS + Wifi + bluetooth) with great results for 3 years but they recently went out of business. Our cat hides behind privacy fences so we use GPS to find her general location. Then we use the audible alert on the Tile Pro to find her exact location. Now, we're looking for a new cat tracker.
I like you. Best review of trackers I have seen so far! I am going to use these for my new bike 🙂
Hi! did it work for your bike? I was thinking to buy something like this for my scooter.
Bet peewee herman wished he had one of these
Thank you for your great review! With your help I have tested the tabcat, girafus, and the findster duo+... The tabcat is gonna be returned and I am keeping the other 2. What I'm doing is placing the girafus on my fur babies collar and the findster on her harness. In my opinion these 2 are great! And used together it's even better! And hey heads up! Findster is coming out with a findster home which is a device that stays at your house and allows you to track your pet wherever you are! I can't wait! I already pre ordered it lol so I hope everyone takes that into consideration...no monthly fees either! If anyone is reading this in search of pet trackers like I was please don't waste your money on anything else, it's absolutely legit! 👌👌👌 The most important for me was range and quality and that's what I got for sure ♥️🙏
How was the findster home tracker?
I trained my little kitten when he was small, I fed him so he understands his food dish, then i would give him scenarios where i take him from the house and away a couple hundred feet ata time(i live on 40 acres) and coach him back to the house. As time went on and he was learning I would go little farther till he was understanding his territory. He learnt how to get around the acreage very well, knowing his food dish is “at home”. So far no tracking needed. But a good tracker would be the alternate method
That's great but aren't you worried about coyotes? A gps tracker would be great to know if some predator took him or her God forbid, and you can see where he or she was last seen for peace of mind
@@ericaespinosa4030 you are right. Coyotes here usually don’t bother us, because there is a hobby farm not far away where they usually focus their attention on.
@@fredharms2478 Oh that's nice. But what is a hobby farm if you don't mind me asking?
A hobby farm is a small farm, that has a couple chickens, some goats maybe, couple cows and few other animals. It’s not like a normal farm where you can make a living with. Rather more for people who like animals, and the farm life. Most hobby farmers still have a job they go to for their regular income, to cover for their small farm
I got weenect for my kitty a month ago and that works unbelievably stable.
Where did you purchase the weenect? Are you in the US?
@@candylegorreta3000 Hello, no I'm from Sweden and purchased it from online website cdon.se But you can try weenect.com I really recommend it, it is the most stable tracker for us. And for 2 year subscription I paid 900 Swedish kr. In euros it is about 90.
I did a lot of research on reading things online. Your review was the best and gave me the best info. I ordered the Whistle Go GPS for my kitty Gregor. He likes to jump off of our balcony and wonder around. He worried me a couple of times when he hasnt returned right away. So this is well worth it in my mind!
Hi Michael, I hope that you and Gregor like the Whistle Go! Glad to hear that you found this review helpful.
I have five cats. I've gone thru half a dozen of the Girafus, and while the range is excellent, the tags have a serious reliability problem, as well as an uneven battery life problem. There has been an upgrade which is called Guardian Angle. It uses the same type of finder, but the tags, while a bit larger as flat ovals, they have a far better battery holder, and especially has an on/off switch so the life can be extended dramatically. The range is at least 50 yards better than Girafus. The tag alarm is much louder than the Girafus, so one can hear it from a good distance. The only drawback is that when it searches for a tag, all the other tags will emit the alarm signal. No big deal, tho.
Neither Girafus nor Guardian Angel have truly adequate anti-water aspects, but I use 7 inch balloons for gIRAFUS and 9 inch for Guardian Angel which can then attached to collar by clear flexible tape. I cut the ends off the balloons, stretch them open with my fingers and insert the tag. Then clear flexi tape to seal.
So it works if you insert it into a balloon? It's important to me cause I just ordered Girafus and where I live it rains constantly. The balloon is a good idea.
I'm still confused to which product to choose for my cat. I just want a strong GPS tracker that has a moblie phone app so I can see where my cat is in my neighborhood!
did you found anything ?
Same for me. I have a worry that someone might being putting my cat inside their house so I have been looking and still don’t know what to get.
@@dayd893 did u find anything? I wonder the same thing because sometimes he takes a while to get home but the best ones that she reviewed seems to bulky for a cat in my opinion:(
@@sirwhisker Yea I agree with the bulky ness and nope still haven’t got one yet. Don’t know if they are all worth the price because they are not even want I want you know? I’m probably just gonna have to and find one at a petco or something but if I find anything I’ll update you. (:
@@dayd893 yes thank you definitely let me know :)
I think this is one area of tech where the UK and Europe have better products available. In the UK we have a pretty good range of GPS trackers including a few that are part of the collar itself like PawTrax, Tractive and PetTracer. The ones being reviewed here look huge by comparison.
It might be because in the UK it's unusual to keep house cats - nearly all of them are allowed outside - so maybe there's a bigger market here for these kinds of devices? Hopefully some of these products will break into the US market.
Findster Duo is actually the best, yes it's technically called "Start a Walk" but that really just means "Start tracking" - you don't actually have to go out walking and be around them. Cellular GPS signal sucks in my area so Findster is really the only choice - though its app and location can get glitchy. Also not too bulky, the Whistle looks HUGE because it's meant for bigger dogs, I'd never strap that to my cat.
Thanks for your input!
Thanks for this review! Didn't hear about WhistleGO - sounds reliable, but it seems it's only available in the US. But the Giraffus got my attention. Looks like a perfect one for me, when cats roam around nearby streets, walk into people's houses etc.
Thx for the info.
Yes, "Tabcat" is almost useless. Abysmal range.
My cat's missing since yesterday, shoulda watched your vid b4 buying.
Thanks for all this info! Our cat is an outdoor cat by nature and was outside for an unusual 7 hours until 5am today. Since it's a relatively dense city neighborhood, I figure the Pro-Track-Tor might work well based on your review. Thanks again 😊
Geez why do almost all the decent GPS tracking cat collars require a subscription? I'm considering buying a used apple watch and strapping it to my cat and using the GPS that way. No subscription and I only have to pay once
This would only work if your cat is in range of and connected to Wifi, but if your cat escapes and goes out of range of Wifi, you won't be able to track anything. That's why the GPS subscription is necessary
@@rileythompson5558 They do have cellular enabled apple watches but they are $600, and they need charging every 2 days or so.
@@johnparrott4689 and cellular is requires a subscription which voids this argument
Screw it, tape a iPhone XR on them
Yeah. Makes me want to get an actual dog gps tracker.
As an electronics engineer who has looked into this, it’s all about getting the electronics size down which always comes down to power to weight / size ratio.
To build such a device you need to have a GPS receiver, a controller CPU and a cellular transceiver module. Then there is the battery unit. Having a rechargeable system adds a further weight / size issue but for replaceable battery systems you have the hassle of having to replace the battery. Because the system uses GPS, it can on,y receive information from the satellite and not transmit it has to be “listening” at all times to get its location and this consumes the most power which is significant.
I’ve bought complete tracking systems used for tracking cars etc which use all of the “ingredients” above and these are usually about the size of the GPS tracking system reviewed here. For most dogs it’s not a problem as they can carry such a device in their collars but as you all know, these devices are realistically too big for a cat to be comfortable with.
Only better technology is likely to reduce the packet but power is probably the biggest problem. I think the device needs to be spread out all around the cats caller and built into the fabric that way you could have a number of collars each of which could be on charge and quick to change over.
It’s something that is on my list of items to design so maybe if I can add it to my list of priorities I could come up with a prototype. I think probably the best solution is to forget the GPS and cell phone solution for now and use a system of a radio transmitter device which pairs up with a handheld tracker unit that will allow the owner to “ping” the cat. As long as the tracker isn’t pinging I’d when the cat isn’t missing, the cats system will remain in listening mode. Unlike the GPS the receiver is very low power and can receive a signal from probably miles away easily. The problem is the transmitter is limited in power (again due to battery size) but you could get a few 1000 metres range which would work if you say drove around in your car around a town in a way that could cover a fair,y large area in a short amount of time. I think that is the solution and is featured here in one of the products.
I started with a Tile tracker. That lasted a few months, but the range wasn't good and couldn't reach the backs of people's yards when walking down the street. There were obviously no other Tile users in my area, as it never connected with anyone else (I live in a typical late sixties suburban neighborhood). Cat pulled his collar off one day while escaped from the yard (I also use Cat Fencin product), and I was not able to locate the lost Tile. Then I moved on to Tractive (GPS) - the smaller cat version, which seems to no longer be available. That worked well, although I had to charge it every night. It would give spurious bounce signals occasionally, but was I was reasonably happy with it, and the live tracking was great. The unit was getting kind of beat-up though, so I didn't renew that subscription at the end of the year because you can't get the small cat one anymore. Next up, was Pawtrack. Had that for about 3 months. The wifi zone on that is pretty big, so unless you turn wifi off, you have no idea where your cat is -could be anywhere for several houses in any direction. Had to swap the battery every day, but at least they give you two to start. Same cat has now lost that collar - destroyed it in getting it off (or someone removed it), and trashed it, as there was no signal from it once it left wifi. Will probably get a replacement even though I find the GPS not quite as good as the Tractive. Going to also try Tabcat with Tile combined too. Fingers crossed - my cat is a total Houdini. (Note - I am in Canada, so not all GPS trackers are available here).
Great comment! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I’ve just moved to Canada from Australia! I didn’t realise it was going to be so tricky to find something like this, wow. Not sure what to try first yet.. I’d originally thought Tile but I live in the city so hopefully more users? I just want something I rarely have to charge 😅
@@brittanykateevans For what it's worth, given the limited choice in Canada for GPS, I went back to Tractive, but I also put a Tabcat on the collar which give me an idea if he's hiding somewhere under the deck or close by, without having to activate the live tracking on the GPS. Charging frequency is very dependent on usage of course.
Thank you so much for making this video! It was exactly what I was looking for and helped me settle on which tracker to get for my cats needs. ^-^
Tysm! I always go to your channel to see reviews while considering what to get for my own cat. You're the best! I really appreciate your content
Great video! Thank you for clarifying the main differences between GPS / cellular, radio and Bluetooth technologies for pet trackers
Thank you so much for doing this review. I had me an incident of losing my feline for a few hours and (this was not the first time) decided that was the last straw. Time to get a tracker. I was planning to do the Tabcat as the RF style tracker fit my circumstances as i work and dwell in rural areas, but when you mentioned 1500' for the pro-track-tor, that was more betterer. I will go for that. Thanks again.
The new version of tractive for cats is awesome. I use the one on display for my dog.
I love whatever I need for my cats malory's already got a review on it. It's like malory already knows what I need before I need them. Thanks Malory!
Thank you SO MUCH for these GPS reviews! Watched other channels videos and monthly fees were not mentioned, big deal for those on budgets.
Thank you for some good information on the different types of trackers.
You missed one - The loCATor by com-spec.com its pricey but works really well. Very long range. Doesn't use GPS or phone. It is a scaled down version of a falcon tracker used by falconry people. You have to locate by triangulation. It has a 1 mile range granted that is line of sight. But if you drive around you will eventually find your animal. Found my cat a few times far from my house. The tracking unit is over $200 and each collar is $50 but it is worth it. The collar tracker is a little over 1 in - smaller than every one in your review. Their tracker is not a toy like all of the trackers in your review. The company is a serious radio freq company selling very high tech telemetry electronics for industry and falconry. The decided to apply this to a pet locator and scaled down the falcon tracker, which has many mile range, to a 1 mile range.
Thank you! This sounds like a fantastic product; I appreciate you sharing it with us.
and how much per month?
This is a comprehensive and well written review. Thanks for the info!
I'm a little confused as to why the gps trackers need a subscription though... If anyone remembers standalone GPS devices, like TomTom, you didn't need to pay a monthly fee. Only reason I can think of for the subscription fee is greed.
Getting the position of the tracker using GPS technology is only half of the job that needs to be done. This information has to get to you and that's where cell phone technology is used. The trackers are basically crippled cell phones (no voice calls, no screen, no apps) that need a subscription to send data to the internet.
There are trackers that only record GPS data and you could review the path your pet traveled, but only after your pet returned. My first cat lost her collar with this kind of tracker four times, we found the tracker only three times. But we gained a good impression of her territory.
you first need to pay for the GSM operator. And then you need to pay to the device operator - because in order to see where your pet is, you have to connect with the system (as well as the cat has to) which informs you about the location.
PLEASE ....BE WARNED, I ATTACHED A "TILE" LOCATOR TO MY CAT'S COLLAR WITH HIS TAG. WHILE HE WAS PLAYING, SOMEHOW IT FLIPPED UP INTO HIS MOUTH AND THE COLLAR WAS STUCK ON HIS CHIN. ....HE WAS CHOKIMG AND PANICING. AT ABOUT 1-1/4" SQUARE, THE TILE IS THE PERFECT SIZE TO COMPLETELY OBSTRUCT A CAT'S AIRWAY. AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL I KNOW WITHOUT DOUBT THAT IF I WASN'T HOME HE WOULD HAVE DIED.
PLEASE ADD A WARNING TO THIS REVIEW VIDEO. I AM CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Jacqueline. It sounds like the accident may have been due to a combination of the collar being too loose and the fact that your cat was wearing the Tile. At any rate, this is concerning and I'm glad that you shared your experience. Glad that you were home and able to save your cat.
@@AllAboutCatsYT professional way to respond didnt deny or get disrespectful... SUBSCRIBED.
How did his collar get over his jaw? Wasn't tight enough, not the tracker's fault.
Sounds like the collar was loose. Poor kitty glad he's ok
Omg I’m terrified now 😰 almost killed her cat?!! My kitten tries to get his collar off & bites on the bell so I was wondering if it was a choking hazard??
Today my kitten was beside me in the backyard today then he was gone!! He never does that, I couldn’t hear his bell & he wouldn’t answer my call! 😭 I looked around frantically for 20 minutes not understanding how he could have got out of the backyard without me knowing?! It turned out he was stuck behind the shed in this weird little area where the air conditioning thingy is & my dad had to go in & get him. Thank god it’s all blocked off so he couldn’t get out but he couldn’t get back either & idk how he even got there!! & it took him 25 minutes to finally start calling for me! 😫
I had a cat that use to follow me to the park & play fetch like a dog & sleep under the blankets & was so friendly but someone stole him... I wish I would have had some kind of GPS for him. My elderly cat Midnight doesn’t leave the property but I definitely want to get one for Pooper after what happened today!!
Thank you for this. I've been using the Tractive pet tracker on my cat now for about 5 years after she went missing for a month. I tried a few that were around for the first year but settled on the Tractive ones. They've improved a lot over the years in terms of battery life and size, offer box free cheap replacements if they break (only happened once) or get lost (once). Like always there are pros and cons as you stated in your video - doesn't work indoors (but will tell you which house they are in) or last location before going inside. I was wondering if now there was a better one but will stick with the Tractive I think. My cats are regularly sized and have been wearing these 24/7 for 5 years and no issues. They are 12 and 14 yrs old.
My cat usually stays within a range about 200 meters around our house. But we have a lot of small houses with different gardens. I didn’t want to buy a very expensive tool at the first time, so I bought the Tapcat Locator. For me and my cat, it works very well. She never goes far away - but if she hides where I cannot see her, it is very helpful.
Then, my neighbour’s cat disappeared. He was found playing with children several hundert meters away, he even crossed a busy street :/ for him a GPS would be better in the end but that is quite expensive. So I just gave her the 2nd Tabcat transmitter and as long as the cat stays in the neighbourhood, I was able to find him within a few minutes, hidden under the bushes or so. Of course I have to walk around until I get the signal, but that is no problem. I find it also more safe as it would be possible to locate the cat inside a garage or another house. I just had to learn how to use the receiver properly, but now I am quite happy with it. It is recommended for people with small budget and a cat that stays in the direct neighbourhood.
Reading my own comment I wrote a year ago, I am still happy with the Tabcat. My cat lost her collar one day and I found it within 30 seconds in the neighbours garden 50 meters away. This would be much more difficult with a GPS as it cannot tell you exactly on the centimeter where you have to look. The collar could be everywhere, even in a tree or somewhere above your head.
Same with my neighbour’s cat wearing my other tabcat: he also lost his collar a few times now and I found it also very fast. And we know now where his preferred area for wandering around is, so I my search goes there first and I am mostly successful. It is also very important to use a safety collar which opens when it has to or the cat could die or get hurt. Wrong collars can kill your cat!
We are new cat owners and none Apple phone users but I suppose an update to this would be the new Apple Air Tags. Meshed with all the Iphones out there the Air Tags might be a good option for those in suburbia? We are here in England and rural with only one network that has reliable coverage. Lol. Little cat is not allowed out yet because of illness (had been dumped, has some cancer and infection/breathing issues) and may yet never be allowed out. It is time to start the cat tracking research just in case though. This video whilst based across the water helped me greatly and gave me an insight into the different tech options. So, many thanks you. A happy and healthy new year to you too.
Thank you for your wide ranging review.
I own one similar tracker to the Girafus Pro-Track-Tor, the Marcopolo Tracker. It is waterproof and has a wider range but comes more costly. Also people maybe find in the Girafus Guardian Angel a more economical solution than the Pro-Track-Tor, though it is more heavy.
Hi Micha B, thank you for sharing your recommendations! We've heard a lot of good things about the Marcopolo tracking system. The Guardian Angel could also be a good alternative, though, as you said, the tracker might be a bit too large and dangly for some cats. Thanks again for stopping by! Take care. - Mallory
Would like to see you try and review airtags ☺️
my cat ,Beans, went missing for a week and we got him back very beaten up but he is all healed now. but we haven’t let him outside since i am so scared, but he is dying to go out so i am trying to find a way to feel comfortable letting him out
Hi Missy, just remember that these trackers won't keep Beans from getting into fights or accidents, and it's very difficult to use a tracker (even the best tracker!) as a means of protection. I would prefer taking him out with a harness and leash or in a catio rather than relying on a tracker.
@@AllAboutCatsYT thank you! i just order the whistle tracker and i am planning on only letting him out in the day
What an extraordinary excellent review video. Thank you so much for your help
Great reviews!!! Wish i watched this before wasting money on the D35 GPS tracker. Buyers beware of that tracker!! Will be buying the Girafus Pro-Track-Tor next!
This was an amazingly helpful video thank you
My kitten is still fairly little, so the tile feels too big as do most of these, which seem designed for dogs. The only size appropriate one seems to be cat tailer. And I don't know how worth it would be to purchase as my kitten is traveling in my van with me. Most of the time he's on leash outside the van. He's not really a dasher and even when I have him out on a long tether/lead usually goes under the van. Still, if he did see an intresting thing to go after one day, these all seem far too big for him to have on his collar.
Thanks so much for posting this! Much appreciated!
My cat is a backyard cat. She loves going outside, but due to outdoor cats being illegal here and my fear for her safety, in the backyard, she stays. I use the Petster Duo and "start the walk" whenever she goes outside so I can make sure without watching her that she doesn't hop onto the fence and book it after a bird or something. It is less bulky than the others and I hate monthly subscription fee's.
Where do you live that it's illegal for cats to be outdoor...? What a bummer.
Bluetooth trackers including Pawscout are pretty well useless, unless you're tracking an indoor only cat. I struggle to find him in my own yard. The range and accuracy is bad, as bluetooth wasn't meant for this kind of thing. Don't waste the money if your cat is a wanderer. Strongly recommend a high end RF tracker, if not a good GPS service as my first choice. With GPS you have to expect sometimes it could be spotty or not pin-point accurate all the time, but you'll have a good idea where to look. With RF you won't always know where to start looking, but once you have the signal it'll lead you directly to them. Cheaper means lesser quality, and potentially useless if your cat goes missing. At least with GPS and RF, you can still locate the device if the cat looses it. Spend the money on the better quality product, some day you'll be glad you did.
This a very informative video so thanks for your great effort. I've looked at many trackers but could never find one that I felt would fit the bill. Speaking of bill since I have several cats I did not want to break the bank either. After watching your video I am going for the Pro-Track-Tor RF tracker as I can use one unit with four different tabs for a reasonable price. None of mine venture too far but I have a large lot and a couple of them can be very naughty and will hide or not come in when called (like today) so this tracker should work great.
Thanks for the comment, John! So glad the video helped you and I hope the Pro-Track-Tor turns out to be the right fit for you and your cats. Have a good one!
Thanks so much! It's such a pain trying to decide on which one.
You really did your research!
Thanks for the video. Very helpful.
Thank you for the video. What a shame Loc8tor used to make a more robust tracking "tab". The new disk-shaped tabs don't last very long outside.
THANK YOU this was SO helpful!
Glad to hear it! Thank you.
thorough and useful video! thank you!
I love your videos, keep up the good work 😊. Greetings from Portugal
wow 7 different products and not one will find your cat lost in your neighborhood. Remarkable
Yup! It's totally not worth it. they're all chunky pieces of plastic that are all worthles.
The two main problems are the longevity of the akku and of course the weight. Now my cat weighed only 3.7 kg, so a 40 gr tracker would equal me carrying around 1.2 kg around the neck all day! Of course it's different if you have a 8 kg cat but still do the math folks and think if you want to burden your pet with that weight. Design is also important as most trackers so far are too buldgy and the weight is concentrated on one spot.
great job on video, I too did a lot of research, wish I would have found this first.
you can't charge the Tile tracker though when its charge goes down. you have to ship it back to the company to get it 're-charged', which was so annoying I didn't do that.
That's odd. In my experience, they will send out a free replacement battery.
Thank you for taking the time and doing this video! So do you personally use the Whistle Go? I am having a hard time deciding what to get for my outdoor/indoor cat. He ran away from home 4 miles away! So something that's decent
Hailey, my cats didn't continue to use any of the trackers shown here; they don't go outside unsupervised and it just didn't seem necessary. That said, I would consider using the Whistle Go for an indoor/outdoor cat like yours.
All About Cats thank you for your response!! I’m thinking I’m gonna get it! Take care
Just wanted to say thanks for the video, answered my questions and pointed me in the right direction as far as how to Track this hide and seek demon of a cat.
Hi! What are your thoughts on using apple airtags as a cat tracker?
You are so awesome to have done this! It was really helpful and I was on the verge of buying one that I'm not quite sure would have been the best fit for our circumstances. We have a 13-year old cat that has spent her entire life in a NYC high-rise but we've moved to Hawaii. For the moment, we are in a high-rise apartment but will be moving into a house near a canal and I have great fears about her getting out of the house. Based on your video, I suspect a RF would be best so that I can both find her indoors and outdoors, does that sound accurate? I was hoping to find one that would allow for me to be alerted if she got out and left the house/yard because it's a big house and we often go on trips and have cat sitters. Can you tell me if the RF devices like the Eureka Technology MARCOPOLO and Girafus Pro-Track-Tor provide an alert if they get out? Again, many thanks!
Hello ASPS NY, thanks for commenting!
I can see why you’d want a good tracker to help you keep tabs on your cat in case she gets out of the new house. You’re right-an RF tracker is the better option for finding your cat indoors as well as outside. But RF trackers also have a big shortcoming, which is that they won’t send you an alert if your cat gets out. Unfortunately, neither of the systems you mentioned will do that.
A good GPS tracker, on the other hand, will send an alert if your cat leaves the safe zone. While not all of the GPS trackers did this consistently in our tests, the Whistle GO immediately sent an alert to my smartphone. You can set up the app on multiple devices and it works from any distance, so both you and the sitter could get an alert while you’re away on a trip.
As you can see, there’s a bit of a conundrum here. No cat tracker does everything right at the same time, so you’ll have to choose which features are most important to you and which you can live without.
Hope this helps you to make a decision!
Best,
Mallory
@@AllAboutCatsYT Thanks so much! I am torn between the Eureka Technology MARCOPOLO and the Whistle GO GPS Tracker. As you say, neither has it all. I do think it might be better to have a device that alerts us (and the sitter) if she leaves the premises. I'll continue to reflect but all of your info has been helpful. Many thanks!
You should give it a try on Tile Pro. The range is 400 ft
Such a helpful video thank you
Your voice.. relaxing, soothing.. loved it 😍😍
You're a pretty creepy fucking guy, azhar.
@@tamdam and you a girl..
@@azharUddin-kt4ik I know that you're trying very hard, but you need to do better
tabcat breaks and needs replacement at least 1x/year. most common issue i had was that it would drain the battery in days. I just had a problem with the metal clip flattening, but was able to fix it. it doesn't stay shut, so I put pieces of tape on it to keep it together. At this point, I can't find replacement tags (tried ebay/amazon/direct, etc) Thinking about the tile pro, but it looks big.
What an awesome video. Great job.
Amazing how user unfriendly all of these are. I can buy rechargeable walkie talkies that are good for miles for less than $100, but these are all seemingly barely off the drawing board.
Thank you for this video!!
Great review, thanks.
We’ve bought trackers for our cats but when we first got them they looked almost as big as the kittens. They are house cats and if I lose them in the flat (apartment) I just turn on their massage machine and they come running.
Please do a review on massage machines as mine is about 10 years old now and they are the third and fourth cats to use it. They are one of those things once used there’s no going back.
Thank you! Very useful information!))
For the findster duo cant u just keep the walk button on all the time so that ur always on a “walk” then it would always work and don’t have to worry about turning it on and off
what we need is that tracker Mrs. Benson had on freddie to track him anywhere around the world on icarly lmao
My cat Ruby disappeared 7 years ago, so I RARELY let my cats go out (like maybe 5 times a year) but if they do go out, I put a Whistle on them. I only have one Whistle and 2 cats though. A friend let me borrow her Tabcat which was great and more economical, but they've been out of stock for almost a year. I'm happy to hear about the Girafus with an even better range than Tabcat, I'm definitely going to get those . But I feel like I need GPS and RF, so I'm looking into Jiobit because it looks a bit smaller than my old Whistle. So for the $250 a year in cell fees plus one time hardware fees for two types of devices, is it worth it? Way cheaper to just keep cats safe indoors. :(
We're planning to do an updated version of this video, and I've had the Jiobit tracker in the house in preparation for that video for months. However, I haven't yet tried it out and can't comment on how it compares to the Whistle. You're right that it's much easier to just not let your cats outside or perhaps let them go out in a catio enclosure.
Great review thank you
Your video is well thought out, serious, and worth whatever affiliate fee you get if any from the products mentioned. I have a question however, is there a tracker that can access my smart phone with a location feature that is inside only and is crowd sourced like the tile GPS? I also would also require as Much accuracy as possible? I hope this makes sense. I would not be adverse to a monthly fee. My use case, is roaming cats in a neighborhood that could be inside or outside. They could go into the subdivision clubhouse and be in any room and still we could not find them in the 15,000 square-foot multi room facility. Thanks a bunch. Put on your best thinking cap. I would like to do business with you.
Hi Robert. What you're describing sounds very similar to the Tile but without the limitations of Bluetooth-something that, to my knowledge, doesn't yet exist. A few products come close in different ways. Besides the Tile, the Findster Duo has an RF mode that uses the Guardian unit-in part an RF receiver-to display those readouts on your phone. It may be possible to build on that idea to create a crowd-sourced, smartphone-connected RF tracker. Something like that would work for your roaming cats and would help you to find them anywhere in your facility, but again, it doesn't seem to exist at this time.
I just bought a PawTrack base on your website review
Thanks so much for doing this!
Thanks for the support, Karen!
So if I’m understanding correctly, a Whistle Go GPS tracker would be best for a cat with a large outdoor range? I don’t want to be alerted when my cat leaves a small radius - I live in a rural area, so him leaving a small radius is precisely why I want a tracker :) I want to be able to find him if he’s miles away from the house , which has totally happened.
That's exactly what i am looking for....whats the point of a tracker if it only tracks close to homing signal ? that means you have to drive around like a crazy person with the app open looking everywhere. i want to open the app and see his location and go to him straight.
Yes, the Whistle Go is the strongest tracker for this kind of long-distance GPS tracking.
I'm a cross country truck driver and sometimes my cat likes to go out and catch the bugs. She always comes back within a couple hours (once she's finished frolicking) but I have a heart attack every time because idk where she is. Which tracker do you recommend?
com-spec.com has a great radio transmitter with light collars. The cat locator is expensive, but both my cats have been wearing one for years and it never ever failed us. I 've bought stuff that did not work and it was awful... I hope you can afford it... It is simple to operate and so sturdy !
Hey Shai, there's a tracker that we weren't aware of when this review was made, but I think it would suit your needs pretty well. It packs multiple tracking technologies into a single unit, so you'd be able to track your cat no matter where she goes. It's called the Pawtrack: pawtrack.com/
Hope this works for both of you!
@@AllAboutCatsYT Thanks so much for your reply, I'll definitely look into it!
I have a blue point Siamese who I spent some $$$$ for, he’s an indoor cat but has escaped a couple times, I managed to grab him pretty quick. Thought I’d get a GPS in case he gets out. I do take him out on a leash, so it’s not like he’s not allowed out. I just don’t think it’s safe. Someone will steal him
Can you review Jim bit? Thanks!
We have had someone shave chunks of hair on our cat. I need to find something to map where he is going and been so I can try to find the person that’s doing this to my cat. I need to watch this again and see if I can figure out what the best one would be.
Did you find who did it? Were they just trying to shave the knots out?
@@itsmidtrib1569 they stopped shaving him. I never found out who it is. I think some of the neighbors were talking about it and the news spread that I was trying to find out who it was and that I was out for blood.
@@Billymfp haha did you end up getting a tracker?
@@itsmidtrib1569 yes I have the tractive. It’s great to see where he goes but that didn’to help as much as I thought it would because he travels about 6-8 miles throughout the day and all over our neighborhood and the 2 next to us. Tried a camera too but the battery life was only an hour and never caught anything on it really.
@@Billymfp my cat just came home after 10 days...I'm really wanting to track it somehow but all these trackers seem useless. I need something that works
Been lot a research can not find that is light enough to fit my ferret necks. seems make these trackers for cat and dogs but what pet owners who own smaller animals then cats dogs like rabbits, guinea pigs, and so fourth because good pet owners want them to let them outside but mistakes happen. But you did good job on the this reviews and really got to see actual size of these trackers I really like whistle go now but looks to big for my ferrets. to bad make it in different sizes for the weight of the animal. Furthermore water proof not where it last in the water if in there for few minutes.
Someone mentioned that the Pro-tracker goes into a hibernation mode if not used for a day. Is this true? Can you expound on this please?
Mallory - Have you - or any of your readers - had any experience with the Pawtrack cat tracker? The website makes it look quite attractive but some of the reviews are not good. Comments?
You're right-the technology looks great. I wanted to think it was a good option, but I've learned that the company has been taking money and not fulfilling orders for about a year. It's a very serious problem, and frankly, they're stealing from people. I would not recommend it.
I'd consider buying the whistleGo for my cat, if it wasn't so MASSIVE! definitely a need for smaller products in my opinion, once the battery technology gets there! Im now considering using an Apple airtag... hmmm.
Did you buy an Airtag? I am considering buying one too. What are your experiences until now?
great video TY
Thank you for review, my cat is missing for 2 days, I don’t know if he died on accident or lock on neighbor’s rooms or garage. planning to buy a tracker now.
I'm sorry to hear that your cat is missing. Hope he comes home soon.
Is he back?
Your website isn't working. When I try to go there, I get the message, "There has been a critical error on this website." Please fix it as I was excited to find you!
Hi there! We corrected the issue and the site is now back up and running: allaboutcats.com
Guys, apple has release their airtag, I wonder if it would be a good alternative?
Very helpful.. thank you!
Have tried so many of these and more. All are too large and bulky or poorly designed. Really need something that is nicely integrated into a collar, that doesn't stick into the cat's neck or throat. Findster Duo works the best for me but it too is too large and not really meant for long range tracking, although it works well enough usually. The company made a total shift though. Verizon Smart Locator isn't bad.
Thanks for sharing. We're working on an updated version of this video, so we should be able to share some improved and fresher information soon.
Awesome review
Which of these would you recommend for two strictly outdoor barn cats? We have 12 acres of mostly woods, and our cats probably venture onto nearby farms as well. Cell service isn’t very reliable here, so any 3G trackers are probably not gonna work well.
Hi Antoini, if you're living in an area with spotty cell reception, I'd recommend a radio frequency tracker. Consider the Pro-Track-Tor or the Marco Polo tracker (not mentioned in this video).
Can you do reviews on the cat collar camera things soon please and thank you ?🥹
We have a house cat that goes out in a fenced backyard every day. Unfortunately, in spite of our efforts, he has become quite adept at escaping even though we have put in deterrents. we would therefore like a tracker that would do the following:
1. notify us when he leaves our backyard area
2. give us a history track to see where in the fence he escaped from
3. be able to find him once he escapes
Any suggestions on the best tracker for our situation?
Given your requirements, I'd go for the Whistle GO. Good luck!
@@AllAboutCatsYT thanks
I want one that works well at a long distance outside In the country and not a fortune
Your tractive looks different, is it an older version or for dogs? The cat version seems smaller on their website?
Hi Marcus, this is an older model intended for dogs. Unfortunately, we haven't reviewed the newer LTE model yet.