When your pet gets lost, it sends you into an instant panic. It’s just like losing any other member of your family. These days, we don’t have to rely only on ‘lost’ posters to help us find our pets.
There’s no shortage of pet chips, trackers, and GPS tools to help us find our pets and keep them safe and sound. If your cat likes to roam, or tends to sneak out of the door, these concerns are no stranger to you.
Today, we’re going to look at the best cat GPS trackers.
Buyer’s Guide
GPS trackers for cats come in a wide range of styles, prices, and capabilities. With so many products entering the market every day, trying to find one can absolutely make your head spin.
Don’t worry, we have the guide you need to make the right choice for you and your cat.
Tracking technology
Not all cat trackers use strictly gps technology. In fact, there are plenty that show up when you look for a gps tracker, but they use other tracking technology like RF or Bluetooth.
GPS tracking uses a satellite, where RF uses radio frequencies, and many Bluetooth trackers rely on wi-fi or mobile networks.
These all come with different ranges and abilities, so make sure you know how the tracker works.
Tracking range
How far do you need to track your cat if they become lost? If you have a large, but enclosed property, you might not need as much range.
However, if you have an outdoor cat, or one that goes in and out, you might need a larger range. Many GPS trackers can locate your cat within anywhere from a hundred feet away to another country.
However, other trackers, like Bluetooth trackers, can only do so within a certain zone you set up. Make sure your choice is appropriate for how much free range your cat has.
Alerts
Some cat trackers send alerts directly to a handset that pairs with the tracker itself. Others can send tracking information and alerts to your email, smartphone, or allow live tracking online.
Whichever you choose, it comes down mostly to your own personal preference, and your budget.
Reliability
If your cat’s gps tracker isn’t working properly, it’s not going to help you find your pet. This is especially important when your cat goes outdoors.
A good gps tracker for cats should be durable enough to get through some wear and tear, and don’t forget water resistance!
Electronic devices need to be sealed against the elements. Also check the attachments where you put the tracker on your cat’s collar. It should be easy to get on and off, but not so easy that it can fall off on its own.
Look for a tracker that provides reliable service without any downtime or delays in location updates. Remember, the faster you find your cat, the sooner you can bring them home safe.
Budget
GPS cat trackers aren’t necessarily cheap, but they don’t have to be very expensive either. However, as we’ll warn you with anything you buy for your cats, don’t let price dictate everything.
Likewise, a more expensive tracker doesn’t always mean better quality. Yes, you’ll need to spend some money to get a high quality, reliable cat tracker. But that doesn’t mean it needs to break the bank.
Just make sure you weigh the quality and features with a price you can handle. It’s far better to spend a few more dollars and have peace of mind knowing your furry loved one is safe.
Why use a GPS cat tracker?
Getting your cat a GPS tracker might seem like a big step, but it makes a lot of sense. Even if your cat rarely gets outside, you’ll want to be able to find them right away if they do.
The longer a cat roams unattended, the greater the chances they can come to some harm or get sent to a shelter. A tracker ensures you can find your cat significantly faster than with any other method, even a chip.
You can see exactly where your cat is, in real time, and get them home safely.
Best Cat GPS Trackers
We’ll be the first to admit it; there are tons of great cat and pet trackers out there. However, we also know you don’t want to spend a large amount of time finding the right one.
When you’re looking for a cat tracker, you want to find the best one so you can start using it right away. Next up, we have our reviews of the best cat GPS trackers out there.
Best fitness and location tracker: Tagg GPS Pet Tracker
Yes, we know the reason you get a GPS cat tracker is first and foremost to ensure their safety. However, why not also get a tracker that does a little bit more?
That’s just one reason we love this tracker, but it’s a big one. It doesn’t just track your cat’s location, but also tracks their exercise and daily activity.
Ultimately, it also helps you keep an eye on your cat’s overall health.
You can receive location and activity (fitness) reports on your smartphone, whether you use an Android or iPhone.
If your cat does get lost, you can open the app on your phone, and there’s a map that leads you directly to your pet.
Key features:
- Tracks both location and activity
- Works with iPhone and Android
- Attaches to your cat’s regular collar
- App includes map that guides you to the cat’s location
Best for comprehensive location: Gibi Pet Location GPS Service Unit
Like any other GPS cat tracker we’d trust, this Gibi pet locator has limitless tracking range, precise location data, and reliable service.
However, it takes finding your pet a step (or three) further. Just put it on like any other collar, and you can find your cat no matter what.
We really like how easy it is to find your cat quickly, and get the community involved if they go missing.
Not only can you see when your cat strays, you can also use the ‘share’ option to show other people where your cat is so they can help bring kitty home. That’s not all, either.
You also get alerts when the battery gets low, so you don’t have to check for yourself.
Key features:
- Uses GPS and cellular data
- Allows location sharing when pets go missing
- Low battery alerts
- Live location tracking and viewing
Best battery life: TabCat Pet Tracking Cat Collar Tracker System
This tracking system is built for smaller ranges, although we think 400 feet is still pretty good coverage considering everything you get. Within its range, this tracker is hyper accurate, and tracks your cat’s location to within one inch.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, we were shocked to learn the battery actually lasts for up to a full year. That’s 12 months of peace of mind in our books.
This set comes with two tracking tabs, and a handset to direct you to your cat. You can use the lights and beeping indicators to get right to your lost cat.
Another thing we love: unlike many cat trackers, there’s no subscription fee. Buy it once and use it for life.
Key features:
- No subscription fee
- Tracks location to within one inch
- Includes handset and two tracking tabs
- 12 month battery life
- 400 foot range
Best budget tracker: Pawscout Smarter Pet Tag (New Version 2.0)
Pawscout is a pet tag and tracking system that can get the whole community involved, help you find your pet, and it does it at a good price.
In fact, this is by far one of the most affordable pet tracking systems we’ve ever come across. Not only that, you don’t have to pay monthly fees either.
So if you’re concerned about a lost pet, but need to keep costs low, this is the tracker for you.
This pet tag connects to an app that allows you to track your pet within around 300 feet, and you’ll know when they leave that area.
The app also lets you connect to the community of pet lovers around you (and get their help if your pet goes missing). You can even keep memories and important medical records for your pet in their profile.
Key features:
- One time purchase, no subscription
- Alerts when pet leaves ‘safe’ area
- Connects to Pawscout community
- Keep pet records in their profile
Our Top Pick
We’ve looked at GPS cat trackers for all budget levels, range needs, and the quality we expect.
You’ll have to weigh the factors that matter most to you (and your cat), but we still have to choose a top pick.
Considering all the factors from our buyer’s guide, we can’t help but name the Gibi cat tracker as the winner. It’s an all around comprehensive solution, with the durability and accuracy you need if your cat roams too far.
You can see your cat’s location live, and even get help picking them up when you share their location.