After several tests on my Siamese cat Betty to find the best cat GPS tracker, I discovered the Tractive GPS Cat Tracker and feel it’s the best option for any cat owner.
I’ve been a cat owner and understand their curious nature. While you always want to give them the freedom to be independent and explore as much as they want, you also want to avoid worrying about your cat getting lost or not coming back.
Some cat trackers may be a lighter or lower-cost option, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. For example, we’re in a rural countryside area, and Betty tends to explore outside the range of other devices I’ve tried, so the signal distance is all-important. In contrast, there may be more suitable options for those with cats that stay in their home or apartment.
For me, though, I need something that has practically unlimited range. So, as long as Betty is on Earth, I can use the Tractive GPS tracker to discover wherever she’s wandered off to explore! This tracker also comes with a subscription model, and it’s well worth the monthly price to know where your furry friend is at all times. The tracking device was also easily attached to Betty’s collar without any issues, and she wasn’t trying to wriggle out of it as she did with some other items we tested.
The angle and the fit outweighed the other trackers we tried, too, and Betty’s activities didn’t get in the way. Regardless, let’s look at all the options we looked at together (Betty and I), and you can make the best decision for yourself.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Best Overall: Tractive GPS Tracker
What We Liked:
- Worldwide location tracking
- With the virtual fence function
- Can monitor activity, caloric
What We Didn’t Like:
- Monthly subscriptions $5-$13
This should win the gold for cat trackers. While it may be slightly higher priced than other options, it is often listed at a sale price. It does need a subscription plan, but it is very cost-effective if you sign up for the multi–year plan. For this, you’ll get both live tracking and a saved history of where your cat has been.
Regarding the bonus features, you can set up a digital perimeter, so if your cat leaves that zone, you will get an instant notification. It also doesn’t just track your cat’s location but everything else, too. Its activities, caloric count, and even when your cat decides to take a break. Don’t worry if the weather is terrible; this tracker is completely waterproof.
Tractive GPS Cat Tracker Tested By Grettel
Price at time of publishing: $ 34.99
Diameter: 1.1 x 0.6 x 2.1 inches : | Weight:1.23 Ounces (34.9 g) | Technology: GPS | Accuracy: High | Battery: 7 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: 2-years
Best For Budget: Cat Tailer Cat Tracker
What We Liked:
- Very small and light
- No subscription
- Can set up notifications when your cat moves in and out of range
What We Didn’t Like:
- Limited range of 328 feet/100 meters
It is an excellently low-priced option that’s very small and light, meaning your cat will almost not notice it. It even looks like a regular cat collar name tag. This one uses Bluetooth to track the location of your cat, meaning there’s a limited range of a few hundred feet. That may be enough for you, and the application that it comes with is also simple to use. This tracker is also quite long-lasting as its energy requirement is low.
Cat Tailer Cat Tracker Tested By Grettel
Price at time of publishing: $ 67.00
Diameter: 4.33 x 2.56 x 0.79 inches | Weight: 0.28 Ounces (7.9 g) | Technologies: Bluetooth | Accuracy: Low | Battery: 6-months | APP: Yes | Warranty: 1-year
Best For Outdoor: Whistle Go Explore GPS Tracker
What We Liked:
- Worldwide location tracking
- With the virtual fence function
- Monitor licking, sleeping, and scratching
What We Didn’t Like:
- Subscription $8.25/mo
This feature-rich GPS tracker is too bulky for Betty. At the same time, this could be a popular option for those who want to go beyond just tracking your cat’s location. This is like a sports watch for pets and will track how far they’ve moved, when they sleep or scratch, and even allows you to set fitness goals!
It’s great if you have others cat sit for you as you can have more than one owner with the tag, enabling peace of mind when you’re on holiday. It also comes with a highly detailed daily review. This also allows a digital fence to be set up and alerts when your cat leaves that zone.
Price at time of publishing: $ 117.25
Diameter : 1.4 x 1.8 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 1 Ounce(28g)| Technologies: Wi-Fi, GPS | Accuracy: Mid | Battery: 20 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: 6-month
Best For Indoor: TabCat Homing Tags Cat Tracker
What We Liked:
- Small and lightweight
- No subscription
What We Didn’t Like:
- Limited range of 500 feet/152 meters
- The range can vary based on the overall environment
This is the most accurate option we’ll look at, and it’s even more accurate than GPS. Yet keep in mind that this doesn’t use GPS, and its range can vary based on the overall environment.
It is also one of the lightest tags on your cat’s collar, weighing only around 5 grams. User setup is easy; attach the tag and then use the directional tracking to tell you where to head to find your cat. A downside is it doesn’t come with an application, so you must always be aware of where the handset tracker is.
Price at time of publishing: $ 99.99
Dimensions: 3cm (H) x 2cm (W) x 0.9cm (D) / 1.18in (H) x .79in (W) x 0.35in (D) | Weight: 5 grams(0.18 Ounce) | Technologies:RF | Accuracy: High | Battery: 6-month | APP: No | Warranty: 2-years
Best for Wandering Cats: Jiobit Gen 3 – GPS Tracker
What We Liked:
- Unlimited nationwide range
- With the virtual fence function
- Lightweight, Water Resistant
What We Didn’t Like:
- A bit expensive
- Subscription $8.99-$14.99/mo
This tracker is for anything small and cute, from cats and dogs to babies. It’s a higher price point, but for this, it also comes with WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, and Cellular tracking options. The battery is weaker at 20 days per charge, but it is quite a discrete and lightweight object for tracking purposes.
This also comes with a lot of security and encryption for those who want that additional layer of safety. That means the data is secure and built not to be hackable.
Price at time of publishing: $ 129.99
Diameter: 1.96 x 1.45 x 0.47 inches | Weight: 0.8 ounces(22.7 g) | Technologies: Cellular, Bluetooth & WiFi | Accuracy: High | Battery: 20 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: 1-year
Best for Close to Home: Girafus Cat Tracker
What We Liked:
- No subscription needed
- Featherlight
- Locates everywhere, no mobile network needed
What We Didn’t Like:
- Limited range of 1600 feet/488 meters
This uses Radio Frequency as its tracking source and can have an excellent range of up to 1600 feet. However, that is subject to the lay of the land and if there are any obstructions. You typically need a clear line of sight to get the maximum range. The tracker also comes with a 10-day charge, so there’s never a rush to need to get the tracker charged back up again. This is a simple analog option that tracks and nothing else.
There’s no application or subscription needed as this doesn’t use GPS. It comes with a handheld tracker that will tell you which direction your cat is in. It’s another more straightforward choice where you can handle features you may not have been looking for.
Price at time of publishing: $ 85.99
Diameter: 1.38 x 0.87 x 0.31 inches | Weight: 0.28oz(8g) | Technologies: RF | Accuracy: Mid| Battery: 7-10 days | APP: No | Warranty: 3-month
Best For Big Cat: Tracki GPS tracker
What We Liked:
- Worldwide Coverage
- Tiny and light
- Virtual-Fence safe zones
What We Didn’t Like:
- Subscription $3.99 – $9.95/month
This incredible item helps you find your cat in a few different ways. First, a “chase mode” will give you updates on where your cat is once they’ve left the digital fence every few seconds. You can also sync it up with other neighbors with the same application to build a network of tracks. This community ring can be expanded by adding others to get notifications when your cat has left the digital fence. This will help everyone keep an eye out for your cat. It’s best for those with a community using the same app and tracker.
This is a GPS tracker, meaning there’s a subscription. On top of that, it’s important to note how helpful and accessible the customer support is. That means they can help you get set up if you have any issues and also help you use the tools to find your cat.
Price at time of publishing: $ 18.88
Diameter: 1.75×1.6×0.6 inches| Weight: 1.26 Ounce(35.7 g) | Technologies: Cellular, Wifi, GPS | Accuracy: High | Battery: 5-7 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime
Tile Mate
What We Liked:
- Very light and small
- Low price
What We Didn’t Like:
- Coverage is only 200ft（60m）
An earlier tracking item that still works well. It can sync up with your intelligent assistants and use the power of Bluetooth to expand its range. You can attach this tile to the collar and have at least something tracking your cat. This isn’t the best cat GPS tracker out there, but it does have a decent application. It’s best for someone who is relaxed about how they track their cat.
Also, if you upgrade to a premium service level, there are additional benefits from battery replacements, notifications, and more.
Price at time of publishing: $ 44.95
Diameter:1.38 x 0.24 x 1.38 inches | Weight:0.54 ounces(15g) | Technologies: Bluetooth | Accuracy: Low | Battery: 7 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: 1-year
Runner-Up: Weenect XS Cat GPS Tracker
What We Liked:
- No range limit
- Digital fence can be set
- Location History
What We Didn’t Like:
- Subscription $4.72 – $9.9/month
This was a heavy contender for Betty and the best cat GPS tracker spot. That is because it has an easy-to-slip-on tracker that’s smaller than Tractive. It also has a decent battery life, but it can be reduced using active tracking. Speaking of tracking, this is another global coverage option if you enable it with your subscription options.
This product comes with a SIM card; you must contact your local carrier. It also works with rural airlines, making it an excellent option for those who live remotely in the great outdoors. There’s also a territory analysis feature showing precisely what your cat is doing all day, or more importantly, where they will hide all day.
Price at time of publishing: $ 29.99
Diameter:2.38 x 0.59 x 0.96 inches | Weight:0.95 Ounces(28g) | Technologies: 5G/4G/2G | Accuracy: High | Battery: 3-10 days | APP: Yes | Warranty: Lifetime
What to Look for in Cat GPS Tracker
It seems a no-brainer, but first and foremost, you want to ensure it is cat-friendly. That means you want to ensure the tracker’s overall size is small enough to fit comfortably and be worn all day. In addition, you want it to be lightweight and small to ensure your cat doesn’t feel dragged down by it. Otherwise, your cat will do everything possible to try to remove it.
Then, you want to look at the tracker’s features, which will all be about reliable and accurate tracking. There will be range limits for those who have decided to use RFID (Radio Frequency) or Bluetooth options. Yet these also will have a better battery life when compared to GPS-based cat trackers. Ensure you also know the battery life, as many options can last half a year to a year.
At the same time, as the owner, you want to ensure that you use the tracker properly and consistently from day one. That means having a real user-friendly experience. You also want to ensure the tracker has an app you can download and store on your phone and that the setup is a breeze. Getting the physical pieces attached to a cat collar should be a pretty straightforward task without complication.
Some other areas to consider are, firstly, the tracker’s price. Not just the upfront cost of purchasing the tracker but any additional subscription fees with the GPS trackers. You also want to see what the customer support and warranties look like. If there’s ever an issue with your tracker, you want to be able to find the right type of help and get your tracker working correctly again. There could also be bonus features that, while they’re nice to have, are optional. These range from virtual boundaries to tracking the activity your cat is doing, and these could come in handy from time to time.
Best Cat Trackers Comparison Chart
| Brand | Range Coverage | Weight | Accuracy Level | Additional Features | Battery Life | App | Warranty | Price | Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tractive GPS Tracker | Global Coverage | 1.23 oz(34.9 g) | High | Digital Fence Monitoring activity， behaviors/health | Jiobit Gen 3 – GPS Tracker | Yes | 2-years | $34.99 | $5-$13/mo |
| Whistle Go Explore GPS Tracker | Global Coverage | 1 oz (28g) | Mid | Digital Fence Monitoring activity, health | 20 days | Yes | 6-month | $117.25 | $8.25/mo |
| Jiobit Gen 3 – GPS Tracke | Global Coverage | 0.8 oz(22.7 g) | High | Digital Fence Location History | 20 day | Yes | 1-year | $129.99 | $8.99-$14.99/mo |
| Tracki Cat GPS Tracker | Global Coverage | 1.26 oz (35.7 g) | High | Digital fence Community ring | 5-7 days | Yes | Lifetime | $18.88 | $3.99 – 9.95/mo |
| Weenect XS Cat GPS Tracker | Global coverage | 0.95 oz(28g) | High | Digital fence Location History | 3-10 day | Yes | Lifetime | $29.99 | $4.72-9.99/mo |
| Cat Tailer Cat Tracker | 328 feet/100 | 0.28 oz (7.9 g) | Low | Digital Fence | 6 Month | Yes | 1-year | $67.00 | $0 |
| Tabcat Homing Tag Cat Tracker | 500 feet/152m | 0.18 oz( 5 g) | High | 6-month | No | 2-years | $99.99 | $0 | |
| Girafus Cat Tracker | 1600 feet/488m | 0.28oz(8g) | Mid | 7-10 day | No | 3-month | $85.99 | $0 | |
| Tile Mate Tracker | 200 ft/60 m) | 0.54 oz(15g) | Low | 1 Year | Yes | 1-year | $44.95 | $0 |
Summarize
It all comes down to what type of tracker you’re looking for. You need to first decide on the tracking method, whether GPS (which usually means additional costs but better coverage), RFID tracking (which can have a great range but depends on the line of sight), or Bluetooth, which has a decent yet limited tracking range.
Then, it all comes down to features you would want beyond tracking. Keep in mind that any additional features can drain the battery, meaning less time for the actual purpose of the product, which is to track your cat. Comfort also matters, so try a few options first and have your cat, like my Betty, help you pick the best cat GPS tracker.
If you’re wondering where you can buy some of these great trackers, there are direct links above.
Article Sources [1] https://tractive.com/blog/en/tech/pet-tracking-device-comparison-bluetooth-vs-gps-tracker
