No cat owner wants to experience the stress of their beloved cat going missing. Thankfully, we live in the day and age of advancing technology that gives us options to keep better track of our beloved family members.
Having your cat microchipped is essential, as it will help you reunite with your cat if they wind up in a veterinary office or an animal shelter. In addition to a microchip, you may want to consider getting a tracker for added security.
There are many cat trackers with different types of tracking abilities available on the market today. We’ve looked at the reviews from other cat owners and compiled a list of the eight best cat trackers, including GPS collars and some other great options.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
The 8 Best GPS Cat Trackers – Reviews & Top Picks 2021
1. Cube Real-Time GPS Dog & Cat Tracker – Best Overall
| Tracking Technology: | GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable with USB |
| Tracking Distance: | Nationwide within the United States |
The Cube Real-Time gets the spot for best overall because it uses GPS, Wi-Fi, cell tower triangulation, and Bluetooth technology for precise location tracking. It comes with a SIM card, USB charging cable and will link directly to your phone by using Verizon’s cellular network.
This tracker clips right onto the collar and has geo preferences that allow you to set up a travel range for your cat. The battery life lasts anywhere from 10 to 60 days with a full charge. This is a very fair-priced tracker in terms of upfront cost but does require a monthly subscription.
Pros
- Long battery life
- No range limits with the precise location
- Multiple user access
- Durable
Cons
- Requires monthly or yearly subscription
2. Tractive Dog & Cat GPS Tracker – Best Value
| Tracking Technology: | GPS, Activity Tracker |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable |
| Tracking Distance: | Worldwide |
The Tractive Dog & Cat GPS Tracker is budget-friendly and will offer you the best value for your money. Made of plastic and silicone, this tracker is recommended for pets over 9 pounds.
Tractive includes a location history that can be shared with family, friends, or via the public link in case your cat becomes lost and you need some extra help bringing them home.
The Tractive tag can be attached to any collar or harness and offers unique features such as activity tracking and a virtual fence option that will alert you if the boundaries are crossed. The battery on this tracker lasts 2 to 5 days.
The Tractive comes with the GPS tracker, a charging cable, and a rubber clip to attach to a collar or harness. Some reviewers did complain that this tracker is much too bulky for some cats and smaller dogs and may experience some technical issues and require frequent re-syncing.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Virtual fence capability
- Activity tracker
Cons
- Requires monthly subscription
- Bulky
- Requires frequent resyncing
3. Whistle Go Explore-Ultimate Health and Location Tracker for Pets – Premium Choice
| Tracking Technology: | GPS, Wi-Fi |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable with USB |
| Tracking Distance: | 300 feet |
The Whistle Go Explore has a wide variety of features and is customizable to your tracking preferences. This device offers email, text, and app notifications.
This device provides real-time GPS tracking using Google Maps. The app has an on-demand feature that will link you to a veterinarian via chat, phone call, or email.
The Whistle Go Explore is waterproof, durable, and has a battery life of approximately 20 days. It tracks not only location, but distance, activity, calories, and even behavioral habits such as licking, scratching, and sleeping patterns.
This is another higher-dollar tracker due to the higher technology and available features. It does require the dreaded monthly subscription as well. Per the reviews, this product can be bulky for some cats.
Pros
- Variety of color options
- Tracking of location, activity, nutrition, behavior
- Durable
Cons
- Requires subscription
- High upfront cost
- Bulky
4. Chipolo ONE Bluetooth Dog, Cat & Horse Tag – Best for Kittens
| Tracking Technology: | Bluetooth |
| Battery Type: | Replaceable |
| Tracking Distance: | 300 feet |
Chipolo ONE Bluetooth Dog, Cat & Horse Tag is a convenient, small (8 ounce) tracking tag that can be attached to your cat’s collar. Chipolo has an app that allows you to ring your tag to help you locate your pet. Due to the small, lightweight design, this tag is ideal for kittens as well.
A convenient feature of the Chipolo is that the tag can help you locate your cell phone since the ring feature goes both ways. Everyone loses their phone somewhere in the house, not everyone can enlist their cat for help! Unfortunately, the ring feature is only successful if within hearing distance.
Chipolo is compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, Amazon, and Siri. The battery life can exceed 6 months and the tag information can be shared with other users. However, this is not a GPS tracker, so the range is very limited and not ideal for far wanderers.
Pros
- Long-lasting battery
- Ring feature that works both ways
- Multiple user software
- Low cost
Cons
- Not an actual GPS tracker
- Ring only works within hearing distance
5. JioBit Dog & Cat Location Monitor
| Tracking Technology: | GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable with USB |
| Tracking Distance: | Nationwide |
The Jiobit Dog & Cat Location Monitor is a high-tech tracker that uses a combination of cellular, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies to monitor your cat’s location. This tracker is water-resistant, durable, and lightweight.
The Jiobit is well-reviewed and performs great. It is the most expensive tracker on the list, but the included features make it well worth the money. It comes with high-level security and encryption of data to offer you advanced protection while tracking your cat’s location and activity.
The mobile app offers real-time alerts, geofence setup, and location updates. The purchase includes the Jiobit GPS location tracker, charging dock, USB cable, strap clip, hem-lock clip, secure loop, Quick Start guide, Smartphone App guide, and attachment guide.
The Jiobit’s battery life is approximately 7 days. The biggest downfall is the high upfront cost and the cost of the required subscription.
Pros
- High-level security and encryption
- Durable and light
- Multiple user tracking software with the precise location
Cons
- Requires subscription
- Higher cost
- Bulky for small cats
6. Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker
| Tracking Technology: | Bluetooth |
| Battery Type: | Replaceable |
| Tracking Distance: | Up to 200 feet |
The Tile Mate uses Bluetooth technology for tracking and can be attached to your cat’s collar. Tile Mate comes with its app for ease of use for easy tracking from your phone. The downside is the range is only up to 200 feet. Anyone needing longer distance tracking may want to look elsewhere.
Tile Mate will work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Xfinity, and Siri. The app will provide location history and is shareable with other users. Tile Mate has a two-way ring that will allow you to locate your cat or have your cat locate your missing phone.
The Tile Mate is simple and has a battery life of up to one year. It does lack the fancy features of some of the other GPS trackers but is great for short-range use.
Pros
- Small and lightweight
- Easily attaches to a collar
- Shareable with multiple users
- No monthly subscription
Cons
- Short range
- Lacks more advanced GPS features
7. Girafus Cat Tracker
| Tracking Technology: | Radio Frequency |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable |
| Tracking Distance: | Up to 1,600 feet |
The Girafus Cat Tracker uses Radio Frequency technology and has a range of up to 1600 feet. The rechargeable battery on this tracker can last up to 30 days. Girafus is equipped with a direction indicator LED light and signal tones.
The Radio Frequency technology is convenient considering it does not interfere with cellular devices, nor will it require a cellular network to function. While this tracker does come at a higher price than most Bluetooth trackers, there are no monthly subscription fees involved.
Girafus can be worn on the collar and has both audio and visual display on the handheld locator. The limited range of 1,600 feet is not preferred by some owners. Overall, this is a great choice for those that prefer radio frequency tracking.
Pros
- Has audio and visual display on handheld finder
- No monthly fees
- Can be worn on the collar
Cons
- Limited range
- Higher cost than most Bluetooth trackers
8. Findster Duo Dog & Cat GPS Tracker
| Tracking Technology: | GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Battery Type: | Rechargeable |
| Tracking Distance: | 3 miles |
The Findster Duo is a GPS tracker that doesn’t require a monthly subscription and does not use cellular coverage or a SIM card to function. This tracker comes already equipped with a 1-year subscription and will track the cat’s location and activity on your phone in real-time.
The Findster Duo is of a higher upfront cost, but the lack of monthly payment is beneficial. Finder Duo is easy to use, durable, waterproof, and made of rubber. It is lightweight as well and includes features such as friends and family sharing and activity tracking.
Battery life ranges from up to 7 days with GPS off, and up to 12 hours with GPS activated. The Findster App is used for monitoring and saving any necessary data. There are geofence options that have a notification that will prompt you if your cat leaves its desired area.
Finder Duo does have a limited range compared to some other competitors and the battery life is relatively short.
Pros
- Does not require cellular coverage
- Easy to use
- No monthly subscription required
Cons
- High upfront cost
- Limited range
- Shorter battery life
Buyer’s Guide
Things to Consider Before Choosing a Cat Tracker
Before you make the final decision on your purchase, there are some considerations to keep in mind. You need to make the right decision that suits your needs and your cat’s comfort.
Affordability
Upfront costs are of high concern with this kind of purchase. You need to be wary of the trackers that require monthly subscriptions. These subscriptions typically come with the most advanced products. You want to ensure you are getting good value for your money and budget while getting the features you need.
Size and Weight
You do not have to wear the tracker, but your cat does. Cats are finicky little creatures that may not take well to something new being worn around the neck. You do not want to purchase a heavy, bulky tracker. A heavy tracker could cause unnecessary strain, and can even be painful for your cat, not to mention being uncomfortable overall. Finding a small, lightweight tracker that suits your needs is ideal for any cat.
Technology
The higher technology a product uses, the more expensive it will be. Trackers have a range of different capabilities, with GPS and Wi-Fi tracking being top-notch due to long-distance tracking and the ability to pick up on activity and behavior. Other options that lack technology tend to have shorter ranges but longer battery life.
Battery Life
As you can see, battery life varies greatly among cat trackers. Some trackers come with rechargeable batteries, others are replaceable. Bluetooth tags can last from 6 months up to a year but have much shorter ranges. GPS trackers have battery life that ranges from a few hours to a few days but tends to be the best at precision and long-distance tracking.
Features
There are a variety of features available with trackers nowadays. Keep in mind that the more advanced features, the more expensive the product. There are trackers available that can not only track precise location in real-time but can even track activity and behavioral patterns.
Many options above offer a multi-user interface that can be shared with others to assist you in tracking your cat. You will have to take a look at your budget and preferences to decide which features are most important to you.
Durability
Since these trackers are wearable, you want them to be durable and effective. A dysfunctional tracker will not help you locate your cat. The more expensive products should offer backing through the manufacturer so it’s important to check into warranties and satisfaction guarantees before a large upfront purchase is made.
High-quality, durable materials that are either water-resistant or waterproof are ideal to prevent the tracker from being damaged or broken during wear.
Conclusion
The Cube Real-Time GPS Dog & Cat Tracker comes at a moderate price but has key features that owners desire and strong durability.
The Tractive Dog & Cat GPS Tracker is great if you are looking for a wallet-friendly tracker that uses GPS tracking for location and activity
The Whistle Go Explore is a more expensive option but has some of the most advanced features of all the pet tracking devices, including real-time location, activity tracking, behavioral tracking, and more.
GPS and other cat trackers are not a substitute for microchips but offer great security for owners. The best trackers will be durable, comfortable, and reliable.
Featured Image Credit: Chewy
Nicole is the proud mom of Baby, a Burmese cat and Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts’ knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.
