How To Track Your Cat's Whereabouts All Day

Are you wondering where your cat is hiding today? Cats are elusive pets, but keeping track of them—be it in the house or outdoors—can be made easier with the help of some tracking devices. These devices include items such as Apple's AirTag, which can be used in collaboration with cat collars and has gone viral on TikTok.

Carissa Kehr, a certified veterinary assistant who currently works with Kitty Kasas, a company offering "modular, easy-to-clean cat cubbies and gyms," told Newsweek: "Through my experience with cat ownership and working in the vet field, knowing where your cat is and being able to track them is important.

"Especially if they start to hide due to illness, escape, or become lost. Since cats are masters in athleticism, they can go into hard-to-reach places and spaces making them difficult for us to locate them," she said.

In addition to using a tracking device, Kehr said knowing your cat's whereabouts can be made easier with some prep work, such as the following:

• Closing off small spaces around the home, such as crawl spaces.
• Microchipping your cat so they can be identified if found.
• Keeping treats and food on hand to lure your cat out of its hiding space if needed.

The Best Cat Tracking Devices

Kehr advised: "There are many pet tracking devices out there but pay attention to specific details you would want in a GPS for your cat," such as the battery life, range and durability.

1. AirTag

Cat collars with Apple's AirTag device, which works with the company's Find My app, has been a popular favorite among TikTokers. One example is user @quingable, who said: "I don't really love the AirTag but here's why I keep both on my cat's collar," in a viral video post, which had 86,000 views and 12,400 likes at the time of writing. The user added: "And by the way, none of this [the device plug] is sponsored."

The TikToker explained: "The one really great thing about having an AirTag is that it pings off other people's iPhone. That way, you are able to find your pet."

According to Apple, there are "hundreds of millions" of iPhone, iPad and Mac devices around the world within the Find My network that can help you track down your pet through the AirTag.

Buy an AirTag cat collar on Amazon here.

2. Tractive

The "most appealing choice" for Kehr is Tractive. In addition to your cat's location, the device can also monitor your cat's sleep patterns and wellbeing, as well as "set up virtual fences to alert you if your kitty is too far away."

Kehr said: "Compared to other devices, Tractive offers more information about your feline friend and has an unlimited range ability, operating in over 175 different countries.

"No matter how far your cat goes, Tractive will be able to locate them on your device if you're connected to a mobile network. In addition, it comes at an affordable price point offering more features than other, more expensive brands."

Buy a Tractive on Amazon here.

3. Samsung Galaxy SmartTag

For Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag could be a good option to attach on to a cat collar.

If your pet wanders out of range, "even when offline, the Galaxy Find Network can use scanned data to find it for you privately," according to Samsung.

"And it's easy to scroll through a history of where the tag's been to retrace it. You can also use other [Samsung Galaxy] devices you own to locate your items."

Buy a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag tracker on Amazon here.

4. Tile Sticker

Comparable to the AirTag and SmartTag, the Tile tracking device was also praised in the aforementioned viral post by TikToker @quingable for being "really, really lightweight" and because "it actually works when you're not in service."

Compatible with iPhones and Androids, the water-resistant Tile Sticker "has a bigger range, louder ring and longer lasting battery," the company said.

It comes with an adhesive back, making it easy to attach to the tag of your cat's collar, a 3-year non-replaceable battery and Bluetooth works up to a 250-feet range.

When outside of your range, pet owners can use the Tile app to view your pet's most recent location on a map.

Buy a Tile Sticker tracker on Amazon here.

5. Cube

Among the Cube tracker's key features includes a rechargeable battery (which can last from around 10 to 60 days, depending on the model) and the ability to set up "virtual geo-fence zones" using its accompanying app to get real-time alerts when your cat wanders beyond these zones.

Pet owners can also track the "trips, stops, and speed of travel" of the device using the app's location history feature, according to Cube.

Buy a Cube tracker on Amazon here.

Is It Safe To Let Your Cat Outside?

Around 71 percent of the estimated 80 million pet cats in the U.S. are kept indoors and "more owners are realizing that their cats are safer and can lead happy lives indoors," according to the Humane Society of the United States.

The nonprofit says: "Allowing your cat to roam freely outdoors comes with risks. When outside, cats face dangers such as being hit by a car, being harmed by another animal or person and certain diseases and parasites."

A spokesperson for The International Cat Association (TICA) told Newsweek that the average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is "significantly shorter than an indoor-only cat—by more than 10 years."

The spokesperson said TICA does not advocate cats going outside unless on a harness and a leash. "We feel there are too many harmful sources outside for cats to be left to wander."

Teresa Keiger from the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) also said the CFA believes "cats are safer indoors, so we don't encourage owners to let their cats roam."

She also advised: "The cat owner should make certain that any collar a cat wears—with or without tracker—is a breakaway collar, so that the cat doesn't accidentally hang itself or become injured while trying to slip out of a collar."

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