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Looking for the above but the ones I've seen in reviews are pretty big.
Anyone use one for their cat? It would only be for a few weeks after moving incase he escapes before learning the new surroundings.
Could you use an air tag ?.
Somehow attach it to a cat collar, so if Mr fussy knickers goes walkabout you can use an iphone to track the wayward moggie.
Ah I don't have an iPhone. I use Samsung.
There are plenty of cat specific products online if you search (including Airtag collars), although I've no idea which are best (and I suspect many will be subscription based too).
I remember watching a Horizon programme that followed cats and the poor dears had to wear not only a gps but also a fairly chunky camera; they seemed to manage.
I looked into this a couple of years ago, after our girl went missing for days. The requirement for a monthly subscription turned me off. I now have house cats.
I appreciate that's not very helpful. Sorry.
I don't mind the subscription. I'm just a little worried as he's been in our current house 11 years and if sneaks out too early might get lost.
Only requirement is something not too bulky.
the trouble is for a tracker to work you need gps and gsm in a small thing. I recon the smallest common device with both of those is an apple watch - would one of them work?
Just do the usual 2 weeks inside and spread used cat litter around the garden edge when he is allowed out.
Our cat was 9years on our last move and it was all fine. That was his second move and we did the same thing both times.
the trouble is for a tracker to work you need gps and gsm in a small thing. I recon the smallest common device with both of those is an apple watch – would one of them work?
I think his wrists are too small for an apple watch.
Just do the usual 2 weeks inside and spread used cat litter around the garden edge when he is allowed out.
That's the plan, but worried someone else might forget and leave a door/window open.
the trouble is for a tracker to work you need gps and gsm in a small thing. I recon the smallest common device with both of those is an apple watch – would one of them work?
the AirTag (and Tile - who were there first with similar but sightly different tech) approach, is that the “tag” only has to transmit a weak signal to a nearby phone which then does the “geolocation” and “onwards transmission” part. As both rely on having a network of devices to give you decent coverage it is likely that AirTag will give you better results as I think by default every iPhone is looking for your moggie, whereas only other tile owners are looking with Tile so it’s a smaller “pool” but I suspect if you have a likely area to search a couple of users with the tile app installed could get a fix reasonably quickly.
That makes sense but I don't have an iPhone so can't use the airtag
It would only be for a few weeks after moving incase he escapes before learning the new surroundings.
Irrespective of whether you get a tracker I'd strongly suggest keeping him in for the first 2-3 weeks and when you first let him out do it on an empty stomach, ie when he is hungry, early in the day, and for only a few minutes.
Whatever you do don't let him out for the first time on a full stomach half an hour before sunset. Cats feel far more secure in a strange environment at night time so are more likely to wander off exploring.
A sudden unexpected confrontation with a neighbour's dog a few doors down might spook him enough to take off and end up lost.
I'm aiming to keep him in for the first 3 weeks. The tracker is just incase he sneaks out if someone else leaves the door open.
Even now I lock his cat flap over night. Lately he's not been going out for very long which might be due to his age (14). But still want a tracker just in case. Where I'm moving only has 3 other houses and a fair bit of farmland around so he might wonder a bit.
The tracker is just incase he sneaks out if someone else leaves the door open.
Yup, I can understand the concern and it can easily happen so a tracker "just in case" makes sense.
Although cats are far more likely to sneak out if they know where they are sneaking out to. So if you leave a back door wide open momentarily, for example, he is much more likely to very slowly and cautiously sneak out. Unlike now when he is likely to bolt out of an open door.
Tile works with android btw.
Have a look at the Vodafone smart tracker. Quite small and only £3 a month. I used one for two years for my dogs. It's ok for its purpose for Pets. They do a specific pet one so it clips via a collar type jobbie.
Obviously ensure you are ok for a Vodafone signal.
I thought cats had "RAM" memories not proper Optical or SSD type remembering brains.
Its like they forget stuff easily.
I thought a two weeks inside and default intro to the new outdoor environment would be the only re-furry-boot needed. Like you would do if you had a new cat....
I've asked a few companies about their trackers and will report back. It looks like they use GPS with a sim card and mobile network to send the info online.
My question to them is what happens if there is no available mobile network? Will it tell me where it was when it last has a signal?
If the answers to those are no, then the tile or similar is the only option.
Out of signal, they don't work (or will recor to local memory for later transmission). For a small item/pet, you want something that is RFID (radio frequency) rather than GPS as the requirements are lower, so no need for a heavy battery + several components. This limits it to being within say 100m of a phone but that's realistic for a pet imo.
Use a Chipolo One tracker. They work on iOS and Android, you just download the appropriate app. They have a replaceable battery, a CR2032, can be attached using a regular split-ring, and are very light. Better than Tile, which only have a replaceable battery on the Pro model. They occasionally do special offers, I bought four for 48% off.
The batteries can be obtained from B&M, £2 for eight on a card.
One thing to note, which might be useful, is the alert function is pretty loud. If the little furry assassin is in the habit of stalking birds, using the find me function will scare the birds, and possibly induce a Pavlovian response in the kitty. 😁
We have one of these for our new Collie pup - seems to work fine. They do a smaller version for cats.
I foster cats and taken in and passed on a lot to new homes. I've never known anyone go to so much trouble over the house move and never had one of our cats get lost (we just keep them indoors but most new owners let them out over time). Just keep it in for 2-3 weeks as others have said.
whether the risk is real or imagined I have no idea! I can certainly understand someone being more worried about a cat they’ve had for 11+ years though than you are about YAFC (yet another foster cat)! 😀I foster cats and taken in and passed on a lot to new homes. I’ve never known anyone go to so much trouble
I thought cats had “RAM” memories not proper Optical or SSD type remembering brains.
Its like they forget stuff easily.
My cat managed to bear a lifetime grudge for feeding it a worming tablet, so I'm not convinced.
Use a Chipolo One tracker. They work on iOS and Android, you just download the appropriate app. They have a replaceable battery, a CR2032, can be attached using a regular split-ring, and are very light. Better than Tile, which only have a replaceable battery on the Pro model.
Why is is better than tile? I've not used either but after reading, the tile pro has almost twice the range.
It sounds like Bluetooth and RF might be the better option in the event of my cat escaping. So I'm keen to see if there are any trackers that are both Bluetooth and RF. GPS sounded good at first but I'd have to charge the battery all the time and they seem to be bulky.
Tile Pro is quite large, but allegedly has a 400' range! Even the much smaller Tile Mate has 250' range apparently? Not sure I fully believe it & can't find any actual tests anyone has run, but that should be enough range if so surely? Especially if you can set up some kind of automation, so you're automatically alerted if/when the cat has gone beyond a certain range?Why is is better than tile? I’ve not used either but after reading, the tile pro has almost twice the range.