A smart cat tracker is like a wearable health-monitoring device, such as a smart ring, smartwatch, or fitness tracker, that helps people stay on top of key wellness markers—but for a cat.
Why should humans have all the fun? In addition to live and historical GPS location tracking that helps any helicopter cat parent rest easy, the Fi Mini, Tractive Smart Cat Tracker, and Tractive Cat 6 Mini monitor your furry friend's health metrics, like activity and sleep. The collars also send alerts for changes in health patterns, such as when your pet is moving less or sleeping more than average, which can serve as early warning signs of potential health issues.
Photograph: Molly HigginsFor the better part of the year, I've been testing these trackers on my cat Basil, analyzing each device's location accuracy, sleep- and activity-tracking capabilities, and health summary metrics. I also considered practical factors, such as ease of use, product size, and battery life.
If you have a cat that also goes outdoors, these trackers are much more reliable and comprehensive than something like an AirTag because they determine positioning via satellite instead of the nearest Bluetooth signal. They'll also notify you if your cat leaves your designated “safe zone.”
Ultimately, each smart tracker has its own strengths. The best model for you and your cat depends on your priorities—if you value long battery life, the Fi Mini ($99) is the best choice. If you want advanced health features, the Tractive Cat 6 Mini ($77) is the best smart collar option.
Be sure to check out our related pet guides, like the Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Best Cat Water Fountains, Best Automatic Feeders, and Best Pet Cameras.
In This Guide
Best Connected AppTractive Smart Cat TrackerJump to review$50
Amazon
Best Battery Life, Charging, and SizeFi MiniJump to review$99Fi (Cat)
Best Health Tracking FeaturesTractive Cat 6 MiniJump to review$75
Amazon
Jump toAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronBest Connected App
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Tractive
Smart Cat Tracker
$50Amazon
$50 $26 (48% off)Chewy
$49Tractive
WIRED/TIREDAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWIRED- Low cost
- GPS tracking
- Virtual fencing
- Tracks pets’ trends, and alerts when something is amiss
- Need paid plan to use
- Live tracking drains battery when outside of Wi-Fi zone
- Super quiet alert sound
If tracking your cat's location is your top priority, Tractive (also called the Tractive Cat Mini) is the best option. Its historical heat maps show the areas your cat frequents, which is especially helpful for people with indoor–outdoor cats who roam large swaths of land.
However, note that all tested models rely on GPS for location tracking. This means that if the satellite signal is spotty—a common issue in rural areas and other settings—you may not know your cat's precise location. Some Reddit and Amazon reviewers complain that Tractive's location tracking is less accurate in areas with dense vegetation.
Tractive app via Molly HigginsIn setting up each tracker's connected app, you can designate specific mapped areas as safe or danger zones, and the app will notify you when the pet enters or exits these zones. Basil is an indoor cat, but with all three trackers, my apartment was too small to create a virtual fence around the perimeter, so I had to expand it to an area outside my apartment. That means if Basil got out but stayed nearby, I wouldn't get an alert.
In the Tractive app, after you create a profile, you'll get personalized daily activity goals for your cat based on statistics from other cats of similar age and weight. The app assigned Basil 120 to 230 minutes of daily activity and later reported that he was consistently more active than 70 percent of similar cats. I felt at peace knowing I'm keeping him on the move in my small apartment.
At the end of each day and week, the app provides activity averages and daily calorie estimates, calculated using factors like pet type, weight, and size, and compared with activity output.
Tractive's sleep-tracking feature monitors sleep duration, breaking it down into categories of night sleep, day sleep, and calm. Because it tracks sleep length and cycle phases based on movement patterns and time of day, the data is more general than precise. In general, I found the information in Tractive's app more useful and easier to analyze than in Fi.
Best Battery Life, Charging, and Size
Courtesy of FiSave to wishlistSave to wishlistFi
Mini
$99Fi (Cat)
$198Amazon (With 12-Month Membership)
WIRED/TIREDAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWIRED- Long battery life
- Convenient USB-C charge
- Small, compact size
- Multiple easy collar attachments included
- Location works best if you're near your phone
- Lag time on alerts for being outside of safe zones
- Sometimes sends false alerts for pets leaving a safe zone
- App needs to be open on your phone in order to work properly
- Doesn't have historical location heat maps
Testing these trackers made me realize the importance of basic features like battery life and ease of removing the tracker from the collar for charging. This is where the Fi Mini shines. (Read my full review here.)
Fi app via Molly HigginsFi Mini takes about two hours to reach a full charge, which lasted about two weeks in my testing. Fi claims four weeks, but two weeks is much longer than the Tractive, which conked out at around five days on a full charge. While I didn't test this, Fi claims its tracker can hold a six- to eight-week charge with the Fi Base add-on.
In addition to extending battery life by functioning as a connection source when your pet is at home, the Base also supposedly helps with location accuracy thanks to its Wi-Fi connection. One bonus for Fi users with an Apple Watch: You can add the Fi app to your watch to monitor your pet’s location and activity and enter “Lost Mode” without a phone, which is especially helpful if your cat has escaped while you're away from your phone.
The Fi's danger zone alerts were glitchy during my testing. On three occasions, I got notifications that Basil had left the safe zone (aka, my home and surrounding area). Each time, after I rushed home or raced to check my pet camera, I found him sleeping soundly on the living room couch. Other users have reported similar false alerts and location inaccuracy with the Fi.
Charging the Fi was a breeze. It uses the same USB-C charger as my iPhone, making the power-up process convenient and easy. The Tractive not only requires its own dedicated charger but also proved difficult to attach and detach from the device.
On the size front, the Fi Mini tracker is lightweight, small, and compact at just 1.5 x 1.0 x 0.5 inches. It comes with a strap loop and two types of soft cases. I liked the loop attachment best because its stretchy rubber material let me slip the tracker out without fully removing Basil's collar. Both the Tractive device itself and its collar attachment were much bulkier, and I worried they impeded Basil's ability to fully move his head downward.
The Fi Mini offers similar health metrics to the Tractive, but it only compares your pet's statistics against itself (as opposed to similar pets, like the Tractive). I liked that the Fi allows you to add vet records, receipts, and insurance information, and you can add vets to share pet-related documents and get appointment reminders.
Best Health Tracking Features
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
- Photograph: Molly Higgins
Tractive
Cat 6 Mini
$75Amazon
$79Tractive
WIRED/TIREDAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWIRED- Advanced health monitoring with heart and respiratory rates.
- Weekly AI-powered health summaries.
- New visual health history timeline.
- Battery dies in about four days.
- Collar clasp and adjustments are tricky.
- Proprietary charger.
- Location can be unreliable.
The Cat 6 Mini is the newest smart collar from Tractive (released earlier this year), now with advanced health features for respiratory and heart rate monitoring, as well as AI-powered weekly health summaries. I compared this new smart collar with the other smart collars I've tested, and although the short battery life is a pain, I recommend this model if measuring your cat's health metrics is your top priority. (Read my review here.)
Unlike the other models that use an attachment that fits on the cat's existing collar, the Tractive Cat 6 Mini device is the entire collar itself, and to charge, you need to remove the collar from the cat. As someone with reduced grip strength, the clasp made this task difficult for me. Like its predecessor, it also uses a proprietary charger. Charging took almost three hours, and it needed to be charged about every four days.
Like the previous model, you create a virtual fence so you'll be alerted if the pet leaves the safe area. Tractive also compares Basil to cats of similar age and weight to set a personalized daily activity goal. With the new Cat 6 Mini model, you'll get an AI summary of the previous week's activity and health stats, along with daily stats and weekly averages for sleep, activity, respiratory rate, and heart rate. Basil's respiratory rate was on the lower end, and his resting heart rate was consistently lower than that of cats of similar age and weight. The app even gave potential reasons and supplemental information for the low heart rate, including “fitness and conditioning” and “cold temperatures.” I'm planning to bring these stats and potential concerns to his next vet appointment.
Compare Our Picks
Tractive Smart Cat TrackerFi Mini (for Cats)Tractive Cat 6 MiniSize2.2 × 1.1 × 0.7 inches1.5 × 1.0 × 0.5 inches3.7 × 0.8 × 0.5 inchesWeight25.5 grams16 grams31 gramsBatteryUp to five days (in the power-saving zone)Up to eight weeks with the Fi Base add-onUp to five days in the power-saving zone (but during testing, it was closer to four max)WaterproofIP68IP68100 percent waterproof IP68Suitable forCats above 6.6 poundsCats (there's a Mini dog version for dogs)Cats weighing 6.6 to 17.6 poundsCompatible collar widthUp to 0.8 inchesComes with three attachments: strap loop attachment's maximum collar width is 1.25 inches (no minimum), soft case is 0.375 to 1.25 inches, and 3/8-inch soft case needs a collar of 0.375 inchesFits necks 7.5 to 9 inchesConnectivityLTE, 4G, 2G, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-FiVerizon LTE-M cellular coverageLTE, 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-FiRangeUnlimitedUnlimited (uses cellular coverage)UnlimitedLocation usesGPS, GLONASS, GalileoGPS and LTEGPS, GLONASS, GalileoCompatible phonesAndroid 10.0+, iOS 17.0+Android and iOSAndroid 10.0+; iOS 17.0+Subscription costsOne-year plan is $10 per month and decreases in price when you buy a longer planStarts at $99 for six months and decreases in price when you buy a longer planOne-year plan is $10 per month and decreases in price when you buy a longer planAlso Tested
Screenshots courtesy of Molly HigginsMoggie Activity Tracker + Hub for $149: The device not only provides metrics on your cat's health but also offers in-depth activity graphs with comparative baselines so you can see what's normal. I liked that it lasted a long time on a charge and was lightweight, small, and easy to take on and off without removing the entire collar. I live in a small apartment with limited outlets, so I also didn't love that the hub needed to be plugged in constantly for the device to work. But most of all, I don't think the device is accurately measuring activity metrics.
Is a Smart Tracker Worth It for Your Cat?
AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronAccording to the American Veterinary Medical Association, about 10 million cats and dogs go missing each year in the US. While smart trackers aren't a silver bullet for preventing that problem, the data they provide can be helpful. Sure, you could technically use an Apple AirTag to track your cat—as I did for many years with Basil—but you'd have to hope it’s in range in an urgent situation. These smart health and GPS trackers are more accurate and alert you if your cat has escaped the “safe zone”—aka your home—especially helpful for indoor-only cats like mine. If your cat is indoor-outdoor, helpful heat maps trace regular routes, and you can add multiple safe zones so if your kitty ventures too far, you'll still be alerted. No matter which type of cat you have, these trackers allow you to follow your pet in real time when it matters most.
Plus, the health monitoring intel helps you better understand your pet's needs, routines, and normal patterns. Historical data comparisons can help identify warning signs of potential health issues, such as increased sleep or decreased activity.
There is a cost, though: A combination GPS tracker and smart health collar requires a subscription plan (see the individual reviews for more detail on rates), which is more expensive than a general tracker with no subscription required, like an AirTag. These smart trackers also require maintenance, such as frequent charging, firmware updates, and in-app monitoring. But I like to think of the devices as insurance—you hope you'll never need to rely on one, but in the event of an emergency, you'll be glad you invested. (Plus, it's fun to track your pet's metrics and understand a little more about their inner world.)
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