Best GPS Cat Trackers

At this time, I don't have a single favorite GPS tracker for cats.  The biggest drawback on all GPS trackers is their short battery life.  Based on my research and experience, these are some of the better GPS trackers, but they all have pros and cons.  Most trackers offer trial periods and free returns so your best options is to try a tracker or two and see what works best in your area and situation.

Whistle GPS Pet Trackers

I used Whistle pet trackers on my search dog Dante for most his life.  For my cats, I  use radio-trackers, but this is also a decent GPS for cats.  As of 2024, Whistle has two GPS styles: Whistle Go Explore 2.0 and Whistle Switch.  Whistle recommends the Switch for small dogs and Go Explore for dogs 25 lbs and up.  However, the Switch is built into a non-breakaway collar so I wouldn't recommend this one for cats.  The Go Explore is actually lighter than than the Switch.  It is just more bulky, but it can be attached to a breakaway collar.  Whistle used to advertise that this size tracker was suitable for pets 8 lbs and up.

For a GPS, the Go Explore has a relatively long battery life of up to 15 days if your pet stays within wifi range.  However, the battery only lasts 2-3 days in areas with poor cell service.  You will also receive a notification when the battery is low and it quickly charges in less than 2 hours.  

I will add photos of cats wearing the Whistle GPS as soon as I get my cats to cooperate.

Pawtrack GPS Cat Collar

Pawtrack is the only GPS tacking collar designed specifically for cats, and it works in multiple countries.  Compared to Whistle 3, it has a better, more streamlined fit for your cat.  In addition to using the smartphone app, you can also view your cat tracks and manage collar settings via computer. The biggest drawback to this GPS is the very short battery life.  The battery only lasts 2 days, but it comes with a second battery pack so that you can easily switch them out.  The Pawtrack collar costs almost twice as much as the Whistle 3, but it comes with one free year of tracking followed by a much lower annual subscription fee.  

Unlike other GPS pet trackers, Pawtrack also has a Beacon mode.  This feature makes the collar emit a signal that is picked up by your smartphone and helps you pinpoint the location of your cat.  Since GPS locations are often not exact and cats sometimes move around or hide, this is a great extra feature for a GPS collar. 

How Radio-Tracking Devices Work

Radio-trackers use radio frequency signals and require a transmitter (radio-tag) to send the signal and a receiver (handheld device) to receive the signal.  Basically, your cat wears a small radio-tag on their collar, and you have to walk around with a handheld receiver to try and locate your cat.  The receiver will beep louder the closer you get to your cat.  Radio-trackers can transmit signals through buildings, so you can still locate your cat if they are trapped in a shed or basement.  

The main drawback to radio-trackers is that they usually have a limited range, generally anywhere from 100 feet up to 2 miles depending on the strength of the signal and the terrain you are searching.  The signal will travel much farther in open areas compared to wooded areas or through buildings.   In order to easily find your cat with a radio-tracking device, you will need to practice.  The signal can be difficult to follow depending on the terrain and where your cat is located.  

Best Cat Radio-Tracking Devices

There aren't nearly as many radio-tracking devices available on the market as there are GPS trackers.  However, in general, they are smaller and more suitable for most cats.  You may be tempted to try the cheaper option of a Bluetooth tracker such as Tile, but these generally aren't as reliable as a radio-tracker.  Bluetooth trackers are designed to find lost things and aren't designed to safely stay on a cat collar.  Before making any purchase, be sure to check out reviews on their site and a trusted third-party site like Amazon or Ebay.  Based on my research and experience, these are the radio-trackers that I recommend.

TabCat Pet Tracker (a.k.a. Loc8tor Pet)

TabCat (also called Loc8tor Pet) is one of the smallest, affordable cat radio-tracking devices.  The tracker comes with two transmitter tags and one receiver, and you can buy up to two additional tags.  Easy to use; just turn on the small handheld receiver, select the missing cat's tag, and start searching.  Once the radio-tag's signal is picked up, the receiver will begin to beep and flash, and the closer you get to your cat, the louder and brighter it will get.  Once you are quite close, you can turn off the volume, and listen for the beeping of the radio-tag attached to your cat's collar.  

The biggest drawback of TabCat is its relatively short range of only 400 feet in open terrain.  If your cat is outside of this range, then you need to search around until you pick up a signal.  Realistically it will pick up a signal within 200-300 feet if your cat is in the woods or only 50 feet if your cat is stuck in a basement.  However, even with the short range, it often works well for escaped indoor-only cats since they usually hide nearby.  I have had a few cases where it helped locate lost outdoor-access cats.  First the general location of the cat was determined with posters, and then they were able to go to that location and quickly track down their cat with the locator.  My own cats Lily and Violet are still wearing their Loc8tor Pet trackers, which I purchased in 2015.  

Where to Buy TabCat

Tabcat is available from Amazon.com or directly from Tabcat.

Marco Polo Pet Tracker

If you want a radio-tracker with longer range and more reliability, then you should check out the Marco Polo.  Easy to set up and use; just press a single button to start searching, and Marco Polo will scan up to 2-miles (in open terrain).  As soon as your cat is located, you will receive real-time distance and direction feedback to help track down your cat.  Marco Polo is the highest rated radio-tracker pet locator on Amazon.com. 

Where to Buy Marco Polo

Marco Polo is available on Amazon.com and often includes free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime.