A tracker on a cat

We’ve had cats who wouldn’t tolerate a collar, others who did but would come home regularly without them, one who disappeared for several weeks then reappeared in the kitchen one day as though he’d never been away. One of our neighbour’s cats was found after wandering into someone else’s cellar and being locked in for a few days. When we “adopted” our last kittens, we were given a stern speech about how we should never let them out - we lasted two or three days of their pitiful pacing before we unlocked the cat flap. We’ve been lucky - all but one of ours were explorers, but never came to harm on the roads.

I do agree that cats need freedom, but of course understand our need to try to keep them safe. If we had another who’d accept one, I think we’d go down the cheap tracker route, to give us some peace of mind (and get him/her out of that cellar quickly if need be). It seems your girl’s given you no choice in the matter, Sparklefizz, so can only hope she stays safe and wish her a long and happy life.

I can't persuade her to wear a collar so I just have to trust that she keeps safe. She's a sweet little girl and I love her.

Here are our 2 (rescue) bundles of joy.

Just like the characters of children they are all different but they need a bit of guidance from us to keep them safe especially if they are rescue cats and nervous, or kittens just venturing out.

What I meant to say is that, you can’t change your cats proclivities. If they decide their territory covers the whole neighbourhood it will never change. They all have their own character preferences.

One of our cats years ago moved out to an elderly lady (probably younger than me now😊) who fed her off the fat of the land. Snowytoes became the fattest cat I’d ever seen but she was happy in her tubbiness😊

My little stray after giving me a few panics - we’ve had her 7 months now - has decided that her territory is the house and garden. She might stray outside of that once a month but that is all.

We do keep a close eye on her though.

My son has 2 cats. Both have always had trackers on their collars since the first time they ventured out.

Are you sure she will wear a collar?

My present cats won't. I gave up the attempt after buying the first ten collars or so for each cat.

Sadly, some cats will be run over or hit and fatally injured by cars if they are allowed out, but most if they survive their first summer have learned to take care.

Sorry if you’ve already considered this but what about a cat flap? I have one that only allows only my cat through it - it is battery operated and is easily programmed to respond only to his chip, so making sure that other cats can’t come in. It doesn’t stop me worrying about him but it does stop me wandering the streets looking for him.

Thank you so much.

The apple AirTag is nearly £30
(Enlarge photo to see retailer)

That too Noodlenut 😀

Not sure what happend there - I meant to quote TillyTrotter.

Cabowich

Sparklefizz - sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound stupid.

I've spent many an hour searching for my cats, worried sick about them. I did once contemplate buying a tracker - this was at 5am wandering round the neighbourhood whispering the cat's name.

The cats I have at the moment don't wander much, thank goodness, but I have been there - believe me.

And when they do go missing for, it's not knowing what's happened to them that's almost as bad as getting the bad news.

We also find it useful when she'd hiding at home!

Sparklefizz

BlueBelle

Let the little cat be free to roam that s just what cats need to do have little adventures, cats rarely go very far from their home they have an area but they need the freedom to live normally even if it’s more of a worry to the owner
That second idea of TillyTrotters sounds a good one

Thanks for that unsympathetic remark BlueBelle.
Maybe you've never loved and lost 2 pets within 18 months.

I really didn’t mean it to be unsympathetic Sparklefizz and yes I cried a lot over my last, very much loved cat who got run over in front of my eyes it killed me inside but I still believe cats should have a natural life and not be kept in houses
Again there was my beautiful little girl years before who I had for a long long time she came in at 10 pm every night without fail until one night she didn’t and I never saw her again I cried buckets over her I hunted for weeks

We just have a different idea of love and care that’s all.

Sparklefizz - sorry, I didn't mean to make you sound stupid.

I've spent many an hour searching for my cats, worried sick about them. I did once contemplate buying a tracker - this was at 5am wandering round the neighbourhood whispering the cat's name.

The cats I have at the moment don't wander much, thank goodness, but I have been there - believe me.

And when they do go missing for, it's not knowing what's happened to them that's almost as bad as getting the bad news.

It’s on the big River company 😉
- Apple air-tag cat collar . Current price £12.50 each. Adjustable, and quick release.

We want our cats to have freedom, but it is reassuring to be able to activate it’s bleep
- and we found our cats then return home. (No guarantee all cats will respond).
Useful at meal times 😻

We have an air-tag on ours.
Works well for us, although we have it more as she's now old and deaf. She doesn't wander far, but used to come back on hearing her treat rattled.
It doesnt tell you where they've been- just where they are at that moment. Just under £30, and the collars are around £5ish. (quick release)

The worst thing is not knowing what has happened to a beloved pet. I still think of Rosie, a little grey cat of mine that never came home. And my first cat that disappeared but we did find him years later[ he'd just gone to live with someone else]. It's broken my heart losing cats on the road but at least I knew what had happened to them. I tried having house cats with a cat pen but that didn't seem right, either. I stopped having cats because I was so stressed about them not coming home.

Thank you TillyTrotter, that's a great idea. Where did you get the special collar?

Cabowich

This is going to sound a bit harsh, but a tracker, whilst being able to track your cat, will in no way be able to stop her being run over.

Of course not, I'm not stupid, but at least it would save me walking the streets for an hour every night trying to find her, a prospect I don't relish for the autumn and winter.

BlueBelle

Let the little cat be free to roam that s just what cats need to do have little adventures, cats rarely go very far from their home they have an area but they need the freedom to live normally even if it’s more of a worry to the owner
That second idea of TillyTrotters sounds a good one

Thanks for that unsympathetic remark BlueBelle.
Maybe you've never loved and lost 2 pets within 18 months.

This is going to sound a bit harsh, but a tracker, whilst being able to track your cat, will in no way be able to stop her being run over.

Let the little cat be free to roam that s just what cats need to do have little adventures, cats rarely go very far from their home they have an area but they need the freedom to live normally even if it’s more of a worry to the owner
That second idea of TillyTrotters sounds a good one

Hi Sparklefizz
We have just been trying out the tracking available to cats. We found one suited us better than the other.
We did a trial with “Tractive”, advertised on TV but we thought the device too clumpy round a young cat’s neck (ours is 18 months old).
He lost it, and we did not find it. The tracker went dead.
Tractive refunded our 12 months subscription so the “trial period” is a very good idea.
Good luck with your adventurous cat - ours are too 😻

We are getting on better with Apple I-tags which slot into special collars, much neater for a cat’s small neck.
No subscription to pay; you connect it to your smart phone (like Apple luggage tags)
and you can get a good idea of where your cat is by looking on an app on your mobile.