Up to date October 17, 2021
Like most kitties nowadays, my cat is meant to be indoors. I say supposed, as a result of regardless of my greatest efforts, he doesn’t at all times agree.
Quick asleep he could seem, however as quickly as a door or window opens, up comes his periscope head. If you happen to aren’t fast sufficient, or the lock doesn’t click on, he’s gone. Subsequent factor, the entire household is out with torches (not the flaming form but it surely feels that means) till he’s discovered and returned.
We do that as a result of out of doors cats run a excessive threat of highway trauma, combat abscesses and FIV an infection. However typically he’s inconceivable to seek out. So I’ve at all times been enthusiastic about sensible tech to assist me, and just lately I invested in an AirTag.
Nevertheless, it will not be the most suitable choice.
Cat Monitoring Choices
Right here’s a abstract of the cat trackers out there in Australia and their execs and cons. Please notice that microchips don’t have any monitoring capacity and have to be actively scanned by a hand-held reader.
GPS Cat Trackers
These are units that use satellites to repair your cat’s place to inside metres. The sign is then often despatched again to your cellphone through a sim card and cell phone connection. Subsequently you want to guarantee that something you purchase will work within the nation the place you reside.
Execs are:
- Work anyplace there’s cellular reception
- The one dependable strategy to get actual time info
Cons are:
- Require an ongoing subscription to pay for cellular telephony
- Comparatively costly (from $100)
- The heaviest choice (from 30g)
- Require frequent recharging (each 5 days or so)
Bluetooth Trackers e.g Tile & BlaqWolf
These trackers use a downloadable app and the bluetooth sign in your smartphone to find your pet. The tracker is positioned in one in all two methods:
- If it’s inside bluetooth vary, through the use of the app in your cellphone
- When another person with the app comes inside vary
Execs are:
- Light-weight and will be connected to collars most often
- Cheaper
- Good battery life (round a 12 months)
Cons are:
- Restricted vary however in all probability greater than AirTag
- As soon as the cat is out of your bluetooth vary, you might be counting on different customers of the identical system to be close to it
Apple AirTag
Apple’s tracker additionally makes use of bluetooth. It shares the identical execs and cons as Tile and different bluetooth trackers, with one necessary exception: there are various extra customers. When marked as ‘misplaced’ it’s picked up by iPhones inside vary utilizing the Discover My function and a sign is shipped again to your cellphone.
AirTag can be utilized with non-Apple telephones as properly. An iPhone person who finds it may possibly additionally faucet it to disclose contact info.
Listed here are my private experiences:
- Its bluetooth vary appears very quick; inside the home I solely get round 10 metres earlier than it’s unfindable, or 20 metres outdoors.
- It weighs 18g together with holder which might be heavier than Tile however appears properly tolerated (extra on this later)
- I left it on a park strolling monitor and obtained a message about each 10 minutes with its location however this can rely on the variety of passers by
- In actual life many notifications shall be old-fashioned by the point you obtain them as your cat may have moved
- It doesn’t work when in movement; your cat must have stopped to be positioned
- It solely pairs to 1 Apple ID (it is a key distinction with app-based Bluetooth trackers); different units can use the FindMy function so long as they’re logged in as you
- It makes use of a CR2032 button battery, that are extraordinarily poisonous if swallowed (this hazard would primarily apply to canine)
- The shiny aspect will get very soiled (or do I simply have a unclean cat?)
Replace 2 Months Later…
My cat has escaped as soon as. The AirTag pinged off a neighbour’s cellphone. Nevertheless, till I marked him as ‘misplaced’ the notifications have been provided that I opened and checked the FindMy app.
He didn’t ping once more and waltzed again house an hour later. The AirTag didn’t assist discover him however did verify that he had escaped. So a partial success.
An Apple replace since launch implies that AirTags now beep at a random time between eight and 24 hours when separated from an iPhone. That is to stop them getting used for stalking, but it surely has the unintended consequence of your cat beeping unexpectedly.
How a lot this bothers them I can’t say however I might undoubtedly warn anybody who takes care of your cat when you are away, particularly cattery house owners.
Apple are additionally releasing an Android app later in 2021 in order that the tags will be detected by non-iPhone customers.
AirTag Cat Collar Attachment
I purchased the ‘Belkin Safe Holder with Keyring for AirTag’ for $20. The equipped keyring is simply too huge so I changed it with a small one and it hangs properly at my cat’s neck with out an excessive amount of swinging.
The holder will be written on however writing tends to rub off. I plan to evenly engrave the plastic with my cellphone quantity and tackle as an alternative. I’m avoiding engraving the AirTag itself till it’s out of guarantee (Apple supply free engraving however solely 4 characters or emojis).
I’ve seen particular cat collars with inserts for AirTag out there on-line however don’t know how safe or snug they’re.
Is The AirTag Price Shopping for For Cats?
Though the AirTag will not be designed for monitoring cats and has many critical flaws, it’s cheap and well-tolerated. So long as individuals perceive what it can’t do, its nice benefit is being detectable by the big variety of iPhone customers in your suburb.
In case your cat goes outdoors usually, and also you wish to know the place they go, a GPS tracker can be a a lot better choice. As a backup system for an indoor cat, my view is that it’s a worthwhile funding.
However my golly, how grateful will I be on your views (within the feedback under) in case you use any trackers!
Disclaimer: I’m no tech-head and will have made some fundamental errors so please don’t rely solely on this info! Maybe I ought to keep on with my day job as an alternative…
Now learn: Why Slamming The Door On Cats Is A Dangerous Thought
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By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his group right here.
