When the cats away...
Ever wondered where your feline friends roam OR whether they are being fed by neighbours? Well, curiosity has finally filled this cat owner, so I arranged for fun-loving, adventurer Mia to test two popular cat trackers.
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SUE RINALDI
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PawTrax Micro v Loc8tor Pet PawTrax Micro – GPS Cat Tracker Sounding like the lion of all cat trackers…a 58mm x 23mm x 11mm dongle weighing 23g, housed in a water-resistant pouch, it attaches to a safety collar and is intelligent enough to enter sleep mode when inactive. Web platform access in OSM, Google or Bing maps costs an extra £25 per year and shows real-time location, today’s locations, battery level and allows you to set zones that if broken, alerts you by email. The tracker needs a compatible SIM - costs vary according to the amount of mobile updates requested. After following clear instructions, charging and pairing the dongle with my mobile, fitting Mia with her wearable tech was easy. It was fascinating to monitor her travels - the tracker performed excellently (even when wet) and the web platform was illuminating. I’m also glad to report, Mia is not eating out! Available £125 - www.pawtrax.co.uk
Loc8tor Pet The Loc8tor mini-tag device is less comprehensive and consequently wields less of a financial impact on the household budget, but triumphed in finding Mia and attracting her home every time. The box includes a 6mm-slim handset, 2 minitags weighing 5 grams each, batteries and all the accessories needed. Registering and assigning the tags to the handset is well explained, and once the tag is attached to the collar, your detective work is straightforward. Press the assigned number of the required pet on the handset and as you get closer, the lights on the handset change colour and the pitch and frequency of the beeps increase. A range of up to 122 metres is estimated but with Mia, as soon as the tag was activated, she simply appeared from nowhere and came home. Result! If mapping your cat’s expedition is just a little too ‘Marco Polo’…then the Loc8tor is a suitable choice! Available £64.99 - www.loc8tor.com/uk/
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Summer 2014