Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Cat trackers are an important useful resource for cat dad and mom, whether or not your cat ventures outdoors each day or solely escapes the home infrequently. Whereas there are numerous monitoring methodologies obtainable, GPS trackers like Tractive’s CAT 6 Mini are the very best match for many cat dad and mom. They permit you to observe your cat at any distance, as long as they continue to be within the nation and the tracker is ready to entry cell service.
The CAT 6 Mini stands out among the many competitors resulting from its well being monitoring options, which permit cat dad and mom to watch 4 elements of their cats’ well being and obtain alerts for uncommon patterns.
I examined the CAT 6 Mini by myself indoor cat and ran it by some extra testing to find out the accuracy of its GPS monitoring. On this overview, we’ll go over how the machine capabilities, its execs and cons, and whether or not it’s well worth the worth.
Why Belief Cats.com
After testing earlier Tractive cat trackers, our staff was excited to get our palms on the Tractive CAT 6 Mini.
The Tractive CAT 6 Mini improves on Tractive’s different merchandise, together with the unique Tractive CAT Mini, which we reviewed early this yr. As somebody who has examined each, I’ll present some comparisons on this overview, however the main focus can be on the efficiency of the Tractive CAT 6 Mini itself.
I examined the product on my indoor-only cat, paying shut consideration to her consolation degree whereas carrying the tracker and the accuracy of the well being monitoring capabilities. I additionally used the Bluetooth monitoring characteristic to seek out her round the home.
To check the GPS monitoring, I introduced the collar with me on a number of outings. I additionally had a member of the family drive across the neighborhood with out me to see how precisely it may pinpoint their location when my cellphone wasn’t close by.
Though our staff obtained this product totally free, all opinions I share immediately are my very own.
Tractive CAT 6 Mini and Model Overview
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Tractive was based in 2012 and launched its first pet tracker in 2014. Since then, the corporate has expanded outdoors of Austria and into america.
Tractive has additionally launched a number of iterations of its canine and cat trackers, every bettering on issues like battery life, monitoring capabilities, and pet consolation. Since buying Whistle, one other pet expertise firm, its trackers have additionally been upgraded to incorporate well being monitoring capabilities.
The corporate at the moment sells three trackers for canines and one mannequin for cats. The CAT 6 Mini encompasses a slimmer design than the earlier mannequin in addition to an built-in breakaway collar, improved battery life, and coronary heart and respiratory price monitoring.
Though the CAT 6 Mini has well being monitoring options, it isn’t a medical machine and can’t diagnose well being points.
Tractive CAT 6 Mini Options
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
The Tractive CAT 6 Mini comes with its personal SIM card and tracks your cat’s location utilizing GPS and mobile networks. Arrange protected zones within the app and obtain alerts when your cat crosses into harmful places, or observe them in actual time utilizing reside monitoring which updates each few seconds. Reside Monitoring additionally tells you what number of miles or toes away your cat is and how briskly they’re touring.
In case your cat is close by, you too can use Radar mode, which makes use of Bluetooth to inform you whether or not you’re getting nearer or additional out of your cat. Activate the collar’s LED gentle to seek out your cat extra simply in the dead of night or have it play a quiet tune in order that while you’re shut.
The most important factor differentiating the CAT 6 Mini from earlier fashions (and from most different cat trackers available on the market) is its coronary heart and respiratory price monitoring. After the collar has been worn for seven days, it learns what’s regular in your cat and is ready to start monitoring. You possibly can then view each day and weekly studies within the well being tab of the app, alongside exercise and sleep monitoring. In case your cat’s exercise ranges or vitals go outdoors their regular bounds, you’ll obtain a well being alert by way of notification.
Every day and weekly studies deliver your cat’s well being, exercise, and sleep information collectively in a single place. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
Monitor well being developments over time with each day and weekly studies, plus exercise and sleep information. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
The app’s Well being tab combines coronary heart and respiratory information with exercise and sleep insights. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
View each day and weekly well being studies within the app, alongside exercise and sleep monitoring. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
The CAT 6 Mini stands out with built-in coronary heart and respiratory price monitoring. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
One other standout characteristic is the tracker’s lengthy battery life, which lasts as much as one week with energy saving zones and as much as 4 days outdoors of energy saving zones.
The collar’s design is much less cumbersome than most trackers I’ve examined, and for the reason that tracker is built-in right into a breakaway collar, you don’t need to buy your individual or fiddle with tracker mounts.
The CAT 6 Mini requires a premium Tractive subscription, which is billed yearly at charges between $6–$12 per thirty days. (As a way to get the $6/month plan, you have to pay for 5 years up entrance.) You can not obtain a partial refund for a canceled plan, although Tractive does supply a full refund for those who cancel inside 30 days of buy.
What We Preferred:
- Monitor your cat at any time and from any distance, as long as they continue to be in america
- With two close by monitoring strategies, you too can simply discover indoor cats who’re hiding beneath furnishings
- Monitor your cat’s well being and conduct, together with their sleep, exercise ranges, and resting respiratory and coronary heart charges
- Obtain alerts for uncommon well being patterns or in case your cat goes outdoors of designated protected zones, which might be personalized inside the app
- Machine is slimmer and extra comfy than most GPS trackers and comes with an built-in breakaway collar
- Battery lasts as much as 7 days inside energy saving zones and as much as 4 days with out energy saving
What We Didn’t Like:
- Subscription plans are solely billed yearly, not month-to-month
- Not for cats beneath 7 kilos
What Did Our Take a look at Cats Assume?
Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
My first impression of the CAT 6 Mini is that it’s a lot slimmer than different GPS trackers I’ve tried, together with Tractive’s CAT Mini. It additionally comes built-in right into a breakaway collar, so there aren’t any tracker mounts to assemble.
Setup was straightforward. I merely charged the collar, linked it to the cellphone app, and put it on my cat! She appeared very comfy within the collar, virtually appearing like she didn’t discover it in any respect. This hasn’t been the case for bulkier monitoring units, so I used to be pleasantly stunned.
The tracker appears thoughtfully designed and improves enormously on the unique CAT Mini for my part. I favored that it charged shortly and had a great battery life, so I didn’t need to continually take it on and off my cat. This additionally meant that the well being monitoring was extra constant and correct than different health-monitoring units I’ve tried.
Whereas testing the tracker indoors, I used to be capable of simply discover my cat utilizing Radar mode. Usually I’d use the flashlight on my cellphone to look beneath beds and different furnishings, however as an alternative I used to be capable of activate the LED lights on the collar and simply peek shortly to see if something was glowing!
Radar mode makes use of Bluetooth to indicate whether or not you’re getting nearer to your cat, whereas the LED gentle and sound allow you to discover them sooner. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com
The GPS monitoring outside additionally labored properly, each once I was with the tracker and once I despatched a member of the family away with it. The battery life does drain sooner in Reside Monitoring mode, which may very well be an issue for those who’re having hassle discovering your cat and the collar is already low on battery.
The tracker does have a reasonably lengthy battery life, nonetheless, and enters energy saving mode whereas in vary of your Wi-Fi. It’s also possible to arrange extra energy saving zones in order that the tracker makes use of much less battery life whereas your cat is in protected areas.
What Do Prospects Consider the Tractive CAT 6 Mini?
We had been capable of take a look at the Tractive CAT 6 Mini shortly after its launch. On the time of writing, there aren’t any opinions on Chewy, and the product isn’t but listed on Amazon.
Optimistic Critiques
Optimistic opinions on Tractive’s personal web site reward the machine for being correct and simple to make use of, which matches the experiences of our personal reviewers as properly.
Different highlights embrace an extended battery life in comparison with different trackers available on the market, nice close by monitoring choices, and well being and exercise monitoring that notifies cat dad and mom of modifications in exercise or resting vitals.
Unfavorable Critiques
From opinions on older merchandise, the highest criticism about Tractive’s monitoring units typically appears to be the subscription pricing. In fact, all GPS trackers require a month-to-month service payment to work, just like your mobile phone. Nonetheless, cat house owners understandably get annoyed that the collar received’t observe their cat with out an energetic subscription and that Tractive doesn’t supply month-to-month fee choices.
A number of reviewers additionally complain about poor buyer assist and inaccuracies with GPS monitoring. Though this wasn’t our expertise with the tracker, it might rely in your space.
General, Is the Tractive CAT 6 Mini a Good Selection?
I discovered the CAT 6 Mini to be among the best cat trackers I’ve examined, and the well being monitoring supplies worth for each indoor and outside cats.
I may see myself buying this one solely for well being monitoring, particularly since my cats are throughout 12 years outdated. When you’ve gotten senior cats, well being issues can sneak up on you! Immediate veterinary remedy makes an enormous distinction, and with the ability to simply view your cat’s exercise ranges, coronary heart price, and respiratory price within the app means that you can discover modifications sooner than you may in any other case.
In fact, the tracker may even observe down door-dashers and escape artists, in addition to outside cats who roam too removed from house. That stated, unsupervised free roaming won’t ever be protected for cats, and no tracker must be used as an alternative choice to supervision and containment.
For my part, the CAT 6 Mini’s solely draw back is the yearly subscription plan. Nevertheless, even that is balanced out by the peace of thoughts you’ll get from understanding the place your cat is always and receiving priceless insights into their well being.
