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GPS cat tracker recs for my CDS cat?

478 points · submitted Feb 2026 by u/Similar-Programmer68 · Advice Requested · archived

This little turd self-adopted a couple months ago. I thought he was a girl but turns out he was just neutered. Alas he had already been named Daisy. Mr. Daisy now wears the clown collar when he goes out as his kill counts include 2 geckos, 2 songbirds, a muskrat, and a hummingbird (sob). He still demands outdoor time in addition to living a life of indoor luxury but thankfully hasn't brought home any new trophies since receiving his clown collar.

I'm wondering what he gets up to and where he goes on his jaunts...looking for a GPS tracker that will provide a map of his travels. I dont need a camera on it- would prefer something smaller than doesnt impede his escapades. Any reccomendations to unravel this CDS cat's adventures?

34 comments · 96% upvoted · source · other discussions

comments

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MystriaMazin 27 points · Feb 2026

LOVE the clown collar 🤣 😹

Similar-Programmer68 [OP] 30 points · Feb 2026

Its supposed to be anti-hunting mode with its colors and a reflective stripe to warn the birdies that danger is around!

delladoug 14 points · Feb 2026

It does something anyway.

Tina-Tuna 7 points · Feb 2026 · CDS Meowderator

I was wondering how it worked as Link could still eat in his and it was huge compared to your boys 😁

Cat tax included

https://preview.redd.it/eid771n13vlg1.jpeg?width=2114&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=489001dbbc83e46349761dc935013a0a3194adce

[deleted] 18 points · Feb 2026

If he needs to.go outside, if you have any space, any chance you guys could create a catio for him? That way he could get outside time and not kill the wildlife or risk getting hurt by something else. I understand the difficulties wrangling the adoption of an indoor/outdoor cat. Iur cat is an escape artist. After we brought her a mini catio to hangout in from amazon for the side of our house (looks like a tall rabbit hutch) her escape attempts dropped significantly.

Plane-Gap6483 18 points · Feb 2026

Air tag? They have cat collars for them.

brigitvanloggem 15 points · Feb 2026

I think an AirTag, being bluetooth, will work in iPhone-dense areas only. OP will most likely need something GPS-based with its own power of transmission. Trackers such as Tractive actually have a SIM card built in.

VincentVan_Dough 3 points · Feb 2026

Yep. AirTag. I got a breakaway collar with holder on Amazon and popped a spare one in.

https://preview.redd.it/yb7f3m4mdvlg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89ca191dae1fa38be42142fef61a071c6292dddc

SirWEM 1 points · Mar 2026

We got air tags for our aggie a year or so. The thing to know even in Iphone dense locations they only seem to work for about 60-90 feet. Otherwise i’ll get a notification she has left the area. For actual tracking Amazon sells cat sized GPS units. Most are subscription based but it is actual GPS that can be used for animal tracking.

Devi_Moonbeam 10 points · Feb 2026

Can you build him a catio?

geekyheart225 25 points · Feb 2026

Does he have to go out? (Just thinking of cars, mean people, and predators)

mspolytheist 23 points · Feb 2026

Bad for the cat, bad for the local small rodents and birds. Bad all around. Keep the kitty inside!

geekyheart225 13 points · Feb 2026

My aunt lets her cat explore outside but only when supervised bc he's an absolute menace. He attacks birds, squirrels and chipmunks, and the neighbor's husky. 😂 They asked her to NOT let him out bc he terrorizes the dog. So now he gets supervision.

Edit bc I missed a word. I'm not great at typing.

philoso2889 2 points · Feb 2026

Agree!

timesuck897 3 points · Feb 2026

Once they have a taste of the outdoors, it’s hard to keep them indoors. Maybe a catio?

SirWEM 1 points · Mar 2026

We were very lucky when Aggie got out. I think it was to overwhelming for her. We searched and searched, then found her crying huddled under a pile of leaves by the corner of the house. She hasn’t tried escaping again. Thats not to say she probably wouldn’t go after a squirrel.

LeakingMoonlight 4 points · Feb 2026

My Humane Society adopted four year old tabby was feral. She stays inside, safe.

I hung the patio and a set of window curtains 1 foot shorter than the correct size. Kitty always has access to look outside, and she hunts the birds from inside.

xmnstn 11 points · Feb 2026

We use Tractiv for our two cats and pretty happy with them. Trackers cost around $40 and subscription is about $5-10/month depending on subscription length. Just remember that you can see where your cat is, but it doesn't keep them from getting into trouble. We found out the hard way with one of our babies 😿

Similar-Programmer68 [OP] 2 points · Feb 2026

Thanks I will look into that!

Severe-Elderberry833 2 points · Feb 2026

Seconding Tractive, even though I have only used them for dogs. The occasional alert of ‘Osa is outside her boundary!!!’ is worth it, even when it’s due to the collar being in a car traveling at 65 MPH on the highway 🤣

turnippants 1 points · Feb 2026

I use Tractive as well and have been happy with it.

alienmouse1 4 points · Feb 2026

Besides his sins, he is a beautiful SIC!

brigitvanloggem 5 points · Feb 2026

I have a Tractive. By default it updates every five minutes I think, but there is a short-term ‘live mode’ that shows you exactly where kitty is right now. That takes a lot of power, though, which is why it’s not on by default. The idea is you turn that on for short bursts when needed.

giocondasmiles 5 points · Feb 2026

Why does it need to go out?

seeafillem6277 1 points · Feb 2026

Why does a child need to go out? Yeah, downvote me to hell, I don't care.

My_PlacetoVent 1 points · Mar 2026

Just like cats, children need supervision when outside so that they don’t get hurt or hurt others

-roachboy 0 points · Feb 2026

children don't tend to cause extinction events when let outside unsupervised

seeafillem6277 -1 points · Feb 2026

Yet some of them can do a lot of damage. Let's be real about that. Just look at the world around you. Also, weren't cats considered wild animals before they were domesticated?

-roachboy 2 points · Feb 2026

yes, and they had limited ranges they were adapted to. it is people's fault that an invasive species is global, and it's our responsibility to not let them decimate small animal populations.

starzychik01 1 points · Feb 2026

AirTag if he doesn’t go far and you could keep a bell on the collar to let the local fauna know he is near. My girl puts her airtag on before she goes out and I can ring it if she is close enough (100ft radius). She is a terrible hunter, so I don’t really have to worry about her bringing home gifts.

honey_butterflies 1 points · Feb 2026

https://preview.redd.it/75utld31c0mg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5527a7c10e9c9f87e0abe4a199e7d8fab8e95363

AirTag! this is an old picture and I’ve since screwed the tag into the actual collar but… get an AirTag or a Tile. now he isn’t an outdoor cat but we go on supervised walks together. he also is just an escape artist. the tag is one line of protection… last resort is the microchip.

eastbaypluviophile 1 points · Feb 2026 · Owned by a Void and Very Norty Torbie

I used a Jiobit for my cat. It had good accuracy and I could see where he was anytime, anywhere. He’s been gone a few years now so I’m sure there are better options available these days.

UpbeatAbility9759 -1 points · Feb 2026

Fuck this collar!!!!!!!!