--- title: "Pet GPS trackers for dogs and cats: what to check first" canonical: https://smallgoodthings.org/reviews/pets/best-pet-gps-trackers-2026/ datePublished: 2026-10-23 --- # Pet GPS trackers for dogs and cats: what to check first GPS trackers with a built-in SIM, such as Tractive and Weenect, report your pet's location over the mobile network but need a paid subscription and regular charging. Bluetooth tags only update when a nearby phone passes, and Apple says its new AirTag is designed for objects, not pets. No tracker replaces the law: UK dogs must be microchipped by 8 weeks and wear a name-and-address tag in public, and cats in England must be microchipped by 20 weeks. - **Tractive DOG 6 GPS tracker** (Featured option, For dogs over 4 kg) — A 39 g cellular tracker with a built-in SIM, live location, virtual fences and an IP68 rating. Tractive lists up to 14 days of battery with Power Saving Zones and up to 6 days without. A subscription is required and is priced separately. - **Tractive CAT 6 Mini GPS tracker** (Featured option, For cats of 3 to 8 kg) — A 32 g tracker built into a collar with a safety release, for cats of 3 to 8 kg and necks of 19 to 23 cm. Tractive lists up to 7 days of battery with Power Saving Zones and up to 4 days without, and an IP68 rating. A subscription is required. - **Weenect XT GPS dog tracker** (Featured option, For longer gaps between charges) — A 54 g dog tracker with a multi-network SIM, updates as fast as every second and an IP68 rating. Weenect lists up to 3 weeks of battery with power-saving areas, or 1 week of continuous tracking. Each tracker needs its own subscription. - **Weenect XS GPS cat tracker** (Featured option, For the lightest cat tracker) — A 27 g cat tracker for cats from 3 kg, with an IP68 rating and a silicone attachment that fits other collars. Weenect lists up to 7 days of battery with WiFi power-saving zones, or 2 days of continuous tracking. It ships with an elasticated collar. ## A tracker does not replace a microchip GOV.UK says all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they are 8 weeks old. In England, cats must be microchipped and registered by 20 weeks old, including cats that usually stay indoors. You can be fined up to £500 if a required microchip is missing. Dogs must also wear a collar and tag with your name and address in a public place, under the Control of Dogs Order 1992. A tracker can help you find a pet quickly; the microchip and tag are what vets, wardens and rescue centres use to reunite you. ## GPS trackers and Bluetooth tags are different The four trackers below have a built-in SIM. They send your pet's location over the mobile network, so they work wherever there is signal, and they need a paid subscription. Bluetooth tags such as Apple's AirTag have no SIM or GPS. Their location only updates when a compatible phone passes nearby. Apple says its new AirTag is designed exclusively for tracking objects, not people or pets, so we have not included Bluetooth tags as picks. ## How to choose - Decide what you need: a GPS tracker with a built-in SIM gives live location over the mobile network. A Bluetooth tag has no SIM and only updates when a compatible phone passes nearby. - Check the subscription before you buy. Tractive and Weenect both need a plan, priced separately from the tracker, and each tracker needs its own plan. Read the cancellation terms. - Compare battery life with and without power-saving zones. Headline figures assume power-saving at home; continuous tracking runs the battery down faster. - Match the tracker to your pet's weight: Tractive DOG 6 is for dogs above 4 kg, Tractive CAT 6 Mini for cats of 3 to 8 kg and Weenect XS for cats from 3 kg. - For cats, use a quick-release (snap-open) collar. Cats Protection does not recommend elasticated collars. - Check mobile coverage where your pet actually roams. Cellular trackers depend on the mobile network, and Weenect says a good connection is needed for best performance. - Keep your pet's microchip registered with current details, and keep a name-and-address tag on your dog's collar in public, whatever tracker you use. ## Before you buy anything If your dog is always on a lead or within sight, or your cat stays indoors, a tracker adds little. The legal basics cost less and are what vets, wardens and rescue centres check: a microchip registered on a government-approved database with up-to-date details (dogs by 8 weeks; cats in England by 20 weeks, including indoor cats), plus a collar and tag with your name and address for dogs in public. If a pet does go missing, Dogs Trust advises contacting your microchip database, the council dog warden, and local vets and rehoming centres. ## Trackers at a glance Figures are quoted from each maker's page, checked on 23 October 2026. Battery figures are the makers' maximums. | Tracker | For | Weight | Battery (with power saving / without) | Water rating | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Tractive DOG 6](https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker-dog) | Dogs over 4 kg | 39 g | Up to 14 days / up to 6 days | IP68 | | [Tractive CAT 6 Mini](https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker-cat) | Cats 3–8 kg | 32 g with collar | Up to 7 days / up to 4 days | IP68 | | [Weenect XT](https://www.weenect.com/uk/en/gps-dog-tracker/) | Dogs | 54 g | Up to 3 weeks / 1 week continuous | IP68 | | [Weenect XS](https://www.weenect.com/uk/en/gps-cat-tracker/) | Cats from 3 kg | 27 g | Up to 7 days / 2 days continuous | IP68 | All four need a subscription to work. Method: Manufacturer product pages and guidance from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, Cats Protection, Dogs Trust and Apple checked on 23 October 2026. We compare documented specifications and subscription requirements; we have not tested these trackers, compared plan prices or verified current Amazon listings, sellers, stock or prices. Hands-on: no — research-based