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Loc8tor vs TabCat vs Girafus Review: Best Tracker? (Cats/Pets)

If you are looking for a tracker for your cat (or other pet), you may have heard of some of the top brand options such as Loc8tor, TabCat, and Girafus. But how do you know which one is ideal for you?

Which cat pet tracker is best Loc8tor, TabCat or Girafus?

This Loc8tor is my best choice (Click here to check availability on Amazon), this is because it is easy to locate your cat, uses RF (Radio Frequency) instead of GPS to save on subscriptions and can be used for locating valuables too.

Now that you know which one I feel is best, let me go on to share with you a couple of other options, why I chose this over the others, the similarity of loc8tor & TabCat and more. Keep reading…

Quick Cat/Pet Tracker Comparison

DescriptionImageMy Rating
01. Loc8tor Pet Tracker (Best option)
Click here for the price on Amazon		5 stars
02. TabCat Pet Tracker
Click here for the price on Amazon
03. Girafus Cat Tracker
Click here for the price on Amazon		4 stars

Tracker Features to look out for

Before you buy a pet tracker, it is important to understand what important features you should look out for. Therefore, in this section, I will share with you some of these to help you.

  • RF Technology.
  • Good Range.
  • Compact & Light.

RF Technology

RF stands for Radio Frequency. This should be offered instead of a GPS (Global Positioning System). This is because GPS typically requires an ongoing subscription cost. Whereas the devices reviewed today have a one-ff cost.

Good Range

It goes without saying that a good range is mandatory. The whole idea is to track your kitty, right? Then, therefore, you need to make sure that you have adequate range to keep track of her. The trackers reviewed in this article all have good ranges.

Compact & Light.

Remember, this device is going to be carried by your cat. Therefore the size and weight is important, right? If it is too heavy, she is likely to refuse to wear it or attempt to remove it. If your cat is uncomfortable or unhappy wearing it, you will end up wasting your investment. Best to avoid this by getting a light/compact model.

Best Tracker (Loc8tor vs Tabcat vs Girafus)

In this section, I will compare 3 of these tracker devices to help you understand which one is best for you.

01. Loc8tor Pet Tracker (Best option)

Click here for availability on Amazon

Pros:

  • Simple to locate your kitty.
  • Accurate location (compared to GPS).
  • No ongoing fees.
  • Locate pets (as well as valuables).
  • Light & Compact.

Cons:

  • Battery cover quite loose.
  • Battery life could be better.

What I like about the Loc8tor Pet Tracker:

The Loc8tor is a nice piece of kit. One of the best features is the ability to locate your cat quite simply. This is because it uses RF instead of GPS technology. The manufacturer claims that it can locate your cat with great accuracy, in fact, they say within one inch of its location.

Another benefit of using RF instead of GPS is the fact that there is no ongoing costs. You just have a one-off cost, then you can use it again, over and over again.

Finally, there is the additional benefit of using this device to locate your valuables. It can easily be attached to a valuable item and tracked in the same manner as your cat, cool, huh?

What I do not like about the Loc8tor Pet Tracker:

Like most good things, there is always something to moan about. And, unfortunately, this device is no different. However, they are not real deal breakers, in my opinion.

Firstly, the battery cover. It is a bit loose in my opinion. Not a major issue, but I feel that it could be improved if it’s tightened up.

And, while we are on the topic of the battery, I want to mention the battery life. It’s not the worst, but it could be improved.

02. TabCat Pet Tracker

Click here for availability on Amazon

Pros:

  • Easy to locate your cat (Audio & Visual cues).
  • Light & compact.
  • Great range.
  • RF Technology.

Cons:

  • Obstacles reduce range.
  • The casing is quite fragile.

What I like about the TabCat Pet Tracker:

Firstly, this device makes it nice & easy to find your cat. It uses audio and visual cues to help guide you right up to your cat. The audio is a simple beeping sound.

Another thing I like is the size, it is nice and light with a compact size. The worse thing is to have a large awkward device that your cat will almost refuse to use, right? According to the vendor, it weighs as little as 0.2 ounces, which is ideal, in my opinion.

The TabCat has a great theoretical range also, there is a reason why I say theoretical (more on this later). They state as much as 400ft range.

It also uses RF technology so you can avoid costly GPS tracking subscriptions.

What I do not like about the TabCat Pet Tracker:

Earlier I mentioned “theoretical range”, and promised I would elaborate on this later. Well, one issue I have with this is the ability for the range to be interrupted by objects, such as trees, lamposts, etc. Basically you need a direct line of sight to get the max distance.

Finally, the casing of the device (rubber), is a bit flimsy in my opinion. This could be strengthened to improve its performance.

03. Girafus Cat Tracker

Click here for availability on Amazon

Pros:

  • Uses RF Technology (Easier to find & avoid subscriptions).
  • Works In house or out.
  • No Subscription.
  • Long detection range.
  • Track up to four pets.

Cons:

  • Beep is quite a weak sound.
  • Activates in close range.

What I like about the Girafus Cat Tracker:

This tracker also uses RF technology. This is for the same reasons as the other two devices, it can pinpoint your cat easily without the need for subscribing to an ongoing service.

The vendor claims that it can find your cat, regardless if it is in another house hiding, for example, your friend next door, or even a basement.

It is expected to cover a long-range (up to five hundred meters). This is great because not many claims to cover this range. However, this has to be with line-of-sight. Therefore, it can be cut short if an object is blocking it.

Lastly, one of the things I like about this device is the scalability. Meaning, you can use it with up to 4 pets (four tags). So, if you have a big family of pets, this is ideal.

What I do not like about the Girafus Cat Tracker:

Now, for the observations that I need to let you know about. It has an audio alert telling you where your cat is hiding. Don’t get me wrong, this is great. But, the sound is easily muffled by everyday objects, such as a bed, etc. Meaning you can’t find your cat until she appears again, are you with me?

Lastly, this one is more of a minor thing. In fact, you may even say its not really an issue. But, if your cat is really close it still beeps and indicates, which is a bit obvious in my opinion.

Related Questions:

In this section, I will answer some questions related to pet trackers and cats. If you have any more related questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Are Loc8tor & Tabcat the same thing?

Yes, essentially they are the same. The only fundamental difference is the name and the Tabcat also comes with additional cases. These protective cases are great because they help to attach the device to your cat.

How is RF different from GPS trackers?

RF uses radio frequencies. It uses these frequencies to communicate from the tag and the handset. The frequency strength is important because it helps the device to work out the distance & location.

GPS devises use the Global Positioning System. This is a global system, the same as what we use in our mobiles for sat-nav. It can pick up a location anywhere on the planet and can be used in any weather.

The downfalls of the GPS versions is the size and weight. As well as this, the battery life is typically poor. As well as usually requiring a subscription cost.

Can you put a tile on your cat?

Yes, you can use a tile on your cat. But, it’s not ideal because it uses Bluetooth technology instead of GPS or RF. This means that you can not necessarily track it in real-time like you can with the later.

Tile has a community of users that will help to detect its whereabouts, but it is not specifically made for this business case.

Is there a GPS chip for cats?

No, the microchips typically used for cats is based on RFID technology. Meaning that your cat will identifiable on a permanent basis using Radio Frequencies, not GPS. One of the reasons for this is to avoid using a battery, which is not required for RFID.

Do all GPS trackers need a SIM card?

Yes, most GPS trackers do need a sim card. This is because it typically relies on the SIM to communicate with the GPS satellite. This is required for sending and receiving data. Similar to how smartphones use them.