Great Feline Escape Artists: Keeping Track of Wandering Cats

Chocnut wearing her Bluetooth tracker collar. Photos by Flickr/Jep.

Cats are natural escape artists

Cats are remarkable creatures, often surprising us with their cunning and resourcefulness. My experiences with my three feline companions - Nougat, Marmalade, and Kitkat - have shown me just how clever they can be.

Take Nougat, for instance. I have always considered him the most intelligent of my cats. He has mastered the art of opening a sliding door, using his claws to hook onto the gap between the door and the jamb and pushing it along its rails with sheer determination. He has also learned how to open the front door by turning the lever of the door knob from the inside. Luckily, Nougat is a bit of an agoraphobe and would panic if taken outside, so I don’t face frequent escapes with him.

Marmalade, on the other hand, is a stealthy ninja. He waits for the perfect moment to dart through the door as I leave the house, often disappearing into the outdoors for hours or even days. I usually find him disheveled and covered in scratches, a testament to his ongoing rivalry with our neighbor's tomcat, who I’ve nicknamed “Noisy Cat.”

And then there’s Kitkat, who enjoys a more measured routine. He used to wait patiently by the glass door for me to come home, and his welcoming ritual involved rolling on the concrete and showing his tummy. He’d willingly follow me inside afterward. However, his calm demeanor would vanish the moment he spotted the neighborhood squirrel, often leading him to chase it beyond the fence. It would then take hours before he shows up again and there's no telling how far he has ventured from his squirrel hunts.

These stories highlight the challenges of keeping cats safe while respecting their instincts. Though Kitkat is microchipped - a necessity when I brought him over from Malaysia to the Philippines - this is more helpful if someone picks him up as a stray. The real challenge lies in finding him if he wanders off. This is where GPS or Bluetooth trackers come into play.

Choosing the Right Tracker for Your Pets

When selecting a tracking device, there are several factors to consider: battery life, range, accuracy, ease of use, and compatibility. Let’s explore the two main options available:

GPS Trackers

Precise location tracking.
Can be used worldwide in open areas, requiring visibility to at least three satellites for accurate triangulation.
Short battery life and can be bulky for smaller pets.
Higher cost compared to Bluetooth trackers.

Bluetooth Trackers

Limited range but can leverage networks like Google’s Find My Device, Samsung’s SmartThings Find, and Apple’s Find My Network.
Long-lasting battery life, often lasting years.
Enhanced features like Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for precise tracking, though this requires a compatible phone and is available in select higher-end models.

The Case for Bluetooth Trackers

Peace of Mind

Bluetooth trackers provide pet owners with real-time location updates, ensuring you can quickly locate your pet if they wander off.

User-Friendly

These devices are simple to set up and use, often paired with a smartphone app for convenience.

Affordable

Compared to GPS trackers, Bluetooth options are more cost-effective with no recurring subscription fees.

Additional Features

Geofencing: Receive alerts if your pet leaves a designated area.
Activity monitoring: Track your pet’s health and exercise levels.

Lightweight and Durable

Designed for comfort, Bluetooth trackers are typically waterproof and unobtrusive, making them ideal for pets.

Whether dealing with an escape artist like Marmalade or a curious chaser like Kitkat, investing in a tracking device can bring invaluable peace of mind. Bluetooth trackers, with their affordability and versatility, stand out as a practical solution for pet owners. Options like Tile, Chipolo ONE, and other brands offer excellent features to enhance your pet’s safety. Take that proactive step today - your feline friend deserves it.

As you might have guessed from my previous article, I have opted for the Motorola Moto Tag. I have heard of the vast improvements in Google's Find My Device Network. The form factor is also almost the same as Apple's Air Tags so it should be compatible with the wide array of 3rd-party peripherals that are meant to work with the Air Tag. There's also the bonus of the configurable button on the device itself that can be used as a Bluetooth camera shutter for your phone or can be configured to ring your phone when pushed.

It has been several months since I purchased it and so far the performance has been a mixed bag. It works as advertised as a tracker. Any limitation on the functionality of the Find My Device Network is more of a Google problem rather than a Motorola problem so I couldn't fault them on that. I have to admit that the responsiveness of the network and the frequency of pings has grown leaps and bounds since the update in the first quarter of 2025. Before that, it was horrible. I was never able to make Motorola's companion app to work on my phone, so I was not able to configure the button on the tracker device. You can check out my review of the Moto Tag on my other blog.