// WIRED US/UK — HARDWARE & GADGET
Best Smart Cat Trackers of 2026: Fi Mini vs. Tractive
A smart cat tracker is like a wearable health-monitoring device, such as a smart ring, smartwatch, or fitness tracker, that helps people stay on top of key wellness markers—but for a cat.
Why should humans have all the fun? In addition to live and historical GPS location tracking that helps any helicopter cat parent rest easy, the Fi Mini, Tractive Smart Cat Tracker, and Tractive Cat 6 Mini monitor your furry friend's health metrics, like activity and sleep. The collars also send alerts for changes in health patterns, such as when your pet is moving less or sleeping more than average, which can serve as early warning signs of potential health issues.
For the better part of the year, I've been testing these trackers on my cat Basil, analyzing each device's location accuracy, sleep- and activity-tracking capabilities, and health summary metrics. I also considered practical factors, such as ease of use, product size, and battery life.
If you have a cat that also goes outdoors, these trackers are much more reliable and comprehensive than something like an AirTag because they determine positioning via satellite instead of the nearest Bluetooth signal. They'll also notify you if your cat leaves your designated “safe zone.”
Ultimately, each smart tracker has its own strengths. The best model for you and your cat depends on your priorities—if you value long battery life, the Fi Mini ($99) is the best choice. If you want advanced health features, the Tractive Cat 6 Mini ($77) is the best smart collar option.
Be sure to check out our related pet guides, like the Best Automatic Litter Boxes, Best Cat Water Fountains, Best Automatic Feeders, and Best Pet Cameras.
If tracking your cat's location is your top priority, Tractive (also called the Tractive Cat Mini) is the best option. Its historical heat maps show the areas your cat frequents, which is especially helpful for people with indoor–outdoor cats who roam large swaths of land.
However, note that all tested models rely on GPS for location tracking. This means that if the satellite signal is spotty—a common issue in rural areas and other settings—you may not know your cat's precise location. Some Reddit and Amazon reviewers complain that Tractive's location tracking is less accurate in areas with dense vegetation.
In setting up each tracker's connected app, you can designate specific mapped areas as safe or danger zones, and the app will notify you when the pet enters or exits these zones. Basil is an indoor cat, but with all three trackers, my apartment was too small to create a virtual fence around the perimeter, so I had to expand it to an area outside my apartment. That means if Basil got out but stayed nearby, I wouldn't get an alert.
In the Tractive app, after you create a profile, you'll get personalized daily activity goals for your cat based on statistics from other cats of similar age and weight. The app assigned Basil 120 to 230 minutes of daily activity and later reported that he was consistently more active than 70 percent of similar cats. I felt at peace knowing I'm keeping him on the move in my small apartment.