“Lost cat” posters multiply in building lobbies and on the streets… So to find their pet easier and reassure themselves, the owners use an effective method, but which would not be without consequences.
A few weeks ago, Camille lost her cat Milo, who used to go out into the garden and walk around and return home every evening. “One evening he did not come back, and it was three days before we managed to find him near the building opposite.” says the young woman who hasn’t slept a wink. During these three days, she put up posters in the hope of finding him, hoping that the neighborhood would not come to tell her terrible news. “We were afraid that he had been attacked by another animal or that he had been hit by a car.” Lucky stroke: A neighbor finally saw Milo and recognized him thanks to a heart-shaped spot on his stomach. Since their reunion, Camille no longer wants to relive this anguish and has taken the lead: to avoid losing her pet again, she put an AirTag around its neck, making it easier to find…
While this may seem like a good solution for geo-locating your dog or cat, ultimately this gadget will not be recommended. AirTags are actually perfect for finding all our lost items (or almost all) in an instant. All you have to do is attach it to our smartphone, our wallet or our keys, so you’re never left without anything. In fact, AirTag allows us to locate the lost object using a Bluetooth signal directly sent to our phone, or even a Mcbook, an iPad or our Apple Watch. An effective tip therefore for finding personal belongings lost at home.
However, AirTags are not intended to be hung around the neck of pets. It may even pose a danger, and Apple does not recommend its use on animals. Indeed, there is a real risk in case of ingestion of the small battery present in AirTags: several cases have been reported, especially in dogs. Additionally, AirTags (which have a range of 50 meters) are not as effective when they are too far from the network to be located.
To reassure you and geolocate your cat more effectively, GPS devices specially designed for cats or dogs are much more suitable: they attach to the animal’s collar and can have a range of several hundred meters. Among connected GPS collars, you have the choice between the brands Feelloo, Weenect, Kippy, Tractive, Girafus, Localiz, Tabcat or even Invoxia. Prices vary by make and model, some of which require a subscription.