“Lost cat” posters are multiplying in building lobbies and in the streets… So, to find their pet more easily and reassure themselves, owners are adopting 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, returning home every evening. “One evening, he didn’t come back and it lasted three days before we managed to find him near the building opposite.” tells us the young woman who didn’t sleep 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 horrible news. “We were afraid that he had been attacked by another animal, or that he had been hit by a car.” Stroke of luck: a neighbor finally saw Milo, recognizing 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 attached an AirTag around its neck making it easier to find…
While this may seem like a good solution for geolocating your dog or cat, this gadget would ultimately not be recommended. AirTags are indeed perfect for finding all our lost objects (or almost all) in the blink of an eye. All you have to do is attach it to our smartphone, our wallet or our keys so you never find yourself without anything. In fact, the 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 necks of pets. It could even represent a danger and Apple does not recommend its use for animals. Indeed, there is a real risk in the event of ingesting the small battery present in the AirTags: several cases have been reported, particularly in dogs. Additionally, AirTags (which have a range of 50 meters) are not so effective when they are too far from the network to be located.
To reassure yourself 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 differ depending on the brand and model, some of which require a subscription.