Two GPS trackers with their own mobile connection, compared for cats.
Both need a subscription and give cats live GPS tracking, safe zones with escape alerts, and activity and sleep insights. Tractive’s CAT 6 Mini is made for cats from 3 to 8 kg, built into a safety-release collar, and Tractive states it monitors resting heart and breathing rate and works in more countries: a tracker made for smaller cats. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker fits cats over 4 kg and adds vets in the same app (with Premium), a touchscreen that shows alerts and a QR pet ID.
Ask A Vet GPS Tracker figures come from our product page. Tractive figures are quoted from Tractive’s own pages. “Not listed” means Tractive’s pages do not mention it.
| Feature | Ask A Vet GPS Tracker | Tractive CAT 6 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | GPS tracker with its own mobile connection and a colour touchscreen | GPS tracker built into a cat collar, with a built-in SIM card |
| How it finds your pet | GPS, plus Wi-Fi, mobile masts and your phone over Bluetooth when it is nearby | GPS, GLONASS and Galileo, over LTE (Cat 1bis) mobile networks |
| Updates with no phone nearby | Yes, over LTE-M and NB-IoT where there is coverage | Yes, over its built-in SIM |
| Live tracking | Yes, LIVE mode for frequent updates | Yes, live updates every 2 to 3 seconds, plus route history and territory |
| Where it works | Works in 46 countries. Check yours on the tracker page | Over 175 countries on Premium, one country on Basic. 46 are officially supported |
| Subscription needed | Yes: the Tracker Plan or Premium | Yes: a Basic or Premium plan, priced separately from the tracker |
| Safe zones and escape alerts | Safe and no-go zones with escape alerts | Virtual Fences: safe zones with escape alerts |
| Activity and sleep | Steps, calories, activity and sleep | Activity and sleep monitoring, with a weekly report and an AI-powered summary |
| Other health signals | Bark counting and temperature alerts | Resting heart and breathing rate after 7 days of wear, and health alerts for unusual changes |
| Vets in the app | With Premium: unlimited AI Vet chat, 2 certified vet chats a month and discounted telehealth video calls | Not listed |
| Screen on the tracker | Colour touchscreen showing steps, activity, sleep and your pet’s ID | Not listed |
| Alerts on the tracker screen | Medication reminders, leaving a safe zone, temperature warnings and a lost-pet alert pop up on the screen with a chime | Not listed |
| Light on the collar | LED light in any colour you choose with the colour picker, solid or rainbow | Two LED bars, easy to spot in the dark |
| Sounds on the collar | Eight tones on the collar, four on your phone | Enhanced sound |
| Custom sounds | Add your own short sounds, such as your voice, and play them on the collar from the app | Not listed |
| Training sounds | Clicker, whistle and Come Back tones played on the collar from the app, for recall, mealtimes and quiet time | Not listed |
| Vibration cues | Three strengths, within Bluetooth range | Not listed |
| ID for whoever finds your pet | Built-in QR pet ID: a finder needs no app, and Lost mode alerts you when it is scanned | Not listed |
| Dogs, cats and size | Dogs and cats over 4 kg | Cats from 3 to 8 kg (about 7 to 18 lbs), on a built-in safety-release collar. Dogs have separate DOG 6 trackers |
| Phones | iPhone on iOS 15.1 or later, Android 7.0 or later | Android 10.0 or later, iOS 17.0 or later |
With Premium you get unlimited AI Vet chat, 2 certified vet chats a month and discounted telehealth video calls, in the app that holds your cat’s tracker data and health records. Tractive’s health page says medical advice and diagnosis should come from a veterinarian.
When a sitter or neighbour looks after your cat, alerts like a medication reminder pop up on the collar with a chime, so the information travels with your cat instead of staying on your phone. The screen also shows your cat’s ID and daily stats at a glance, from steps to sleep.
The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker has a built-in QR pet ID. A neighbour who finds your cat scans it with a phone camera, no app needed, and Lost mode alerts you when it is scanned.
Pick any colour for the collar light with the colour picker, and add your own short sounds, such as your voice, to play on the collar from the Ask A Vet app. Tractive’s pages list two LED bars and an enhanced sound for the CAT 6 Mini.
Play a clicker, whistle or Come Back tone on the collar from the app, and pair it with routines like mealtimes or calling your cat in. Tractive’s pages do not list training sounds.
Your cat is small
Tractive’s CAT 6 Mini is made for cats from 3 to 8 kg and comes built into a safety-release collar, so it is made for smaller cats. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker is for cats over 4 kg.
You want heart and breathing rate
Tractive states the CAT 6 Mini monitors your cat’s resting heart and breathing rate against a baseline set after 7 days of wear. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker does not measure them.
You travel with your cat
Tractive states that with Premium its trackers work in over 175 countries. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker works in 46, so check yours before you buy.
If vets in the same app, a screen that carries alerts and your cat’s ID, or a QR pet ID a neighbour can scan matter more to you, and your cat is over 4 kg, the Ask A Vet GPS Tracker is the better fit.
Answers about Tractive are taken from Tractive’s own pages, read on 27 October 2026.
Tractive states its trackers work in over 175 countries with Premium, and in one country with Basic. It lists 46 countries it officially supports, Australia among them. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker works in 46 countries: check yours on the tracker page.
Yes. Tractive states its trackers have a built-in SIM card and that the Basic or Premium plan is priced separately from the tracker. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker needs a plan too: Ask A Vet’s Tracker Plan or Premium. Ask A Vet Premium also includes vet chat and discounted telehealth video calls.
Tractive states the CAT 6 Mini is designed for cats from 3 to 8 kg and comes as a collar with a safety release built in. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker is one tracker for dogs and cats over 4 kg. For a cat under 4 kg, the CAT 6 Mini is the one made for them.
Tractive states the CAT 6 Mini monitors your cat’s resting heart and respiratory rate, with a baseline once your cat has worn it for 7 days, and that Tractive does not diagnose health conditions. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker does not measure heart rate. It tracks steps, activity and sleep and sends temperature alerts, and with Ask A Vet Premium you can ask a vet about anything you see.
We found no vet chat or telehealth on Tractive’s cat tracker, plan or health pages. Tractive’s health page says medical advice and diagnosis should always come from a veterinarian. With Ask A Vet Premium, the AI Vet and certified vets are in the same app as your tracker.
Tractive states that with Premium its trackers work in over 175 countries, and that with Basic a tracker works in one country only. The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker works in 46 countries: check the list on the tracker page.
Your cat is not always with the person who has the app. When a sitter or neighbour looks after your cat, important alerts pop up on the collar with a chime: a medication reminder, leaving a safe zone, a temperature warning or a lost-pet alert. The screen also shows your cat’s ID and daily stats, from steps to sleep. Tractive’s pages do not list a screen on the tracker.
The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker has a built-in QR pet ID: a neighbour who finds your cat scans it with a phone camera, no app needed, and Lost mode alerts you when it is scanned. Tractive’s pages do not list a finder ID on the tracker. Either way, keep your cat microchipped.
Set up the Ask A Vet GPS Tracker in the Ask A Vet app: it pairs over Bluetooth, then you add your cat and choose a plan. Your Tractive zones and history do not move across, so draw your safe zones again and add your home Wi-Fi as a power-saving zone. Cancel your Tractive plan with Tractive.
The Ask A Vet GPS Tracker works with the Ask A Vet app on a Tracker Plan or Premium. Check it works in your country on the tracker page before you buy.
Ask A Vet GPS Tracker figures come from our product page. Tractive figures come from these pages, read on 27 October 2026:
Specifications change, so check Tractive’s current pages before you buy. Tractive is a trademark of its owner. Ask A Vet is not affiliated with Tractive.
