Pawtrack Review
Pawtrack is a GPS collar primarily designed for cats, but it can also be used for smaller dogs like dachshunds. It was designed and manufactured by Pawtrack Ltd, a company founded back in 2010 in Dartmouth, England.
Read this comprehensive Pawtrack review to learn more about the device and its capabilities and determine if it fits your feline friend(s).
How Pawtrack Works
While your cat is out and about, Pawtrack will take his or her position every 6 seconds, store the information inside the collar, and upload it automatically so that you can view it through your online account or Pawtrack app. In case you do not want to wait for automatic positioning, you can always click the Update button and receive the current location of the device.
You can track multiple cats from a single account with their GPS positions being displayed on Google Maps or even Street View. You can also set various alerts to let you know when your pet is coming/leaving home or warn you when the battery starts running low.
Pawtrack provides you with three different ways to observe your tracking history, including:
- Playback – Replays your time-stamped positions and gives you information about your cat’s whereabouts at any given moment;
- Path – Creates a lined route of your pet’s movement;
- Heatmap – Reveals your cat’s favorite hiding places by marking regularly visited areas with red indicators.
In case you get close to your cat but still cannot see him or her, you can always activate the Beacon feature through your app, which makes the collar emit a distinct signal picked up by your device and translated into percentages that tell you whether you are getting closer or further away.
Since the collar comes with a Wi-Fi antenna, it can detect your home Wi-Fi and shut down once your cat comes back home, prolonging battery duration. The device will wake up every now and then to make sure it is still connected to your home Wi-Fi.
The setup process is rather simple even though it includes a lot of steps and might appear intimidating at first. Once you have your Pawtrack unit, all you have to do is download the app, set up your account and home location, add your first cat and link your Pawtrack, select the size of the collar, get a GPS position, and connect to your Wi-Fi.
Pawtrack Design
Pawtrack features a very robust and sleek design dedicated to removing any unnecessary components that could hinder your cat’s habits and routines. Curable plastic and strong webbing were combined to produce this durable collar that can follow your pet on any adventure without fear of any serious damage or malfunction due to physical trauma.
The collar comes in small (18-22cm), medium (23-26cm), and large (27-30cm) sizes and can be adjusted even further for your pet’s optimal fit and comfort. Note that even the small size is too big for kittens so it is not recommended to use the collar if your pets are still too young. Having said that, the unit weighs only 35g.
The GPS antenna is positioned at the back of your cat’s neck thanks to the collar’s forward-thinking design. This means it will constantly face the sky instead of the ground, which is the case with many other pet trackers currently on the market.
In order to use the Pawtrack collar properly, you need to know what the different indicator lights mean:
- Blue, once every 5 minutes – Your collar is in the Wi-Fi mode;
- Red, once a second – Your collar is not on the network and should connect within a few minutes;
- Red, twice a second – Your collar is searching for a new GPS position;
- Red, once every 10 seconds – The collar is on the cellular network and everything is working properly;
- Multicolored lights – Your battery is running low.
The collar comes with two detachable batteries, which provides you with continuous tracking since you can use one while the other is recharging. They are easily recharged via the provided charging station that draws power from an available USB socket on your computer or similar devices.
Finally, Pawtrack is designed to release automatically under a force of 15kg.
Pawtrack Technical Specifications
In this section of our Pawtrack review, we will go over some of the most important technical features provided by Pawtrack.
GPS Tracking Module
The unit combines GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Wi-Fi, and beacon tracking to provide users with one of the most accurate GPS pet trackers on the market. This is greatly aided by the previously mentioned fact that its GPS antenna is constantly pointed toward the sky.
Battery
As stated in this Pawtrack review, the unit comes with two detachable batteries that allow you to use the device without any unnecessary interruptions. The battery life is around 2 days and it takes around 2 hours for a full recharge.
Waterproof
As indicated on the official website, the Pawtrack collar is splash-resistant, which means it is NOT waterproof. In other words, it will be able to handle rain and accidental splashes but should not be immersed in water completely for extended periods of time.
Localization
Pawtrack should work in most countries regardless of your mobile provider. You can find the full list of available countries (171 at the moment) and mobile providers on the official website. In other words, you can take your feline friends across borders without any fear of losing them due to a malfunctioning pet tracker. Many of the Pawtrack reviews found online claim that the collar only works in the US, which is simply not true.
Pawtrack App
The Pawtrack app is easy to use and displays the current location of your pet in a clear way. As mentioned in this Pawtrack review, there are three ways to view its tracking history, including Playback, Path, and Heatmap. You can also use the app to manage your settings regarding notifications, geo-fence boundaries, and other important features.
The Pawtrack app also allows you to share your pet’s daily activities with your friends or simply download the selected time period as a CSV file in case you want a permanent memory. The file will be sent to your specified email address.
Apart from geo-fencing capabilities, the collar comes with a tracking beacon that informs you where your cat is hiding in case you fail to find his or her favorite hiding spot. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Pawtrack Features
Pawtrack offers a variety of different features that make it easy to use while allowing you to keep an eye on your pet at all times. With that in mind, let us go over the most prominent capabilities offered by this collar and see if it justifies the price tag.
4 Levels Of Tracking
As we already mentioned in this Pawtrack review, the unit implements GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and Wi-Fi tracking in order to provide you with precise readings at any given moment.
Robust & Sleek Design
The unit is made of hard plastic and tough webbing and should be able to withstand any ordeal your cat decides to put it through without any problems.
Intuitive & Modern Mobile App
The Pawtrack mobile app is easy to use and it gives you full control over the collar with numerous features that facilitate the search for your little hellions. The app is available for both Android and iOS users.
2x Rechargeable Batteries
The built-in battery can be removed for recharging while you are using the second one so you are essentially provided with continuous tracking without any interruptions.
Geo-Fencing
Pawtrack allows you to set up borders around your house or any other area and receive notifications when your cat leaves the perimeter or comes back.
Global Coverage
Pawtrack currently works in 171 countries of the world and covers a wide array of mobile operators. To check for your country/operator, consult the comprehensive list on the official website.
Multi-Cat Tracking
Pawtrack allows you to track multiple felines using just one account.
Pawtrack Coverage
As already stated in this Pawtrack review, the collar currently works in 171 countries and covers pretty much any mobile operator you can think of. Having said that, you will receive your readings through the mobile app so you are limited to areas with signal reception. In order to make sure your country is covered, please check the list provided on the company’s official website.
How Much Does Pawtrack Cost?
Pawtrack costs £49.99, which is around $63. The unit comes with a 12-month warranty and you can even return it up to 14 days from the date of purchase. In case you want to return the collar, simply contact the company’s customer support team.
Pawtrack Pros & Cons
Knowing the biggest strenghts and weaknesses of Pawtrack pet tracker can help you decide if it is the right pet tracker for your furry friend. Here is a quick overview of its pros and cons.
Bottom Line
Pawtrack is a complete GPS tracker equipped with the most modern technologies aimed at tracking and locating your feline friends at any given moment. The collar comes with 4 different tracking techs that allow you to pinpoint the location of your cat no matter how well he or she tends to hide. The Beacon feature will even show you percentages to indicate whether you are moving toward or away from your cat.
The geo-fencing feature comes with numerous alarms and indicators that inform you when your pets leave the perimeter or come back home. The rechargeable batteries can be interchanged to provide you with constant tracking. Finally, the unit can be used pretty much anywhere in the world so you do not have to worry about diminished performance across borders.
Bottom line, Pawtrack is a very impressive unit for cats of all sizes and even smaller dogs and is definitely one of the better choices currently on the market.
I’ve been through 3 generations of Pawtrack collars on my cat and each one worse than the previous version. They make work better in the UK but here in Colorado they’re really bad. Latest collar couldn’t connect to GPS in an open field after 6 hours which is about as long as the battery lasts. Customer service? Worthless. Now using Tractive collar that’s absolutely great. ( real customer not fake review)
DO NOT BUY. doesn’t work, non existent customer service have requested a refund multiple times, now having to go through the bank. If I could give 0 stars I would.
Purchased 3 collars and a 3 year subscription. Went to add the collars on the app. It fails. Had to restart it about 4 times before I could get one to even connect. Then once I went to add the second one….it says I have no subscription. No where does it say I need multiple subscriptions for multiple cats. I just went through the website to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Also, what really made me upset. They sent me the older version because the new ones….shown on the website are “out of stock”. They should have that listed on their website. Total scam. Tried to reach out to return. They make me pay for it. Honestly I dont trust them. DON’T BUY PAW TRACK
Avoid this company and product
Avoid this company and product. I purchased 2 collars which were returned within a week of getting them, 2weeks later I still have not received my refund or any response to my emails… a formal dispute through Visa is underway as they are in breach of UK distance selling laws. For others that are having problems getting a refund; you have rights through your credit card company.
The issues I had which resulted in the collars not being fit for purpose;
Inaccurate: one of my cats was next to me but Pawtrack said they were 100m away.
Battery life: the cat went out around 0600 with a full battery, came home around 1800 and the battery was 5%. If the cat was lost for 24hrs the collar would be of no use.
Wifi issues: don’t give Pawtrack your wifi password if you have problems as that’s just bad security practice. The product should be easy enough to set up yourself!
Timezone: I live in NZ but all details were in UK standard time!
I ordered two Pawtrack collars in June of 2021. It took several days just to get the app to stop crashing and several more for the collars to sync with the technology. Once they finally did, they did not track well in real time and were not helpful in tracking my cats. The battery life was very short (less than half a day) and one of the two batteries never charged properly at all. And, because of the time difference (I am in the USA and they are in the UK), tech support was a nightmare. They would only communicate via e-mail, even though I asked for a phone number, and there was always a 6+ hour delay in reply. Once I finally decided to return the collars, I sent them back to the indicated address and got a tracking number. Despite providing the company with the tracking number, which provided proof the package was delivered successfully, they never reimbursed me for the cost of the collars or the subscription fee. I have been trying to resolve this issue for over a year and have never received a reply to any of my messages. It was a horrible, frustrating experience and I would not recommend this company. Try Whistle instead; their collars work great.
Their product is garbage and their customer service is even worse as it is non-existent. Let me briefly explain to you my experience:
It took over two weeks to receive the collar and when I finally did, the cheap rubber they use (for the collar itself) broke. The last notch snapped before I could put it on my cat. My cat is medium-sized. Around 14 lbs. And the damned collar was too tight, even for the largest setting. Also, you can’t remove the GPS unit as it is integrated into the cheap rubber collar. Stupid design.
So I contacted the company and asked for a refund. They sent me out a NON-PAID shipping label. I had to pay for the return shipping for a defective product. Not a good way to build your business. Shipping cost me 17 bucks and change.
Long story short- after repeated attempts to contact them via email, the company has yet to even acknowledge my return or give me my money back. The most maddening part? The clowns just ran my card AGAIN for the useless subscription fee!
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. You have been warned.
App doesnt work. Collar doesnt work. This honestly smells like a theronos scam.
Think whomever wrote the review needs to re look things…
The tracker is awful cheaply made, doesn’t work in USA. I ordered 2, was charged for 2 but only received 1. The one I received doesn’t work due to battery falling out of the case and the collar falling of my cats neck. The gps showed the tracker at a location 40 miles from my home while I had it next to me in my house.
I received the newer model but ordered the older one. On top of it I was charged subscription fees for two. Costumer service is not refunding me, as they promised, for the one I never received. Worse company I ever dealt with. Would give it 0 stars
Did whoever wrote this review even deal with this company? They judged them based on what is written on the website, not through experience.
This product does not work in Australia. AUS&NZ abolished 2G long ago.
seller did not disclose this information. alternative sellers did and advised on correct product that works in AUS/NZ seller charged me twice for the unit , in two separate days , once i returned the unit , support stopped communicating with me and attempted unauthorized withdrawals from my credit card. very dodgy business
Very interesting reading . I live in NZ and have had great difficulty with my new tracker, trying to get it set up after 3 months ,Pawtrack did decide to help me they finally d came to the party, but it’s not at all accurate and gives faults reading all the time .
I am Not a happy customer
Very interesting reading the above views , I live in NZ and have had great difficulty with my new tracker, trying to get it set up after 3 months ,Pawtrack did decide to help me they finally d came to the party, but it’s not at all accurate and gives faults reading all the time .
I am Not a happy customer
This may be a great idea but I have unable to test it. They gladly took my money for a collar and a years subscription for the tracking. I have yet to receive a collar or any correspondence from Pawtrack. An attempt to contact the company have been unsuccessful. The lack pf product and the lack of service makes this appear to be a huge scam.
This may be a great idea but I have been unable to test it. I made the purchase 3 weeks ago. They gladly took my money for a collar and a years subscription for the tracking. I have yet to receive the collar or any correspondence from Pawtrack.. An attempt to contact the company has not been successful. The lack of a product and the lack of customer service makes this appear to be a huge scam.
I am very disappointed with my PawTracker experience. I followed the directions explicitly and was never able to successfully connect with the app. , even after several back and forth communications from Paw Track employees with suggestions. After asking for a replacement sic days ago I have heard NOTHING in response!
Buyer Beware!!
I have been a customer for years and have used the original collar and the new collar.
1) download and use the new app to connect to the collar.
2) the company and support is based in the UK, so there are time delays.
3) I chose DHL 3 day delivery to the USA, it arrived in 5 days. Customs delay.
4) customer support has been very responsive and they have worked to help get the Wifi working correctly.
5) this is a good product, it saves my cats life when he got stuck under a empty house crawl space.
6) no product is perfect, but this is a good product.
7) do not put liquid flea medicine on your cat with the collar on, the medication will dissolve the collar plastic.
8) the user manual needs to be improved in my opinion.
9) I would buy again
The tracker collar still hasn’t arrived after ordering a month ago, which is understandable. What isn’t acceptable is that customer support took four days to respond to my email and would not confirm whether or not the GPS subscription plan (that I paid for 12 months) starts upon purchase, or upon receipt of the collar. I asked them (again) to clarify this and still have not heard back. I have since requested that they cancel the order and refund me for the collar and am working with my bank to get this resolved. I doubt I will hear back from pawtrack.
My correspondence started with emailing help @ pawtrack.com, after which I received ‘support’ from ‘Newton’ at support @ pawtrack.freshdesk.com.
This is not a review of the product itself, it’s doubtful but the GPS collar might work fine, the customer service has been wack to say the least.
I bought it on 5th August paid for premium postage, but didn’t receive it until 23rd, that was after sending a few emails. Then I had problems setting it up, but communication from pawtrack was very good. The collar is very light weight, which is good.
The battery is rubbish, it doesn’t even last a day. So my cat is out and I have no idea where she is! If the battery lasted longer it would be great.
It worked consistently for the first 3 months and then was super glitchy. I was constantly emailing support. Then, it wouldn’t hold a charge, so they sent a new USB charger, which would charge only one of the 2 batteries. When I was using the only battery that would charge, it lasted less than 8 hours. After that, the unit just locked up and would not work at all. They sent a replacement battery which was of no help because the unit was not functional. There is a one year warranty which began in December of 2020. The unit died in June of 2021 (6) months. They never offered to send a new one so, I cancelled my subscription. I never received a refund for the remaining 6 months that I had paid for in advance. Very frustrating.
Bought the item with one year subscription – they took 1 month to deliver it although they confirmed that it would be delivered within 1 week by DHL. During the whole month when I did not have the product, the charged for the subscription. The product actually does not work: It briefly connects and then disconnects for hours. I would not trust this on my cat in the hope of a potential recovery in case she gets lost. The customer service really sucks. There is no phone number to call and they do not respond to emails. To any potential buyers: Stay away!
I bought a collar for Canada, it couldn’t get the network signal, The manufacturer acknowledged the collar doesn’t work in Canada. I returned the collard and they haven’t refunded my money. I paid for the collar and the for one year service. Pawtrack people don’t reply to my e-mails.
Would not recommend. The collar worked for 3 months and then broke- cheap plastic parts. The battery life was not great. I tried to get a replacement part for over a year (followed up multiple times and finally got a response that they ‘lost your mail’ and would send another…. still waiting), meanwhile through all of this, they continued to charge the monthly subscription fee when the collar was totally unusable. STOP CHARGING ME!
We bought two Pawtrack collars and neither worked. Folks, really stay away from this product. Collar must connect to a cell tower and a GPS satellite. They connect briefly and then disconnect for hours. Support is in England and you get a different person each time. They are friendly, but completely unable to make it work. This went on for weeks until we pulled the plug.
Just a heads up, you gave pawtrack 5 stars when I think you might have not meant to do that.
I am working on getting my money back from them right now, what a joke.