Pawtrack GPS keeps tabs on your tabby even on vacation

THOSE who can't be without their four-legged companions while on vacation can travel freely with them between the 171 countries in which the Pawtrack GPS system works without incurring drop-in fees.
Inspired by the despair felt by founder Jeremy Price when he lost his cat Monty, the device is a specialised collar -- rather than a simple tag -- that's been five years in the making. It puts the device on the back of the cat's neck rather than on the underside, where traditional tags and trackers have a tendency to fall off.
"Would you place your car GPS on the underside of your car?" quips Price on his Kickstarter page.
The device contains an antenna that taps both the GPS and Glonass satellite systems, which, coupled with its positioning on the back of the cat's neck, should provide pinpoint accuracy.
The device is WiFi-enabled and recognises the user's personal network, letting the GPRS server know when the cat returns home and shutting the device off to save battery until he roams again.
The corresponding app allows the user to track multiple cats at once. Live tracking is available upon request, but when that function is switched off the device works by recording the cat's location every 10 minutes.
The system can be pre-ordered on Kickstarter, and limited packages remain which provide the collar and a year's subscription for £100 (US$132). Shipment is expected for November of this year.
The regular monthly subscription fee is £6/US$10/€7.50.
Pet-tracking is a growing trend with a number of systems and devices in various forms coming to market. Dog lovers should take note of Tractive which is able to track both dogs and cats and those who are strictly cat owners can further explore their options on the website trackmycat.com. – AFP Relaxnews