AirTag Cat Collar: FirstLook/FirstUse

It has almost been a year since Reese, our new RainyDayIntern, joined us. He has grown from a wee kitten to a large and muscular cat. Trying to keep track of his whereabouts is not as easy as it once was, especially since he has become so much more curious about what is “outside.”

With the recent snow, we have begun to let Reese explore the back deck and the surrounding area. He can’t wander too far because the large amount of snow forms natural barriers to keep him from wandering off.  In the Spring, he will have free run of the RainyDayGarden. Until then, we want to make sure we can keep track of him while he is getting the lay of the land.

Collar and AirTag

While the AirTag is NOT a GPS tracker, it IS perfect as a low-cost way to keep track of a cat in an urban environment, especially if all that is needed is to know whether the cat is inside or outside.

Cat collar and AirTag features:

• Breakaway collar w/ rubber AirTag holder
• Splash, Water, and Dust Resistance: Rated IP67 
• Connectivity: Bluetooth for proximity finding
• Weight: 0.39 ounce (11 grams)

NOTE: AirTag requires iOS 14.5 or later

Connecting the AirTag to the iPhone was simple:

• Remove the battery tab to activate the AirTag;
• Tap “Connect” when the prompt appears on the iPhone; and
• Follow the onscreen directions to name the AirTag and register it.

Tracking

Reese’s AirTag is now operational. We should be able to locate him, whether he is in the basement or running around out in the RainyDayGarden. 

The tracking is good, inside, outside, and even from across the country when shared…in L.A., 2607 miles away!!!

FirstUse

FirstThoughts

The tracking of Reese via the AirTag is not precise, but it’s sufficient to show whether he is inside or outside. When out of the house, we cannot tell where he is precisely if he is moving, unless we use the “Precision Finding” feature.

Most domestic cats typically roam within a relatively small area of 40 to 150 acres, often staying within 75 yards to a quarter-mile (about 1,150 feet) of their home.

However, because “Precision Finding” uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology to provide precise, on-screen direction arrows and distance cues to locate Reese, it only works within ~100 feet, which is a surprisingly short distance, especially when it comes to locating a cat!!!

Reese: “Great. You found me. Can I go back to sleep now?”

Links to Items Mentions:

• Apple AirTag
• AirTag Cat Collar
• GPS Tracker for cats