radio tracking for cats/dogs

KTRIC

Does anyone know of a cheap and effective way of tracking a cat ?. I've seen radio collars on the net for €600 which is way out of my budget.

The thing is i have two 8 month old kittens that are extremely cute and my girldfreind is convinced that someone might take one of them when they are out and about.

She gets a bit paniced when she can't find them and we were up till 11:30 trying to find my tomcat last night.

So what I really need to know is if there is a cheap radio collar out there ?? or if someone has one or two they are willing to sell me.

peasant

Cats and collars (all collars) is a difficult issue anyway.

With cats climbing trees, squeezing through hedges and other narrow openings there is always the danger of the collar getting caught somwhere, strangulating the cat.

KTRIC

peasant wrote:

Cats and collars (all collars) is a difficult issue anyway.

With cats climbing trees, squeezing through hedges and other narrow openings there is always the danger of the collar getting caught somwhere, strangulating the cat.

They've had collars on them since they were old enough to go out. I have them fitted with safety collars that have an elastic band that streaches if they get caught on anything which lets the cat pull free.

peasant

The only reliable information a radio collar would transmit to you is the location of the collar itself ...the cat needn't necessarily be attached to it anymore ...especially if it just got "taken"

Bit of a waste of money, IMO

Sigma Force

For that kind of money it would be cheaper to cat proof your garden so the kittens can't get out and get stolen or killed on the road.

KTRIC

peasant wrote:

The only reliable information a radio collar would transmit to you is the location of the collar itself ...the cat needn't necessarily be attached to it anymore ...especially if it just got "taken"

Bit of a waste of money, IMO

Thats all I want,

Cat proofing my garden is not an option.

luckat

You might try training the kitties to come to a "silent" whistle. If they like any tiny treat (tiny because you want to give lots of treats as you train them), then whistle, give a treat, whistle, give a treat, whistle, give.... you get the idea.

Next time you do it (in a few hours), do the same thing, then walk across the room and whistle - if they run to you, they get a treat. Do this a few times.

Next time, start from the beginning, then try across the room, then in another room.

Then up the ante to them coming to you outside, and from outside to inside.

Lots of praise, too, kittens love praise.

The only other thing you might do besides this is, when they're getting spayed, get a microchip inserted at the same time. It doesn't cost much extra, whereas it's dear to get done by itself.

Now, not all vets will scan for a microchip (especially cats), but increasing numbers do. Most of the pounds do, though I'm told that there's one that doesn't. But a microchip gives you a much better chance of getting your cat or dog back if it strays - especially if you have a collar on it with "scan for microchip" as well as your phone number.

And do get them "done" - especially if they're male. Male cats stray because of chasing skirt or fighting over territory more than for any other reasons - they go too far out of their own borough, or get chased out, and can't find their way home. Getting them neutered cuts (ahem) the chances of this greatly.