It's not a secret that pets have their own personality and are as versatile as humans when it comes to their traits. So, I was thinking that it could be fun to describe our pets. I'd love to read how you see your furry friends.

I'll start with my cat: T is chaotic, cheeky, a bit clumsy, but incredibly cute. He loves the smell of cake and has tried several times to steal some (without success!). Despite being quite big and heavy, he still seems to embody the spirit of a kitten. He's playful, curious, and loves to chase butterflies around the garden. When faced with situations he's not used to, for example, us being on holiday, he does get stressed or maybe upset that we don't bring him along. Then he tends to be a bit moody. He sleeps less which I can see in the Tractive app.

But this doesn't last long. The minute we're back home, he's calm and happy getting all the snuggles and his sleep goes back to normal. Then he goes out exploring again. He actually covers between 2 and 6 km in 24 hours and has a few cozy napping spots. One perk of having a Tractive is getting to know all his favorite places! Edit: I can recommend the Heat Map to check these out. T's favourite sleeping spot is under a chestnut tree where he rests after a long adventure. So, I'd say, he's an EXPLORER.

What about your pet?

TL;DR: Welcome to our new monthly community FAQs megathread!

I thought it might be helpful to create a megathread to collect some of the questions that could be most relevant to the whole community. Feel free to post your own questions directly in the thread or let me know if you have other ideas to shape the space. I'm all ears.

Here's a wrap-up of questions from August:

How to transfer a subscription to a new tracker?

If you want to transfer an existing subscription to a new tracker, check feature compatibility too. For example, some features are only available on certain models.

The process is simple and quick:

• You can do it via the app or via my.tractive.com.
• Then, go to transfer subscription plan > Select the tracker that currently has your subscription
• Enter the tracker ID where you want to move your subscription.

Next, refresh your account to check if everything was updated:

• Open the app > go to Account > Sign out.
• Then, sign back in to the same account > Check if the active tracker is assigned correctly.

How to allow my dog sitter to use my attractive?

You can use the Family Sharing function to give trusted people access to your tracker. (This feature requires a Premium subscription).

Bought a new cat tracker. Are there larger collars available?

For the CAT 6 Mini, there are two collar sizes available:

• Standard: Fits necks 19-22.9 cm
• Large: Fits necks 23-27 cm

Hi, thought I'd share this since I keep coming across this question every once in a while. Also, if you're new to Tractive and just got a tracker for your cat, it could be helpful info while you're familiarizing yourself with all the available features.

Why Territory might not show up yet:

1. Not enough location data: Territory needs at least 10 GPS position reports within a 7-day period. This can happen if:
   • Your tracker had poor GPS signal for several days.
   • Your cat stayed mostly indoors (walls/roofs block GPS signals).
   • The tracker spent time in Power Saving Zone mode for an extended period of time.
2. Roaming area is too small: If your cat's roaming area is smaller than 500 square meters, territory won't be calculated.
3. Inactive days: if there are days with no positions recorded (signal loss, tracker off, etc.), territory depends on having enough location reports from the remaining days in the week.

What to do: keep tracking. Once your cat has enough location data, territory will appear.

One more thing to keep in mind: Territory shows the last seven days, not including today. Your cat's movements from the current day aren't included in the territory calculation yet.

Territory updates every Monday with data from the previous week.

Hi all, I was wondering about your main reason for getting a Tractive and thought this was the best place to ask. 🐾

• Was it the GPS location data you receive to keep track of your pet?
• The health and activity insights to help you keep an eye on their overall well-being?
• Or the combination of both?

Hi all,

With summer still going strong, I wanted to ask directly: what time do you usually walk your dog?

We looked at some walk data from Tractive users and noticed a pattern worth digging into (revealing it soon) and I'd also like to hear about your routine.

I bet there are differences depending on season, region, or just what your dog personally prefers.

So:

• What time do you usually walk in summer?
• Does that change in other seasons?
• Has your dog ever made it very clear they have their own opinion about walk timing?

Honestly, this only really clicked for me recently. I was dog-sitting for a friend and it got me looking into how dog age actually works across sizes (I checked the overview my colleague created to calculate the age of my companion 😄. See the visuals below!).

What I find genuinely interesting is that knowing your dog's actual life stage isn't just a fun fact, it also shapes what activity level makes sense for them. A puppy and a senior dog have pretty different needs and that gets especially interesting if they're living in the same household.

Since I don't live with a dog and get only snippets of their routine when I dog-sit, I thought it'd be great to hear from dog owners directly:

• How old is your dog in human years and does that match their actual activity level?
• Have you ever been surprised, like I was, by how differently size affects aging?
• If you've got a pup and a senior dog together, how do you navigate the activity gap between them? I can imagine that to be challenging.

https://preview.redd.it/1yc61s6jtalh1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4355b6e52a24195286130ce6ea3d3001a67fb976

https://preview.redd.it/uze9rq6jtalh1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3401b0cc160364bdfc5132a23249390d427fe9a5

Please share your thoughts. Would love to hear them!

Hi everybody, I was wondering if you've noticed any changes in your pet's sleep patterns or overall behavior during the heat waves or summer in general.

If you've got a Tractive Smart Tracker, has anything shown up in your pet's Activity or Sleep insights that surprised you this summer? Or have you noticed changes in their vital signs like Resting Heart and Respiratory Rate?

Would love to hear what you're seeing or collect tips that may help the rest of the community here.

TL;DR: the Walk feature records your route, distance and time during a walk with your dog. Keep in mind though that it uses your phone's GPS, not the tracker's. And yep, you can share those walks with friends on social or sync them to Strava.

Okay so most of you probably already know about the Walk feature available in the Tractive app, but I wasn't sure everyone realized you can actually share the walks you record. It's like every walk basically turns into a little keepsake (It includes the route, distance and time together).

• One thing worth knowing: it's your phone's GPS that's being used, not the tracker's GPS on your dog. So the route you see afterward follows where you walked. If you want to see your dog's route, you can also check the tracker history in the Tractive app.
• Anyway, when you'd like to record a walk, just make sure your tracker's on your dog and your phone's GPS + Bluetooth are switched on. That's really it.
• Once you're done, end your walk. It's automatically saved to your history.
• And if you do want to share your walk, select the one you'd like to share, choose how to share (story or post) and select the app where you want to share your walk. And if you've connected your Strava account, your walks will automatically sync over too.

Has anyone actually been building up a their own walk history over time? Kinda curious how far back people's histories go and how you like the feature?

Any suggestions for the product team are welcome too!

Following up on our packing + pre-trip prep post, here's what my friends and I do the moment we arrive somewhere new. Btw, it's not my dog, but I tag along on their holidays often enough that I've basically adopted the routine as my own:

1. Set up a Virtual Fence around the accommodation. This takes only a few moments and is one of the first things we do before the bags are even unpacked. Their dog is super curious and eager to wander off in unfamiliar territory and a new place is exactly when he's most likely to slip out, so having an alert is an extra layer of peace of mind, tbh.
2. Turn on Power Saving Zone for the accommodation. If we know we'll be in one spot for a few days, this stretches the tracker's battery life so neither of us has to worry about charging mid-trip. We do, however, keep an eye on the battery to make sure to charge in time. Note: Here's a short explanation to help clarify Power Saving Zones and Safe Zones (Virtual Fences)
3. Explore the neighbourhood together. Let him sniff around and it gives us a chance to get a feeling for the holiday home and its surroundings.
4. Find the nearest dog park or a solid walk route. We usually check reviews and maps before we even book the trip (that's my friends' task), but if not, this is when we hunt it down. It's super fun and we've found really cool spots this way.

Curious what everyone else's arrival routine looks like:

• What's the very first thing you do when you get somewhere new with your pet?
• And the big one: what's your favourite way to actually travel together? Car, plane, train, camper van? I've never been on a plane with a pet so curious to hear about your experience or routine.

International Cat Day was this past Saturday (August 8th) 🐱 and I was wondering about how you spent it. I've seen some nice posts over the past few days on social media and thought, why not give it a go and ask here about what you got up to and if you also celebrated the day with your friend.

Did you:

• Give your cat(s) a special treat or new toy?
• Set aside an extra hour or so to snuggle with your cat(s)?
• Or did you take them on a little adventure?

I'd love to see some snapshots if you're up to it and hear about your weekend! I spent it in the garden and must confess... my cat got some extra treats as he'd also turned 14!

Hey,

Holiday season is in full swing, so I put together a packing routine and would like to get your input too. I have never travelled with my cat and probably won't do so since he's 14 now and too old to cope with change, I guess. But I'm gonna go on a holiday with friends who have a dog so we brainstormed and came up with this travel prep guide:

Essentials to bring for the dog:

• Food, water bottle for day trips or hikes and a collapsible bowl (since these don't take up that much space)
• Leash, harness and a spare
• Poop bags
• Vaccination records / pet passport for border crossings
• Meds and a basic first aid kit
• Something that smells like home (I thought it could help them settle into a new environment)
• Their Tractive Smart Tracker, in case they wander off or get spooked

When picking a holiday spot, we looked out for:

• Pet-friendly accommodations, of course
• Dog beaches or hikes that are genuinely dog-friendly
• Dog-friendly restaurants /pubs
• Pet travel regulations and transport rules
• Vets nearby, just in case

What's your holiday prep routine?

• What's your main priority when picking a pet-friendly holiday spot? Beaches, restaurants, regulations, something else?
• What do you never travel without for your dog or cat?
• Any tips for travelling with cats?
• Any pet-friendly spots you'd actually recommend?

I'd love to see everyone's routines and get some ideas or recommendations!

There'll be a follow-up on what to do once you've arrived at your holiday destination, Tractive tips included.

We see the AirTag vs GPS question a lot in the community so here's a comparison between the two devices.

TL;DR: AirTags use Bluetooth and need nearby Apple devices to work, whereas Tractive Smart Trackers use a built in SIM card for GPS tracking and cellular networks to let you know where your pet is. It's essentially two different purposes!

It completely makes sense why people ask. Item finders are small and easy to use for lost keys, but when it comes to keeping our furry friends safe, they are just different tools for different jobs and that's okay.

The main difference comes down to how the tech works:

Apple AirTags

• AirTags don't have their own GPS (Global Positioning System) or cellular connection. They rely entirely on Bluetooth to ping off nearby Apple devices.
• Where they shine: They are absolutely perfect for finding lost luggage in a busy airport or keeping track of your keys. I know people who put it on their bikes too.
• Good to know: If your dog runs into the woods or a quiet neighborhood, you might not get any updates at all because the likelihood of someone nearby (with an Apple device) may be low.

Tractive Smart Trackers

• The trackers are built with an integrated SIM card that connects to cellular networks worldwide. This allows data to be sent back and forth so you get GPS position updates for your pet right in the Tractive app.
• Where they shine: You get unlimited range and LIVE Tracking (GPS position updates every few seconds). You also get pet specific safety tools like the Virtual Fence, which sends you an instant escape alert, or vital signs monitoring to keep tabs on your pet's overall health.
• Good to know: If you are exploring rural or remote areas where cell service gets spotty, you always have the option to activate Radar Mode. It works within Bluetooth range to help you pinpoint your pet's exact location once you get close!

Imho, I thought having this breakdown may help clarify some of your questions. Feel free to share your thoughts, experience and questions, of course!

TL;DR: Cats are incredibly resilient and hide pain well (some even purr when they're hurting. I didn't know that for ages). I'm sharing personal stories of my cats' health scares, the subtle signs I look for and how Tractive helps me spot changes early (now that I know what to look for!).

I was looking at my cat's Activity Monitoring data the other day out of curiosity and it got me thinking. Cats are incredibly resilient when it comes to tolerating pain. Thinking back to late 2025 and early this year, when one of my cats came home injured, he was so good at hiding it...

For me, the most important thing is knowing the signs that a cat feels sick or hurt so you can act fast.

Here's what I watch for:

• Change in activity levels: Does he move less, or does he seem restless?
• Change in sleep patterns: Does he sleep more or less? Is he in a new or unusual spot?
• Weight fluctuations: Any sudden weight gain or loss.
• Eating and drinking habits: Does he eat or drink more or less? There have been times he wouldn't eat, not even his favorite treat and it turned out he had a bad tooth. Our female cat who passed away not long ago showed signs of diabetes because she started drinking a lot of water all of a sudden. We went to the vet, but the diagnosis was inconclusive at that point.
• Changes in breathing or heart rate: Another cat we had started to struggle with breathing and lost a lot of weight quickly. It turned out fluid was building up in her lungs, putting pressure on her heart. We didn't have a tracker at the time, but having Vital Signs Monitoring in the new cat tracker (this means it tracks resting heart rate and respiratory rate) would have been incredibly helpful to spot this sooner and ease her pain.
• Behavioral changes: Does he act grumpy or aggressive? Does he scratch or lick his coat more? Earlier this spring, my cat had irritated skin that pointed to an allergy.
• Physical symptoms: Watery eyes, runny nose, coughing, sneezing. We have been there! Every year in spring, his eyes turn red and watery, he starts sneezing and sleeping a tad more. Our vet confirmed it is a mild allergy, but luckily not bad enough to need medication.

All of these things may sound straightforward, but it can still be difficult to spot them because cats endure quite a lot before they show us. That is exactly why I appreciate having the Tractive on my almost 14-year-old cat now. I get a much better understanding of how he is actually doing, especially during pollen season. His sleep changes slightly, but it's enough for the tracker to notice.

What are the signs you spot immediately in your cat when something is up? Or have you also had situations where the Tractive helped you act sooner?