Can a Cat Microchip Be Tracked? Microchips vs GPS Trackers
A chip proves your cat is yours; it can't point to them on a map. GPS and Bluetooth trackers can, each with their own limits, and both sit on a collar your cat could lose.
If your cat is missing and you’re hoping the chip will show you where they are, it won’t. Cat microchips can’t be tracked, and there’s no live location behind the number. What the chip does do is let whoever finds your cat get in touch with you, and there are other devices that can show a location.
What a cat's microchip does instead
A microchip is a tiny identification device, about the size of a grain of rice, that holds a unique number read by a scanner. That number is all the chip stores. It has no GPS, so nobody can see where your cat is on a map through it. The chip holds no personal information about you either: your name and contact details sit on the database record that the number points to.
The number comes into its own when your cat is found. A vet or rescue centre scans the chip, the number points to the database record that holds your contact details, and they can get in touch with you. Our page on cat microchipping covers how the chip is fitted and registered, and if you’re wondering whether chipping hurts, our guide to microchipping and pain answers that in full.
How GPS and Bluetooth cat trackers work
A GPS tracker is a separate device, usually clipped to a collar. It connects to a mobile network through a built-in SIM card and sends your pet’s location to your phone, with the network fees covered by a subscription.
The tracker needs charging, and battery life varies by model and use. It also works only where there’s 2G or LTE mobile coverage from its network partners, so a cat that strays somewhere with no signal won’t update.
Prices and payment terms vary a lot. Cat-specific GPS trackers currently sell for around £40 to £150, with the cheaper models typically needing a monthly or annual subscription for the mobile data and a smaller number priced higher with no subscription. Multi-year plans usually bring the monthly cost down. Check the current terms before you buy, because prices and plans change.
Bluetooth tags are a different thing again. They have no GPS and no mobile data, so they only show a location when a nearby smartphone picks up their signal. In rural areas, they won’t be much use.
Our Smart Pet Tag carries a QR code that links to your cat’s record: it has no GPS and can’t track your pet. When someone scans it, they see the contact information you choose to show, and you’re notified by text and email each time it’s scanned. So it tells you someone has found your cat, not where the cat has been.
Collars, trackers and your cat's safety
Whatever tracker you choose, it will sit on a collar, and collars carry their own risks for cats. Collar accidents can cause serious injury, including strangulation, deep skin lacerations and jaw damage. The PDSA doesn’t recommend a collar at all on a cat. If you do use one, it should be a quick-release collar with no elastic inserts, loose enough to slide two fingers under. Check it regularly, because dirt and grease can block the release.
Adding a tracker changes the picture too. Cats Protection says collar-fitted trackers raise welfare issues around size and weight, the risk of entrapment, and the chance of the tracker getting in the way of the quick-release mechanism. Pick the smallest tracker you can, so it doesn’t stop the quick release or get in the way of your cat’s movement. A quick-release collar may also mean your cat loses the tracker while out, though the GPS should help you find it again.
Why your cat still needs a chip if it wears a tracker
A tracker is only as reliable as its battery, its signal and its collar, and collars come off. So a tracker can help you find a wandering cat in the moment, but it’s the chip that identifies your cat if the collar and tracker are gone.
There’s a legal side too. In England, microchipping your cat is a legal requirement, and our guide to the UK cat microchipping requirements explains what it means for you. A tracker doesn’t count towards it.
A tracker and a chip do different jobs, and only the chip keeps working when the collar comes off. If your cat is missing now, the next step is to flag their record and get the word out.
