Don’t let your beloved cat or dog wander around without some kind of tracking device. If your fuzzy buddy goes missing, you’ll regret not having some way to locate them.
And the good news is it’s cheap and easy. I put Apple’s AirTag 2 on my cat’s collar as a pet tracker, and it’s going very well. Here’s why you should consider it for your own pet … including replacing a first-gen model.
AirTag 2 is a low-cost tracker to keep tabs on pets
We love our pets like they’re our children. It’s no surprise — they add so much to our lives simply by loving us back. That’s why it’s devastating if one of them goes missing.
An AirTag attached to your cat’s or dog’s collar can be your salvation by helping you quickly locate them before they wander too far away. I’ve kept one on my cat Houdini for years, and it’s helped more times than I can possibly count.
I recently upgraded to an AirTag 2 and the improvement is considerable. I’ve said for a long time that you should put an AirTag on your pet. I’m now changing that to you should put an AirTag 2 on your pet, even if that means replacing a first-generation model.
Here’s why.
Table of contents: Why AirTag 2 makes an even better pet tracker
- AirTag 2: Ideal pet tracker for cats and small dogs
- AirTag 2’s small size makes it a better small pet tracker
- For larger dogs, too
- An alternative option for large dogs
- An AirTag 2 pet tracker gives you peace of mind
AirTag 2: Ideal pet tracker for cats and small dogs
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
When I realize I don’t know where my cat is, I don’t run out into the yard and start searching. All I need to do is check the Find My app on my iPhone to start getting help finding him.
The AirTag 2 connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth. If the two devices can make that connection, it means my pet isn’t too far away. The new, second-generation model offers a longer Bluetooth range, so Houdini doesn’t need to be as close for me to start tracking him down.
And with that Bluetooth connection, I can set off an alarm on the tracker tag. This is louder on the newer version, which helps. If the cat is, say, sitting on top of the refrigerator for some reason knowable only to a cat, I can find him immediately.
But what really makes the AirTag 2 stand out as a pet tracker is Precision Finding. My iPhone and the tracker tag can make a directional wireless connection over Ultra Wideband. That means my iPhone’s Find My app can point an arrow directly at my cat, and even give a distance.
When I need to track Houdini down outside, he’s never very far away. I often can’t see him, though, because he’s in the shrubbery, or behind a tree or maybe on the roof. He’s not very large, so it’s easy to overlook him. But Precision Finding points me straight toward him.
Apple significantly improved this feature in AirTag 2. It works from double the range of the original, and through walls. And when it comes to finding your missing pet, you want all the help you can get.
Screenshots: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
AirTag 2’s small size makes it a better small pet tracker
AirTag 2 is possibly the best pet tracker for a cat or a small dog because the tracker is so compact. For comparison, I recently reviewed the Halo Collar 5, which is an amazing tracker… and not something a shitzu could possibly wear.
But Apple’s tracker is small enough to attach to any collar. I use a Belkin AirTag holder designed for keychains with Houdini because it doesn’t interfere with the tracker’s wireless functions or speaker.
Despite the small size, the battery in the AirTag 2 lasts for around a year. So if your pup goes missing next winter, you’ll still be able to find them.
For larger dogs, too
An AirTag 2 can also help with larger dogs, even though the challenge is different. If a golden retriever goes missing, it’s not hiding behind the neighbors’ gardenia bushes — it’s three streets away, possibly digging up someone’s garden. But Apple’s Find My network can help.
This is a crowdsourced location system that uses hundreds of millions of Apple devices to locate AirTags. So if the tag on your labradoodle’s collar passes near someone with an iPhone, that location will show up on a map. That should get you into the right general area where a Bluetooth connection or Precise Find can help. Or maybe just yelling the dog’s name out of the car window.
An alternative option for large dogs
Photo: Halo
Admittedly, AirTag 2 isn’t a perfect system for large dogs who can quickly travel fairly long distances. If your pet doesn’t pass near an iPhone, their location won’t show up. The Halo Collar 5 I mentioned earlier does provide real-time GPS tracking so you can head straight to your missing pooch.
What might make the decision between these two options for you is price. Halo Collar 5 is over $500 plus a subscription fee. AirTag 2 is $29, and no additional costs.
An AirTag 2 pet tracker gives you peace of mind
Looking for a missing pet is a miserable experience. Apple’s AirTag can reduce that to you checking your iPhone and then saying, “Oh, there you are, Mr. Fluffins.”
Isn’t that worth $29? It sure is to me.
The next generation of AirTag has its loudest speaker yet and an expanded Precision Finding range. It’s never been easier to follow and find your stuff.
The new Halo Collar 5 GPS dog collar provides up-to-date, real-time location & activity tracking. The device also offers 48 hour battery life and a virtual fence system.
- Real-time GPS location
- 2-day battery life
- Too bulky for small dogs
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
