The Marco Polo tracking system is our most used product for life on the road with our cat, Neko. It has been a cat lifesaver on many occasions, traveling and at home. As an added benefit, the good folks at Eureka Marco Polo Pet Tracker have a lightweight add-on so that you can find your drone in the event of a crash. They have an optional tag for drones which makes the Marco Polo tracking system double handy.
Tracking pets can be achieved through several methods. These include:
- RF (radio frequency)
- Bluetooth
- Wirekess network
Each technology has pros and cons. In this article, we look specifically at how to track your cat down using the leading pet tracker using RF technology. The Marco Polo pet and drone tracker is easy to use and very successful.
How to track your cat down and why choose an RF tracking device?
If you have ever lost your cat in the great outdoors, you will empathize with the analogy of playing blind man’s bluff, or “Marco Polo”, in trying to locate that naughty kitty. The biggest problem is that your cat will not be yelling “Marco,” so you have a hint as to their location. In fact, kitty will be like most insolent cats and be dead silent, watching you wandering through the wild in your pajamas.
This is where the Marco Polo Cat tracker comes into play. As far as we are concerned, it is the duck’s guts of cat tracking collars. Your cat wears the collar with the tracking chip while you have the locator. The handheld locator beeps faster as you get closer to the kitty and has an arrow to give you the direction of your errant kitty. It is simple in how it works. Unlike GPS cat trackers, the Marco Polo requires no GPS, Wi-Fi, or monthly plan, and can be used anywhere in the world.
The Marco Polo pet tracking system reviews
First and foremost, the Marco Polo tracking system is peace of mind. It is one of the best-known radio tracking frequency pet trackers on the market. The Marco Polo is accurate, light, and for those of you who have cats that swim, fully waterproof.
It has an incredible battery life (up to six hours) and is used by pet owners and professionals.
Neko (our cat) wears it daily and is not allowed out of the house without it.
Other cat trackers, such as the cat GPS trackers, have their place but rely on suitable mobile cell or satellite availability. This can be unreliable in remote places or if you travel to other countries.
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What about drones… and dogs for that matter?
When we consider how to track your cat down, we are most likely thinking of travel (although the Marco Polo tracking system is great at home). The Marco Polo tracking system handset can track up to three locator tags. You can mix n match if you wish. It is possible to have three tags on three kitties, or one on your cat and one on your dog (and one spare). Fit a lightweight tag (available from the Marco Polo people) for your drone, and you will double the value. The basic kit has one cat tag, and you can add more as you wish. The drone option is another reason that the Marco Polo Cat Tracker is our unit of choice. GPS cat trackers on a drone require a satellite to see into the area you crashed in.
Versatile product
The Marco Polo cat tracking handset can be used for up to three tags. One for kitty, one for puppy, and one for your drone!
What we liked
- Has a working range of 2 miles (3.2 kms)
- Real-time tracking
- Accurate to within inches
- Locator unit lights up with an LED status light
- Locator unit is lightweight and waterproof
- Easy to use
- No monthly subscription fees
- Not reliant on mobile reception, worldwide coverage
- Battery life can last for up to 45 days
- Minimum safe zone of 50 ft
- You are alerted when your pet leaves the safe zone
- Comfortable for cats
- Updates every few seconds allowing for fresh information when tracking
The down side
- Does not do precise tracking
- Expensive
- Not feature-rich
- Bulky locator does not fit in a pocket
- You must move around if obstructions are in the way
- Maximum range is for flat terrain
When on the road, we use the safety zone feature which means our cat does not get far before the Marco Polo alarm goes off. Now that we live on acreage, we do not use the safety zone feature but still use the locator several times a week. Sometimes it is merely because we are going out and (being the strict parents we are) the cat is not allowed to stay out when we are not home.
Really, truly, this product is a gem that offers peace of mind that in our view, you cannot put a price on.
Will it work in my area?
We have camped in remote Australia where WiFi and phone reception are only available in your dreams. Not a worry because the tracker works on radio frequency, so it really doesn’t matter how remote you are. Unlike GPS cat trackers, you do not need satellites or connections to mobile phone networks.
Am I going to be able to figure out how to use it?
It is easy to use (ready straight out of the box), reliable and accurate. It also allows you to set up a safety zone, so an alarm goes off if kitty ventures outside of the set zone. The Marco Polo cat tracking kit comes with a reference manual and a quick start guide.
Does It Really Work?
Places we have successfully used the Marco Polo cat tracker to find our cat; under a deck, under our bus (often) in tall grass, in the forest, and inside (when we thought she was out). And, there was the heart-stopping time she was located in a neighbor’s rural driveway right on dusk. Because we often use the Marco Polo pet tracker, our cat has become used to the beeping sound it makes and usually comes when she hears the sound. This is a feature we were not expecting.
How does it fit around my cat’s neck?
The Marco Polo Pet Tracker comes with a collar holder that attaches to a cat collar using Velcro. We leave it on the cat collar permanently and take the collar off every night as Neko is not allowed out after dark. The collar is put back on her in the morning, and she wears it all day. That way, we do not have to concern ourselves with whether she has the collar on or not.
Is the Marco Polo pet tracking system comfortable for the cat?
If you asked our cat, we are sure she would say “no,” but then again, she says “no” to everything. In fact, she wears it every day and does not complain (or at least not to us). As we have made it a habit that she must put it on every morning, she now expects it. Once again, consistency is key.
Is there any other cost after I have bought the Marco Polo tracking system?
Nope. None. Zippo.
You can’t own a cat. The best you can do is be partners.
Sir Harry Swanson
