Fi vs. Tractive CAT 6 Mini

Specifications side by side

Every figure below comes from the manufacturer’s own published specifications.

Where Fi is stronger

• About half the weight

  16 g (0.56 oz) for Fi Mini against about 31 g (1.1 oz) for the CAT 6 Mini including its collar.

• Weeks longer between charges

  Up to 2 months on Fi Mini against up to 7 days with Power Saving Zones enabled, or up to 4 days without.

• Behaviour detection and vet records

  Fi Mini logs barking, scratching, licking, eating and drinking with AI vet records; the CAT 6 Mini publishes activity and sleep monitoring.

Common questions

Can you actually track a cat with Fi Mini?

Yes — it is the Fi device made for it. Fi calls Mini its first cat-friendly GPS, and it clips to a collar or harness you already own provided the strap is at least about 50 mm (2 in) long. The device itself is 16 g (0.56 oz) and 42 × 30 × 12.5 mm (1.65 × 1.18 × 0.49 in), and it gives live location, escape alerts and health tracking through the Fi app.

Which one lasts longer between charges?

Fi Mini, by a wide margin: up to 2 months against up to 7 days for the CAT 6 Mini with Power Saving Zones enabled, or up to 4 days without them. With a cat this is the difference between charging every couple of months and charging most weeks — and a tracker that is on the charger is a tracker that is not on your cat.

Which is cheaper over the first year?

Tractive, by roughly $32. The CAT 6 Mini is about $157 for the first year — $49 for the device plus $108 for the annual plan — against $189 for Fi’s one-year membership with the device included.

Is there a minimum size of cat for either tracker?

Tractive publishes a recommended range of 7–18 lbs — about 3.2–8.2 kg — for the CAT 6 Mini. Fi does not publish a cat weight range for Mini — fit comes down to the collar or harness you attach it to, and the device is 16 g (0.56 oz).

Does Fi Mini work outside the United States?

Yes, across North America and much of Europe — 35 countries and territories, including Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Nordics, Switzerland and Turkey. Tractive publishes coverage in 175+ countries, so check the Fi list against where you actually travel.

Do both need a subscription?

Yes. Both use a cellular connection for live tracking, and neither offers live GPS without an ongoing plan.

Does the Tractive CAT 6 Mini monitor a cat’s heart rate and breathing rate?

It publishes both, with a condition attached that is easy to miss. Tractive’s own product page says heart rate and respiratory rate are “collected while they’re sleeping or resting” — so these are resting measurements rather than continuous monitoring. The same page adds that “Tractive is not a medical device” and is “not intended to diagnose health conditions.” Fi does not offer either measurement.

I have a dog, not a cat — which comparison should I read?

See Fi vs. Tractive DOG 6 for a small or medium dog, or Fi vs. Tractive DOG 6 XL if your dog is over 44 lbs — about 20 kg — which is the size Tractive sells its XL model for.

Do Tractive’s health features actually work in practice?

Our experience is that the claims are overstated. Across the dogs we have tested a Tractive tracker on, we have not been able to get heart rate, respiratory rate or bark detection to produce readings we would rely on. That is hands-on testing rather than a controlled study, and your result may differ — but it was consistent enough that we think anyone buying for those features should know before paying for them. Tractive’s own page conditions heart and respiratory rate on the dog “sleeping or resting” and states that Tractive “is not a medical device”.

What Fi owners say

• Worth every single penny I paid for them and then some!

  Tommy’s Dog Dad

• I’ve had every version of the Fi collar, and it just keeps getting better!

  Lola’s Dog Mom

• We’re loyal to him because he’s loyal to us and he’s a part of our family… there’s no other better technology available.

  Poppy’s Dog Dad