Tabcat Cat Tracker FAQs

If you purchased your product from our website, your order number is included in the confirmation email we sent you after your purchase.

If you are located in the USA, you can purchase via www.tabcat.com.
If you are located in the UK, Europe and Rest of World, you can purchase via www.mytabcat.com

Currently, Tabcat products are only available online and via online 3rd party suppliers. Tabcat is not available in high street and retail stores. We recommend only using a trusted 3rd party supplier/Authorised Reseller or buying directly from us (this official website). All Tabcat purchasers’ have ongoing customer support, 30 Day Money Back guarantee and a 2 year manufacturer warranty.

The Loc8tor and the Tabcat are exactly the same product. The only difference between the two is that the Tabcat Pack comes with protective cases to help attach the tags to your cats collar and the Loc8tor Lite doesn’t, it includes adhesive strips and keyring cords to help attach them to your belongings.

Tabcat is our older version of Cat Tracker and Tabcat V2 or Version 2 is our newer Tabcat product. Both products work exactly the same. The only difference is that the Tags have changed in shape to a smaller version. Please note that these products are not compatible with one another.

Yes, the Tabcat Cat Tracking Device uses the same technology as Loc8tor, both of which use the 2.45GHz frequency band which can be used worldwide.

In short we’ve always thought Tabcat Cat Tracker is better than GPS for a variety of reasons. For example it’s much lighter, it’s more accurate, it works indoors and out…

The Tabcat Homing Tag weighs just 0.20 ounces. It is one the lightest options on the market today and much much lighter than GPS trackers than can weigh up to 2 ounces.

The Homing Tag for Tabcat V2 measures 1.18in (H) x .79in (W) x 0.35in (D) / 3cm (H) x 2cm (W) x 0.9cm (D)

Orders received by 2:00pm CST any USA business day, will be dispatched on the same day. Orders received after this cut off will be processed and dispatched the next US business day, for all orders shipping to the USA, including Alaska and Hawaii. Full delivery information can be found here.

If you wish to track your order, you will be provided with the tracking number after your order has been shipped.

Firstly, remove the Tabcat from its protective packaging and familiarise yourself with the instruction manual, the rest of the contents and the handset. The 4 buttons on the face of the device are the locating buttons to which you can register up to 4 homing tags – 2 are included in the Tabcat pack. The button on the left hand side is the volume control. There are 3 settings; mute, low and high. The button on the right hand side is the on/off switch. Please note that the device will switch off automatically if inactive for 45 seconds.

For a visual demonstration please watch our video – Setting Up Your Tabcat

Click here for the user manual for the Tabcat. We recommend you read this before setting up your device.

Place the tag you wish to register within arm’s length of the handset and ensure it is the only active tag in close proximity to the handset. Ensure the plastic strip has been removed to activate the battery & your tag beeps Twice upon removal, and then ensure the case is clipped shut. To register the tag to button 1, hold button 1 down for three seconds or until you hear a beep. Repeat registration process for any other tags with the other available buttons.

For a visual demonstration please watch our video – Registering a Tag

Troubleshooting Tip for Tabcat v2: If the tag does not beep twice when the battery strip has been removed, open the tag and remove the batteries for 10 seconds and then place them back in keeping the plus side up nearest the lanyard hole and plus side down furthest from the lanyard hole. When closing it back up, it should beep twice.

*If you are trying to register a new tag to a button on the handset which had a lost or permanently damaged tag previously registered to it, you must follow the “Delete a tag” steps first to ensure the button is free. “Delete a tag” steps can be found on the Tabcat Pack User Manual or can be downloaded here: Tabcat User ManualTabcat User Guide

The handset is a credit-card sized device that you hold which sends a signal to the Cat Tracker Tag.

Making sure you’ve registered the tag to the handset first, insert the tag into one of the slits in the silicone case. For Tabcat V2, insert the tag in the space at the back of the silicone case. Then thread the cats’ collar through both slits on the silicone case to attach. You can now put the collar on your cat and you’re ready to go! Please note: Tabcat recommends using the Tabcases supplied to protect your Tag against the elements and minor knocks, bumps and scratches. Failure to not use the Protective cases may void your warranty.

No. Each tag is uniquely registered to your handset during a simple set up process. It is then not possible for other handsets to track your tags or for other tags to be picked up by the signal from your handset.

Unregistering a Tag allows you to remove the Tag from the Handset safely. You may unregister a Tag because it is no longer in use, to register it to another button or to put it on to another handset.

For round tag version: Deleting a Tag should only be actioned if the Tag is lost, stolen, broken or if it beeps twice. You should never delete a Tag if it beeps once, when a new battery is inserted. When you delete a Tag from the handset you risk not being able to use it again.

For Tabcat v2 version: Deleting a Tag should only be actioned if the Tag is lost, stolen, broken. If a tag is accidentally deleted, it can later be re-registered to the same handset but it cannot be registered to a different handset.

For further guidance, please email our Customer Service Team at tabcat@about-time.com or call us at +1 956 635 9145.

Press the right hand side button to switch on your Tabcat – the red status light will flash. Press the left hand side (volume) button and simultaneously press button 1. Hold both buttons down for three seconds or until you hear a beep. Then release both buttons. After a few moments the Tag and handset will beep again to confirm the un-registration process has been successful. This will un-register the tag paired with button 1 and allow you to register the tag to a different button or handset. Repeat this process holding down the left hand side button and button 2 to un-register tag associated with button 2. Repeat as necessary for buttons 3 and 4.

For Tabcat v2: If you have any problem registering the tag to the handset, open the tag and remove the batteries for 10 seconds and then place them back in keeping the plus side up nearest the lanyard hole and plus side down furthest from the lanyard hole. When closing it back up, it should beep twice. Try the registration again. If it beeps once, it has already been registered.

*If you are trying to register a new tag to a button on the handset which had a lost or permanently damaged tag previously registered to it, you must follow the “Delete a tag” steps first to ensure the button is free. “Delete a tag” steps can be found on the Tabcat Pack User Manual or can be downloaded here: Tabcat User Guide

For Tabcat v2 - Firstly, open your tag, re-insert the batteries keeping the plus side up nearest the lanyard hole and plus side down furthest from the lanyard hole and then close the tag. Sometimes batteries become dislodged inside the tag if not firmly clipped in place. If you still do not get any noise from your tag, it is most likely the batteries will need to be changed.

If you do hear 1 beep, this means that tag has already been registered. This will either be to the existing handset or an old handset (it can only be registered to one handset at a time).

If you hear 2 beeps, this means the tag is unregistered and needs to be registered to an unused button on the handset.

Round tag version: Random beeps could be a few different things. The most common is that the Tag isn’t firmly clipped shut all the way round. If you check and it looks as though it is firmly shut, it may be that the battery life is coming to an end so changing the battery should solve the issue. When re-closing the tag make sure that the 2 small lanyard holes at the top of the tag are aligned to ensure a correct and tight fit.

Tabcat v2 version: Beeping coming from the tag approximately every 10 seconds while not in use means the battery life is coming to an end. Replace the batteries with two Silver Oxide SR1130 or Silver Oxide GP389 or equivalent Silver Oxide batteries. The batteries should be placed in the tag with the plus side up nearest the lanyard hole and plus side down furthest from the lanyard hole.

Problems on your handset usually indicates that your batteries need replacing in the handset as well as your tags. Please replace all batteries in the Handset and all Tags linked to it with brand new ones. We also suggest that you Unregister Tags that you are no longer using or Delete Tags that you have lost or are damaged from the Handset. That should resolve the issue.

No, unfortunately our new Tabcat v2/Version 2 products are not compatible with our older ranges.
You will need a new Tabcat v2/Version 2 Handset to work with our new Version 2/v2 Tags.

Yes if you already have a v2 handset, additional homing tags can be purchased separately here.

You can only register 4 tags to one handset.

Please note Tabcat v2/Version 2 is only compatible with the same range.

No, none of our previous models are not compatible with Tabcat v2. Although the v2 Tags have the same shape as our Loc8tor Plus and Loc8tor Pet, they will not work with our new v2 Handsets.

Unfortunately one of the fall outs with COVID-19 was a worldwide shortage of components. Both handset and tags need to use the same type RF component to be able to communicate with each other. Given the lack of supply of the previous version, demand from customers for Tabcat and opportunity to give better performance we made the change. This means our new lozenge shape tags will only work with the new v2 handset.

If you are using our New Tabcat v2, the handset requires 1 x CR2032 and the tags require 2 x SR113 or Silver Oxide GP389 or equivalent batteries.

If you are using the round tag version, both the handset and tags use 1 x CR2032 batteries each.

If you are still using the Loc8tor Plus or Loc8tor Pet you will require 2 x SR54 batteries in each tag.

They can be purchased from most supermarkets or stores that sell batteries.

Remove the protective case. At the top end of each tag there is a hole which you can thread a lanyard through. At the opposite end there a small space you can insert the tag opening tool (included in pack). Insert into space and if using the opening tool twist and the tag will pop open. Replace with CR2032 battery keeping plus side face up. Replace the lid by lining up the lanyard hole and pressing shut, ensuring the Tag is securely clipped shut all the way round. Please note that every time you replace the battery inside the tag, you must listen to the amount of beeps the tag emits. If it beeps Once – the tag is still registered, therefore good to go. If it beeps Twice – the tag has become unregistered, therefore you’ll need to set it back up again. If there’s no beeps – the battery is not connected properly or it’s flat.

• Put your thumbnail, or a flat tool, at the end of the Tag by the lanyard hole, into the split line (line going around the middle of the Tag).
• Keeping your thumbnail / flat tool in the split line move it around to the middle of the long side. The Tag will pop open.
• Replace batteries with 2 x SR1130 Silver Oxide or GP389 Silver Oxide batteries, keeping the plus side up nearest the lanyard hole and plus side down furthest from the lanyard hole.
• Replace the lid by putting one long side in first then pushing shut. If the battery is correctly inserted the Tag will beep when case is closed.
• To test the batteries, open the Tag, if it does not beep and flash
• – replace the batteries.If the Tag beeps once, it’s registered. If it beeps twice it’s unregistered.

Many of our customers experience up to 1 year of battery life. However, battery life does depend on usage. We recommend changing the batteries every 4 months if using less frequently or every 2 months if using daily. We would also recommend having spares in case you need to replace them in a hurry.

For round tag version - You will know when batteries are running low when you hear random beeps coming from your homing tag or high pitch sounds on your handset.

For Tabcat v2 version - The tag will beep approximately every 10 seconds when not in use. For the handset, the red status light will blink twice when not in use and the handset will have trouble going into search mode.

No, the signal in our Tabcat product will not interfere with a cat flap that has been paired with your cats’ microchip.

When you press the registered button on the handset, the tag on your cat’s collar will make a little beep which helps the cat understand it is time to come home. We recommend to initially train your cat whilst at home and so that he/she can associate the beep with food or a treat. It is also worth noting that all 4 buttons will make a slightly different beeping noise on the tag. Training your cat may take a little time but we’ve had many customers tell us it works allowing them to just press the button on the handset from the comfort of an armchair and waiting for their cat to arrive on demand.

Tabcat ranges UP TO 500ft based on a clear line of sight but varies depending on location. If any object, especially metal objects, are blocking the line-of-sight, the range will be reduced. You’ll get a different range in different areas, depending where you locate based on the environment. Radio Frequency is sensitive to conductive materials, like water and metal surfaces. Although the range may be reduced through these factors, Tabcat still works through walls and doors and is designed to help find your cat in the house, neighbouring gardens, streets, or even stuck up a tree. Locating from a high vantage point will help improve the range/performance.  That being said, we’ve sold 10’000’s of Tabcat products around the world and saved many cat owners from the worry and stress of locating their pet.  Many of our customers have used Tabcat to train their cat or kitten to come home on demand which often avoids a lengthy search.

Whilst Tabcat is primarily aimed at Cats, we’ve had customers that have also used it for their Tortoise, rabbit and even some small dogs.

Yes, please check to ensure collar is not too loose or tight to avoid rubbing. When adjusting the collar, you must leave enough space to be able to slide two fingers between the collar and your cat’s neck to avoid injury, or two-three fingers for long hair cats. Owners should be aware of how to fit a collar correctly and it is owners responsibility to choose the correct collar for their cat. For your cats comfort we recommend the collar/Tabcat is removed once a month and checked.

We recommend removing the tag form the silicone case every three months to extract cat hair from the case and inside the tag. When removing you must also check for scratches, bite marks or damage caused by your cat to the silicone case. If any damage has incurred, we recommend replacing. (Replacement cases can be purchased via our website). The duration of the silicone case depends on your cat.

We also recommend:
– Using the silicone case to protect the tag
– Only using the tag opening tool provided to open tags. (round tag version)
– Ensuring the tag is lined up correctly before closing shut.
– Replacing the battery every 2-4 months with the correct battery only

Your satisfaction is very important to us so Tabcat comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. All you have to do is:
1) Contact the Customer Satisfaction Team on tabcat@about-time.com
2) Complete this product Returns Form.
3) Return the form and the product in its original condition and packaging to 

About-Time Inc / Tabcat

5401 Bob Bullock Loop FL-3

Laredo, Texas 78041

United States – If located in the USA (ONLY)
We’d recommend that you send it “tracked” as we can’t be responsible for items lost in the post.
All returns must exclude batteries.

Terms and conditions apply – https://tabcat.com/terms-and-conditions/