New Smart Collars Aim to Revolutionize Pet Health Tracking

Tractive's latest GPS-enabled wearables monitor vital signs and activity for dogs and cats.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:54pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a smart pet collar with pulsing neon lights, representing the advanced health tracking sensors and AI-powered insights that can monitor a pet's vital signs and activity.Smart pet collars equipped with cutting-edge health monitoring sensors aim to provide pet owners with unprecedented visibility into their animals' wellbeing.Seattle Today

Tractive, a tech company specializing in pet tracking devices, has announced two new smart collars - the Cat 6 Mini and Dog 6 XL - that use advanced sensors and AI-powered insights to monitor pets' health and activity. The collars can track respiratory rate, heart rate, scratching behavior, and more to help pet owners identify potential health issues early. The collars require a separate subscription plan to access the full suite of features through the companion mobile app.

Why it matters

As pets can't verbalize when they're feeling unwell, these smart collars provide a new way for owners to proactively monitor their animals' wellbeing. The data collected could help vets better understand a pet's baseline health and detect the onset of new conditions. This technology aims to revolutionize pet care by giving owners more visibility into their furry friends' daily lives.

The details

The Cat 6 Mini collar is designed for feline companions, allowing owners to track their cat's respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and scratching behavior. The Dog 6 XL, built for pups over 55 pounds, offers similar health monitoring features along with a scratch detection system to flag skin irritation or allergies. Both collars sync with a mobile app to provide AI-powered health insights and act as GPS trackers if a pet goes missing. While the collars can capture data offline, a cellular connection is required to access the full suite of features.

  • The Cat 6 Mini collar is expected to ship on May 31, 2026.
  • Tractive's previous dog wearable has been upgraded to the new Dog 6 XL model.

The players

Tractive

An Austria- and Seattle-based tech company that creates GPS tracking devices for pets.

Michael Hurnaus

The CEO and founder of Tractive.

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What they’re saying

“Pets can't tell us when something is wrong, but their bodies can. With cutting-edge sensors on every tracker, learnings from millions of pets and AI-powered insights, we're turning one of the world's largest pet data platforms into clear, simple information so pet parents can act sooner and care even better.”

— Michael Hurnaus, CEO and founder of Tractive

What’s next

Tractive's new smart collars are expected to begin shipping in the coming months, providing pet owners with a new way to monitor their animals' health and wellbeing.

The takeaway

These advanced pet wearables represent the next frontier in proactive pet care, leveraging technology to give owners greater insight into their furry friends' daily lives and potential health issues. As pets can't verbalize when they're unwell, these smart collars could revolutionize the way veterinarians and pet owners work together to maintain an animal's quality of life.