CatGuardia

Cat owners consider their cats cherished members of the family. However, among the 42 million U.S. households that own cats, 15% experience the distress of losing their pets within a five-year period, with some never recovering them.
CatGuardia is designed to create a safer living environment for household cats, offering solutions to prevent escapes and aid in recovery.
During interviews, cat owners highlighted a simple yet challenging solution to prevent escapes: “Close the doors and lock the windows.” CatGuardia’s pet monitor detects whether doors or windows are open. If they remain open beyond a user-defined duration, the system alerts the owner, warning of a potential escape risk. Additionally, the monitor tracks cat movement near these areas, notifying owners if the feline disappears from the monitored zone.
If a cat does venture outside, CatGuardia’s GPS-enabled collar provides real-time location tracking. Owners can define Safe-Zones, receiving alerts if their cat leaves the designated area, and No-Go Zones, which help keep cats out of restricted areas. The app’s “Ring” button functions as a hotspot finder, directing owners to their hiding cat’s location without alarming the pet, as the sound only plays on the phone app.
CatGuardia also fosters collaboration and community. The “Co-User” feature allows household members to share monitoring responsibilities, enhancing the cat’s safety. Additionally, the app’s “Report” function connects local cat owners, creating a supportive network. When a cat goes missing, nearby cat parents can stay vigilant and assist in the search.
By proactively monitoring household conditions to prevent escapes and offering advanced recovery tools, CatGuardia aims to significantly improve outcomes for lost cats. It is expected to improve the lost cats’ finding rate by approximately 50% and increase the number of found live cat by 30%, and provide peace of mind to cat owners and enhancing the safety of their beloved pets.