Territory shows you the area your cat explored over the past week. It's a great way to see where your cat likes to roam and how their exploration habits change over time.
How territory works
Territory uses your cat's location data from the past seven days to identify the area they've been exploring. The territory zone is calculated automatically and updates every day.
What you'll see:
- History: a yellow zone on the map showing where your cat roams
- Timeline: the size of their territory, and how it’s changed from the previous week
Territory is only available to cats.
Requirements for territory
For your cat's territory to be calculated and displayed, they need:
- Minimum location reports: At least 10 GPS position reports within the seven-day period.
- Minimum area size: The roaming area must be at least 500 square meters.
- If these requirements aren't met: Territory won't be shown or updated for that week. There won’t be a territory update in the Timeline as well. Keep tracking, and it will appear once enough location data is collected.
Where to find territory
In the History Location
Territory appears in the History tab under the Location view:
- Open the Tractive app.
- At the bottom of the screen, go to
History.
- Make sure you're in the Location tab (not Timeline).
- You'll see your cat's territory zone displayed on the map if the requirements are met.
Territory shows the last seven days, not including today. Your cat's movements from the current day aren't included in the territory calculation yet.
In the Timeline tab
Weekly territory updates appear in your Timeline:
- Go to
- Switch to the Timeline.
- Look for the weekly territory update entry.
- Tap on it to see detailed territory information.
What the update shows:
- Current territory size
- Change from last week (bigger or smaller)
- Week-by-week territory history (tap on an update from the Timeline)
When territory updates
On the Location tab
Territory updates every day if the requirements are met.
On the Timeline
Territory updates every Monday around 8:00 AM UTC with data from the previous week. You can't change when updates happen.
For example: The update on Monday, March 24 shows your cat's territory from Monday, March 17 through Sunday, March 23 (not including Monday, March 24).
Understanding your cat's territory
Territory vs. trace path
Territory (yellow zone):
- Shows the general area your cat explores regularly
- Based on the last seven days (not including today)
- Updates weekly every Monday
Trace path (lines on map):
- Shows the exact routes your cat took
- Includes today's movements
- Updates in real-time as your cat moves
Territory focuses on areas where your cat actually roams and explores, so it automatically filters out unusual location data that might be from car rides or other transportation.
This means: Your cat's territory zone may look different from their full path, showing only the areas where they regularly spend time. Especially for today's movements, because today isn't included in the territory calculation yet.
Heat map
The heat map shows which parts of your cat's territory they visit most often:
- Darker/warmer colors = areas visited more frequently
- Lighter/cooler colors = areas visited less often
Turning territory on or off
The Territory is enabled automatically for cats. If you want to hide it from your map screen, you can turn it off anytime.
- From the
Map view.
- Next to Territory, use the toggle to either disable or enable the feature.
What if territory isn't showing?
Territory might not appear if:
Not enough location data: Your cat needs at least 10 GPS position reports within the seven-day window. This can happen if:
- Your tracker had poor signal for several days
- Your cat stayed mostly indoors where GPS signal is limited
- Your tracker was in Power Saving Zone mode for extended periods
Area is too small: If your cat's roaming area is smaller than 500 square meters, territory won't be calculated.
Inactive days: If there are days with no positions recorded (signal loss, tracker off, etc.), territory depends on having enough location reports from the remaining days in the week.
What to do: Keep tracking. Once your cat has enough location data, territory will appear.
Frequently asked questions
Is territory only for cats?
Yes. Territory is available only to cats.
Why doesn't my cat's territory include areas they went to today?
Territory is calculated from the last seven days, not including the current day. You'll see today's movements in the trace path, which may go beyond the territory zone. Today's locations will be included in next week's territory update.
Can I see territory from previous weeks?
Yes. From the Timeline, tap on a territory update entry to view week-by-week territory history. You can navigate between weeks to see how your cat's territory has changed over time.
When does territory update?
Every Monday. The update includes data from the previous Monday through Sunday.
Can I change when territory updates?
No. Territory updates happen automatically every Monday and can't be changed.
Why did my cat's territory get smaller this week?
Your cat may have stayed closer to home, or they might have spent more time in areas with poor GPS signal. Check the Timeline update to see the size comparison with last week.
What if my tracker had no signal for a few days?
Territory can still be calculated if there are enough GPS positions from the other days in the seven-day window (at least 10 total). If there aren't enough positions, the territory update won't be shown for that week.