Overview
CatPaws is a macOS menu bar application designed to detect when a cat is on your keyboard and temporarily lock keyboard input to protect your work.
🔒 CatPaws does not collect, store, transmit, or share any personal data.
All processing occurs locally on your device.
Data We Access
Keyboard Input Monitoring
CatPaws requires macOS Input Monitoring permission to function. This permission allows the app to:
- Detect key press patterns — The app monitors for simultaneous multi-key presses that indicate a cat may be on your keyboard
- Block keyboard input — When cat-like patterns are detected, the app temporarily prevents keystrokes from reaching applications
What We Do NOT Do
- We do not record keystrokes — The app only analyzes press patterns (number of keys, adjacency, timing), not the actual characters typed
- We do not log or store keyboard data — No keyboard input is saved to disk or memory beyond immediate pattern detection
- We do not transmit any data — The app operates entirely offline with no network communication
- We do not capture passwords or sensitive input — The app cannot and does not distinguish or record sensitive information
- We do not share data with third parties — There is no data to share
Data Storage
CatPaws stores only your preferences and settings locally on your device using macOS UserDefaults. This includes:
- Detection sensitivity settings
- Lock cooldown duration preferences
- Launch at login preference
- App statistics (lock count, detection events) — stored locally only
This configuration data never leaves your device, can be reset at any time by removing the app, and contains no personal or identifying information.
Permissions Required
| Permission | Purpose | Data Access |
|---|---|---|
| Input Monitoring | Detect cat-like keyboard patterns | Key press events (not content) |
Third-Party Services
CatPaws does not integrate with any third-party services, analytics platforms, or advertising networks. The app contains no tracking mechanisms.
Children's Privacy
CatPaws does not collect any personal information from anyone, including children under 13 years of age.
Data Security
Since CatPaws does not collect or transmit data, there is no data at risk. All keyboard pattern analysis occurs in real-time in memory and is immediately discarded after processing.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Revoke permissions at any time through macOS System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring
- Uninstall the app which removes all locally stored preferences
- Reset preferences using:
defaults delete com.corti.CatPaws
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.
Open Source
CatPaws is open source software. You can review the complete source code to verify our privacy practices:
Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us by opening an issue on our GitHub repository.