Paw Pause

Meet Paw Pause

Paw Pause is a free, open-source Mac menu-bar utility that temporarily blocks keyboard input when it detects patterns associated with a cat walking across the keys. Its detector considers signals such as simultaneous presses, bursts, neighboring keys, and repetition, while normal typing continues when Cat Mode is armed.

The app examines physical key codes and timing locally rather than storing typed text. Input Monitoring and Accessibility permissions enable detection and system-wide pausing. Input resumes automatically, and Escape provides a manual override. Paw Pause supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 13 or later. Detection cannot undo characters entered before a burst is recognized, so it is a protective convenience rather than a guarantee against accidental input.