Menu bar app
Always available from the menu bar without a dock icon.
macOS · Menu bar utility
PawBlock
macOS menu bar app that detects cat-like keyboard input and locks your Mac before damage is done.
Download for MacThe problem
Keyboard safety for cat owners
There are hundreds of millions of pet cats worldwide, and plenty of them share a desk with a laptop. Cats love warm keyboards. Owners love open documents, chats, and work that should stay intact when they step away.
You leave for coffee. The cat claims the keys. PawBlock watches for paw-like patterns and locks the Mac instantly. No dock icon clutter, no keylogging. Local only, with sensitivity levels and an optional paw counter.
Capabilities
What you can do
One focused job: protect your Mac from curious paws.
Protection
Sensitivity levels
Tune detection from 1 to 5 for your keyboard and cat.
Auto lock
Locks the Mac when paw-like input is detected.
Paw counter
Optional count of blocked keyboard attacks.
Privacy
Accessibility based
Uses Accessibility and CGEvent APIs without storing key content.
Local only
Everything stays on your Mac. Nothing is sent to a server.
Launch at login
Optional start with macOS so protection is ready when you open the lid.
Pattern detection
Looks for multi-key and rapid paw-like input, not for what you type.
From annoyance to product
Making a tiny Mac habit reliable
PawBlock is deliberately small. One utility surface, native macOS APIs, and a calm menu bar presence that stays out of the way until it is needed.
It is not on the Mac App Store. Apple declined it under Guideline 2.4.5 because Accessibility APIs are used for keyboard monitoring in a way they treat as beyond accessibility-only use. Rather than wait, we ship it as a direct download so cat owners can protect their Mac now.
Built with
Tech stack
Native macOS APIs for menu bar presence, event monitoring, and launch at login.
Swift & SwiftUI
Native Mac interface with a light AppKit bridge where needed.
AppKit
Menu bar status item and Mac-native chrome.
CGEvent
Low-level keyboard event observation for paw-like patterns.
Accessibility
Permissioned monitoring without storing typed content.
SMAppService
Optional launch at login.
Combine
Reactive state for settings and detection feedback.
Journey
Milestones
Key moments in PawBlock’s journey.
-
macOS PawBlock V1 available Complete and available as a direct download
-
App Review Apple Review feedback Accessibility feedback under Guideline 2.4.5
-
Build Development started First internal build for menu bar monitoring and auto-lock
Updates
Changelog
- Menu bar app: Always-on paw detection without clutter
- Sensitivity levels: Adjustable from 1 to 5
- Paw counter: Track blocked keyboard attacks
- Auto-lock trigger: One-tap lock integration for macOS