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May 30, 2007 4:44 PM PDT

Software prevents cats from e-mailing

by Brian Cooley
Pawsense prevents paw typing

Pawsense prevents paw typing.

(Credit: BitBoost Systems)

It's not quite as dangerous as butt dialing, but cat typing can have its scary moments, like when PayPal or your IM client are open and in front.

So I am intrigued by a software utility called Pawsense, which detects when a cat is walking on your keyboard and shuts down key input within a couple of strokes. OK, while the odds are astronomical, your cat could randomly walk-type a vile obscenity into a memo you're writing while you are up getting a cup of coffee. You come back to the computer, fail to proof the thing, send it to your team and boss--voila, instant mortification. Your cat just sits there, grooming her face.

Pawsense also uses your PC speakers to emit a loud sound that cats hate (which pretty much assures me that this utility was not written by a cat lover).

I can't tell you how well it works because the publisher has the unpleasant policy of not offering a trial download version.

Brian Cooley is an editor at large who keeps his fingers on the pulse of consumers' attitudes toward tech. His specialty is CNET Car Tech videos, but, frankly, most people have seen him on the TVs at Costco (or in one of his '60s Fords or Fiats).
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cat prevention
by punkypaul May 31, 2007 12:38 AM PDT
It is extremly paw of the publisher not to offer a trial download.
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Cat Vs. Laptop
by BrianM001 June 1, 2007 7:59 AM PDT
My issue is my Cat used to always sleep on top of my desktop monitor, but now with my laptop, she tries the same thing, only she can't balance on a .5" X 15" surface, and ends up belly flopping onto the top of the monitor.

But I doubt this program would prevent that too, need some of fast motion sensor for a webcam or something.

Or I just need to get a vid and throw it on youTube
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Windows-L it!
by genotypewriter June 3, 2007 8:51 AM PDT
Just lock the computer... and if the cat presses Ctrl-Alt-Del and types your password in, then you should probably listen to the cat more often.
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