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Software prevents cats from e-mailing

Pawsense software detects and prevents cat typing.

Brian Cooley Editor at Large
Brian Cooley is CNET's Editor at large and has been with the brand since 1995. He currently focuses on electrification of vehicles but also follows the big trends in smart home, digital healthcare, 5G, the future of food, and augmented & virtual realities. Cooley is a sought after presenter by brands and their agencies when they want to understand how consumers react to new technologies. He has been a regular featured speaker at CES, Cannes Lions, Advertising Week and The PHM HealthFront™. He was born and raised in Silicon Valley when Apple's campus was mostly apricots.
Expertise Automotive technology, smart home, digital health. Credentials
  • 5G Technician, ETA International
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Brian Cooley
Pawsense prevents paw typing. 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.