What is the best alternative to Cat Gatekeeper?

Pawzy is widely considered the best desktop alternative to Cat Gatekeeper. While Cat Gatekeeper is a browser extension limited to specific websites, Pawzy is a native desktop app that hijacks your entire screen, ensuring you take a break regardless of what app or game you are using.

Is there a Cat Gatekeeper for desktop apps and games?

Yes, Pawzy is designed specifically for the desktop. It overlays a cute animal on top of all windows—including your browser, IDE, or full-screen games—making it an inescapable screen blocker.

How to bypass Cat Gatekeeper?

While browser-based blockers like Cat Gatekeeper can sometimes be bypassed by opening a new tab or minimizing the window, Pawzy uses OS-level screen hijacking to create an un-bypassable 'hard lock' during your scheduled breaks.

🛡️ 100% Open Source & Offline

🐱 Cat Gatekeeper for Desktop

Cat Gatekeeper
for Your Desktop.

The desktop version of Cat Gatekeeper that actually works. Pawzy blocks your entire screen — not just 6 websites. Works on every app, game, and browser. No new-tab bypass. No Alt+F4.

Download for Windows Linux How it works

Direct downloads · Free forever · macOS coming soon

Neko Cat enforcing a hydration break

Shiba Inu watching your focus session

Capybara bringing the chill energy

Monkey making sure you take a break

🐱 vs Cat Gatekeeper

Love Cat Gatekeeper? You'll Love This More.

Cat Gatekeeper inspired this whole category. But it's a browser extension with real limits. Pawzy is what happens when you rebuild that idea as a proper desktop app - with zero compromises.

Feature

😿 Cat Gatekeeper

🐾 Pawzy

Works on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram

6 sites only

All sites

Works on desktop apps (Spotify, games, IDE)

Browser only

Entire OS

Bypass-proof (no new-tab workaround)

New-tab bypass

Inescapable

Works on Brave, Firefox, Arc

Chrome only

Any Browser

Multiple animal companions

1 (cat only)

4 Companions

Works offline

100% Offline

Free & Open Source

Always Free

"It only supports 6 web pages. I want to use it on ALL sites, very disappointing."

Real Cat Gatekeeper review ↓

Chrome Web Store · May 2026

"I can open a new tab to reset the timer. Facebook blocked by cat → Open new tab → Facebook unblocked :)"

Real Cat Gatekeeper review ↓

Chrome Web Store · May 2026

"Still waiting. It hasn't appeared and it's more than an hour now."

Real Cat Gatekeeper review ↓

Chrome Web Store · May 2026

🐾 Try Pawzy Free - No Browser Required

Meet the enforcers

Choose Your Companion

Pick during first launch or change anytime in Settings. Each one has a unique personality and animations.

Neko Cat

The original. Slides in from the right and judges your productivity silently.

Get Pawzy

Shiba Inu

Much break. Very rest. Wow. Bobs happily and twitches ears during idle.

Get Pawzy

Capybara

Maximum chill energy. Relaxes on your screen while you take a breather.

Get Pawzy

Monkey

Playful and curious. Swings in to make sure you step away from the keyboard.

Get Pawzy

Features

Everything you need

No subscriptions, no accounts, no data collection. Just you and your companion.

🖥️

Inescapable Breaks

True fullscreen. No Alt+F4, no minimize, no skipping. Your body will thank you.

⚙️

Custom Timers

Work 5–120 min, break 1–30 min. Change anytime from the tray icon.

🚀

Launches on Login

Toggle auto-start so Pawzy is always running - even after restarts.

🔒

100% Offline

No telemetry, no servers, no accounts. Everything lives on your machine.

🪶

Lightweight

One AppImage or EXE. No Python, no npm, no setup. Just download and run.

🎨

4 Companions

Cat, Shiba, Capybara, Monkey - each with unique animations and personality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this the best Cat Gatekeeper alternative?

Unlike browser extensions that only block a few websites, Pawzy runs as a native desktop application. This means our screen blocker can block you from doomscrolling on Twitter, but also stop you from playing Steam games, using Discord, or ignoring your work. It's inescapable.

How does it stop doomscrolling?

When your focus timer ends, a giant capybara, monkey, dog, or cat will physically slide over your entire screen. You cannot click behind them. You cannot open a new tab to bypass them. The only way to remove them is to wait out your break or type a tedious "I want to ruin my eyes" override code.

Is Pawzy really free?

Yes. 100% free and open source. No premium tiers, no ads, no data tracking. Just pure productivity enforcement.

Does it work on Linux and Windows?

Yes! We offer a portable Linux AppImage (works on Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, etc.) and a standard Windows executable. macOS support is currently in development.

Is Pawzy a Cat Gatekeeper alternative?

Yes! Pawzy was directly inspired by Cat Gatekeeper. But while Cat Gatekeeper is a Chrome extension that only works on 6 specific websites, Pawzy is a full desktop app that blocks your entire screen - covering every app, game, video, and website, regardless of which browser you use.

Can I bypass Pawzy by opening a new tab?

No. That's the key difference from browser extensions like Cat Gatekeeper. Pawzy operates at the OS level - it takes over your entire screen, not just a browser tab. There's no new-tab trick, no Alt+F4, no minimizing.

Does it work on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram?

Yes - and everywhere else. Pawzy doesn't maintain a list of "supported sites". It's a desktop application that works across your entire computer. Whatever you're doing when break time hits, Pawzy shows up.

What if I get an urgent call?

Pawzy is designed to be inescapable to build discipline, but there's a strict emergency override sequence if absolutely necessary (though we don't make it too easy!).

Does it work over fullscreen games or videos?

Yes. Pawzy runs at the OS level and will show up over most borderless/fullscreen applications when your break starts.

Is my data private?

100%. Pawzy is completely offline. It doesn't connect to any servers, has no accounts, and requires no internet access to work.

Cat Gatekeeper
for Your Desktop.

Love Cat Gatekeeper? You'll Love This More.