Bound to the cat
Left click toggles both the running animation and Keep Awake, so the menu bar always tells the truth.
Mac menu bar companion
RunningCat
A tiny cat for your menu bar. Now it also keeps your Mac awake for long downloads, demos, builds, renders, and other tasks that should not quietly stop.
New in RunningCat
The animation now means something.
When the cat runs, Keep Awake is active. When the cat rests, Keep Awake is released. The same state is used by left click, the right-click menu, and Settings.
Timed sessions
Choose 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or keep it on until you turn it off.
Display control
Keep the Mac awake only, or keep the display on too when you need a visible desktop presentation.
Designed for confidence
You can tell when it is working.
RunningCat does not ask users to trust a hidden switch. The active state appears in the menu bar tooltip, at the top of the right-click menu, and inside Settings with remaining time.
Hover tooltip
Keep Awake is on. 58 min remaining.
Right-click menu
Keep Awake: On, 58 min left
Settings
Current status: On, display stays on, 58 min left
Momo joins the app
Run, rest, wave, wait.
What it is good for
Helpful for long tasks, honest about limits.
Downloads and background work: prevents normal idle system sleep while Keep Awake is on.
Desktop demos: enable Keep Display On when the screen must stay visible.
Closed MacBook lids: RunningCat does not override macOS clamshell sleep by itself.
FAQ
How does this relate to Lock Screen settings?
RunningCat does not edit your macOS Lock Screen settings. It temporarily asks macOS to stay awake while a Keep Awake session is active. The result depends on both timers: the RunningCat duration and your system display-off duration.
Version 1: Keep Display On is off
The Mac stays awake, but the display may still turn off on the system schedule.
Timer comparison
What happens
RunningCat 1 hour, Lock Screen 20 minutes
The display can turn off at 20 minutes. The Mac stays awake until RunningCat ends.
RunningCat 15 minutes, Lock Screen 20 minutes
RunningCat ends first. After that, macOS returns to its normal sleep and display timers.
Version 2: Keep Display On is on
The Mac stays awake and the display is kept on for the RunningCat duration.
Timer comparison
What happens
RunningCat 1 hour, Lock Screen 20 minutes
The display stays on past 20 minutes and follows RunningCat until the session ends.
RunningCat 15 minutes, Lock Screen 20 minutes
The display stays on during the 15-minute session. Then macOS returns to the system setting.
Password requirements, manual lock, manual display sleep, and closed-lid behavior still belong to macOS. RunningCat does not bypass those security or hardware rules.
Free on Mac App Store
Bring Momo to your menu bar.
Runs on macOS 12.0 or later. No account, no analytics, no in-app purchases.
