A Shimeji alternative for people who work at their desk
Shimeji made desktop mascots famous: little characters that wander, climb and multiply across your screen. Pawse takes the same cozy idea in a calmer direction. One pet stays near you, notices what you're doing, and helps with breaks, focus and your AI coding agents.
Free for macOS (Apple Silicon) and Windows. No ads, no subscription.
In short
If you love Shimeji but want a pet that also helps you work, Pawse is a free alternative for macOS (Apple Silicon) and Windows. It installs like a normal app with no Java, and its eight anime pets react to your cursor and typing, celebrate when Claude Code, Codex or Cursor finishes, and remind you to stretch and focus.
How it works
- 1
Install like any app
A .dmg for Apple Silicon Macs and an .exe for 64-bit Windows. No Java runtime to set up.
- 2
Pick your pet
Cat, dog, panda, hamster, Shiba Inu, kitsune, bunny or red panda, each with its own moves.
- 3
Let it keep you company
It follows your cursor, taps along as you type and reacts to your AI agent finishing a task.
Pawse and Shimeji, side by side
- Setup
- Classic Shimeji builds run on Java. Pawse is a native installer for macOS and Windows.
- Characters
- Shimeji is known for community character packs. Pawse has eight hand-made anime pets, plus 38 collectible hats.
- Behaviour
- Shimeji wander, climb windows and multiply. A Pawse pet stays where you put it and reacts to your cursor, typing speed and idle time.
- Work features
- Pawse adds AI agent reactions (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), stretch breaks, your own reminders and a Pomodoro timer.
- Price
- Both are free. Pawse has no ads and no subscription.
Who Pawse is for
Pawse suits people who spend the day at a desk: developers waiting on an AI agent, writers, students and anyone who forgets to take breaks. If you want a whole crowd of mischievous mascots, Shimeji is still great fun. If you want one cute friend that keeps you company and nudges you to look after yourself, try Pawse.
Questions
Do I need Java to run Pawse?
No. Pawse installs like a normal app on macOS and Windows.
Can I use Shimeji characters in Pawse?
No. Pawse has its own eight anime pets, each with unique animations and moves, and you can dress them in 38 hats.
Does Pawse climb windows like Shimeji?
No. Your pet stays where you put it (drag it anywhere) and reacts to what you are doing instead.
Does Pawse run on Linux?
Not yet. Linux builds are on the roadmap; today Pawse runs on macOS (Apple Silicon) and 64-bit Windows.
Is it free?
Yes. Pawse is free, with no ads and no subscription.
Give your screen a pet
Eight anime pets, AI agent reactions, stretch breaks, a focus timer and 38 hats to collect. Free.
More from Pawse
- Know the moment Claude Code finishesPawse is a free desktop pet that cheers while Claude Code, Codex or Cursor works and celebrates the moment a task finishes. No setup for Claude Code.
- A stretch reminder you'll actually followPawse reminds you to stretch every 30 to 90 minutes with a one minute guided routine, and your desktop pet stretches with you. Free for macOS and Windows.
- A Pomodoro timer with a pet that keeps you companyA free Pomodoro focus timer that lives under your desktop pet: 25 minute sessions, short and long breaks, a menu bar countdown, and a pet that cheers you on.
- A cute desktop pet for your MacPawse is a free anime desktop pet for Mac. It lives in your menu bar, follows your cursor, taps along as you type and floats over full-screen apps. M1 to M4.
- A cute desktop pet for WindowsPawse is a free anime desktop pet for Windows 10 and 11. It follows your cursor, reacts to your typing, cheers on AI agents and lives in the system tray.
- Play the Pawse ArcadeFree cat games in your browser: a 3D kart race, an anime pet town and more.