A Japanese developer with the nickname ZOKUZOKU has released a Chrome browser extension called Cat Gatekeeper that helps users combat social media addiction. It overlays the screen with an image of a giant ginger cat, preventing them from scrolling through their feed.
A Japanese developer with the nickname ZOKUZOKU has released a Chrome browser extension called Cat Gatekeeper that helps users combat social media addiction. It overlays the screen with an image of a giant ginger cat, preventing them from scrolling through their feed.
The project became known thanks to the developer’s viral post on the social network X (Twitter), where he demonstrated how his extension works.
Cat Gatekeeper works in a classic pet owner experience: a cat appears just when the user is trying to focus on the screen. The extension allows you to set a time limit for social media use (default 60 minutes) and a mandatory break duration (5 minutes). As soon as the time runs out, a ginger cat «jumps» onto the page, covering the navigation buttons and settings menu.
«I created an app for forced breaks with a cat! If you use social media too much, the cat appears and takes over the screen,» the developer noted in his video.
猫ちゃんの剧情休憩ますましたまたまた！
— ぞくぞく@ 個動新方 (@konekone2026) April 26, 2026
SNS をむむかんと猫ちゃんがあらわててをを領領したををカ🐈 pic.twitter.com/Jt56HVF1OT
The extension’s creator mocks the weak willpower of modern users: «You just can’t stop scrolling through your feed, can you? What you need isn’t more willpower — it’s a cat that bursts onto your screen! Let’s face it — humans are just servants of their cats. We’re powerless against their spell.»
You can download the extension from the Chrome Web Store. The application is aimed at those who mindlessly open social networks and suddenly realize that an hour has passed. It currently supports work with X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The timer only works when the social network tab is active. If the user switches to another tab or another application, the countdown stops.
The developer emphasizes privacy: the application does not collect user data and does not transfer it to external servers. Permission to access pages is used exclusively to display the cat. Currently, Cat Gatekeeper is completely free and does not contain advertising.
UPD. A Japanese developer with the nickname ZOKUZOKU has created an official website for Cat Gatekeeper and promises to add new cats
«Created the official Cat Gatekeeper website! Supports Japanese and English. Please check here for information on future updates, etc.,» the service’s author said.
The website states that the developer is working on the Cat Gatekeeper extension for Firefox and plans to add new cats that will save users from the doomsday of social media.
