Mac Pet

What is Mac Pet?

Mac Pet is a pixel-style virtual companion that can live in your macOS menu bar or in the MacBook notch area. It combines a built-in Pomodoro timer with activity tracking so you can focus on work sessions and monitor your daily usage over time.

The core purpose is to provide lightweight, on-screen focus support while keeping the companion visible in a place you already use—without requiring another dock window.

Key Features

Menu bar and MacBook notch display modes: Switch your pet between menu bar mode and notch mode (notch mode is available only on MacBooks that have a notch).
Built-in Pomodoro timer with custom durations: Set focus and break lengths to match your workflow; the app notifies you when it’s time to switch between work and break.
Activity tracking with streaks: Track daily usage, build activity streaks, and view a 5-week activity history displayed like a contribution graph.
Pixel pet animations and behaviors: Choose from different pets that have unique animations and behaviors for variety in how the companion responds.
macOS accent color adaptation: Mac Pet picks up your macOS accent color for a native look.
Lightweight operation: The app is described as using less than 1% CPU, designed to stay in the background.

How to Use Mac Pet

Download the app.
Drag it to Applications and launch it.
Use the settings to choose your preferred pet, and select whether it should appear in menu bar mode or MacBook notch mode (if your Mac supports a notch).
Start a Pomodoro session and follow the on-timer notifications for break and return-to-work timing.
Check the activity visualizations to review daily usage, streaks, and the 5-week history.

Use Cases

Pomodoro-based focus for deep work: Start a focus session when you begin a task, and rely on the built-in timer notifications to take planned breaks.
Building consistent daily work habits: Use activity streaks and the contribution-graph-style history to encourage repeat sessions across days.
Task switching throughout the day: When you pause for breaks, let the companion’s active/resting behavior mirror your workflow rhythm as a subtle reminder.
On-screen productivity companion while multitasking: Keep the pet available in the menu bar so you can stay oriented without opening a separate window.
Using the pet alongside MacBook notch UI: On supported MacBooks, show the pet beside the notch with a seamless black background appearance, then switch back to menu bar mode whenever needed.

FAQ

Will Mac Pet work on my Mac?

Mac Pet works with macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and newer versions.

How do I get started?

Download the app, drag it to Applications, and launch it. The companion will appear in the menu bar right away.

How does the Pomodoro timer work?

You can set custom focus and break durations. Start a session, and the app notifies you when it’s time to take a break or resume work.

Yes—Mac Pet supports switching between menu bar and MacBook notch mode in settings. Notch mode is available only on MacBooks that have a notch.

Is Mac Pet resource-heavy?

It’s described as lightweight, using less than 1% CPU, and designed not to slow down your Mac.

Alternatives

Other desktop Pomodoro timers: Standalone focus timer apps that may not provide a persistent companion or activity streak visuals; typically focus only on timed sessions.
Habit and streak trackers (visual analytics tools): Apps that provide contribution-graph-style history and streaks, but may not include an integrated Pomodoro workflow.
Pixel or companion desktop widgets (virtual pets without timers): Companion-style apps that emphasize animations and presence, but may require separate focus tooling for Pomodoro sessions.
Time management apps with session tracking: Tools that log work sessions and breaks; they may offer more detailed reporting but may not integrate directly into the menu bar/notch companion concept.