Animated cat overlay on web pages
Mochi injects a small animated cat into pages you browse, turning a normal tab into a browser companion without replacing the site you are viewing.
Mochi
Mochi is a Chromium browser extension that adds a tiny animated cat to web pages. Choose a cat style, place it on the page, and keep it across tabs.
What Mochi is
Mochi is a lightweight Chromium browser extension that places a tiny animated cat on the web pages you visit. It is presented as a small, local-first browser companion for people who want a more playful tab experience without changing the underlying site.
The project is distributed through a GitHub repository and installed by loading the unpacked extension folder into a supported Chromium-based browser. Once installed, you can choose a cat style, show the cat on a page, drag it to a corner, and keep that setup across tabs.
Core features
Multiple cat styles
The extension includes a choice of cat styles such as Bad Boy, Black Cat, Rolling Cat, Frog Cat, Pixel Cat, and others listed in the README.
Draggable placement
You can drag the cat to another corner of the page, which lets you keep it out of the way of content you want to read or click.
Persistent selection and position
Your selected cat style and on-page position are remembered across tabs, so you do not need to reset them each time you move to a new page.
Local Chromium extension install
The extension is built for Chromium-based browsers and is installed locally by loading the unpacked folder from the repository.
Works across websites
The manifest grants storage and scripting permissions and runs a content script on all URLs, which aligns with its behavior on normal websites.
Common ways to use Mochi
Add a light visual presence to everyday browsing
Use Mochi while reading, browsing, or switching between tabs when you want a small animated companion on the page without changing the site itself.
Keep a companion in a non-intrusive spot
Choose a specific cat style, place it in a corner, and keep it there while you work so it stays visible but out of the way of the content you need.
Set it up without a developer workflow
Install the extension from the repository ZIP when you do not want to clone code or use Git, then manage it like a normal unpacked browser extension.
Maintain the same setup across pages
Load Mochi on a normal website and keep the chosen cat and location consistent across tabs for a more continuous browsing experience.
Troubleshoot a missing cat overlay
If a page does not show the cat immediately, reload the webpage or reinstall the unpacked folder as the README recommends.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Works as a small local browser companion rather than a full app or service.
- Offers several predefined cat styles for different visual preferences.
- Lets you reposition the cat so it can sit in a less distracting corner.
- Remembers the chosen cat and placement across tabs.
- Does not require Git for installation if you use the ZIP download workflow.
Cons
- Installation is manual and requires enabling Developer mode and loading an unpacked extension folder.
- The repository only documents Chromium-based browser support, so compatibility outside that family is not established in the source.
- If the extension does not appear to work, the README suggests reloading the page or reinstalling the unpacked folder.
FAQ
Which browsers does Mochi support?
Mochi is a Chromium extension. The README provides installation steps for Chrome or Chromium, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and Opera by loading the unpacked extension folder.
How do you install Mochi?
The repository instructions say to download the project as a ZIP, extract it, turn on Developer mode in the browser’s extensions page, and use Load unpacked to select the folder that contains manifest.json. Git cloning is optional for developers.
Does Mochi require an account or external service?
Yes. The README describes Mochi as a small, local-first browser companion, and the manifest shows it runs as an extension using local storage and injected scripts rather than a hosted app.
What does Mochi remember between tabs?
The selected cat and its position are remembered across tabs. The README also says the extension works on normal websites and may need a page reload if it does not appear right away.
What should I do if Mochi does not work?
The repository notes that if the problem continues or your browser is not compatible, you should contact the maintainer by email. That suggests compatibility is limited to supported Chromium-based browsers rather than every browser.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Browser extension
- Platform
- Chromium-based browsers
- Install method
- Download ZIP and load unpacked
- Primary function
- Animated cat companion on web pages
- License
- GNU General Public License v3.0
- Version
- 0.3.2
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