The Cat Laptop Protector

This is a placeholder for a key project of mine: a contraption to accommodate my cat on my laptop.

Context

The family cat with whom I have cordial relations decided that my laptop is the place to sleep. Since I use my laptop as an additional screen and authenticate through Hello, it has to be open. I am tired of hushing her away constantly because it is a never-ending feud.

Non-technological solution: getting rid of the cat. I prefer not to suggest this because I am not sure whom the family would get rid of.

Technological solution: a self-supported shelf on the laptop

Solution

I initially designed a rigid shelf that fits on top of the laptop's keyboard. After some thinking, I would like to be able to reuse it across laptops with minimal adaptations.

The solution I have in mind is a plate with a pattern of holes whose size would be roughly less than the average laptop size. This way I can reuse it (and have it made of something more durable such as wood)

Each laptop being different, I would model 2 x 2 elements: 

  • one for the front corner- it would slightly lie on the upper surface of the laptop and cover the corner. This blocks it from moving "into" the keyboard
  • one from the back: slightly lying on the keyboard, it would have an attachment for an elastic string that would fix it to the laptop by going behind the screen

These 4 elements would be attached to the plate above, making a rigid structure.

With this approach, only these simple 4 elements would need to be designed to fit a laptop. They should be easy to print on any 3D printer. 

Comments and ideas are welcome

3D Models

Planned for when I get some time

Pictures of successful implementation

Planned for 2025 🫥

 

second favourite sleeping place