Automated Cat Countermeasure
A cat. A counter. A 2 a.m. problem. An engineering solution.
The Problem
A cat that was absolutely convinced the kitchen counter was her personal highway. Every night. Usually around 2 a.m. The human in the equation was tired of waking up to spray water manually and even more tired of finding cat hair near the coffee maker.
The Fix
I combined an Arduino, a PIR motion sensor from DigiKey, an electric squirt gun, and some clever logic. The system detects movement on the counter, then uses a combination of sensor data and timing patterns to distinguish between a thirsty human getting a glass of water and a rule-breaking feline on a midnight stroll. If it's the cat — a well-timed, precisely aimed spray enforces the kitchen boundaries. If it's a human — nothing happens.
The Result
The cat learned within three days. The counter stayed clean. The human got uninterrupted sleep. The system ran for months without a false positive on a human (though the cat tested it a few more times before fully accepting the new world order). Sometimes the best engineering solutions involve water guns.
More Projects
← Back to PortfolioGot Something That Needs Building?
Whether it's a website, a system that won't sync, or an idea that sounds a little too wild — that's my sweet spot.
Let's Build Something Amazing →