Outdoor Cat

The full-freedom edition

Outdoor Cat is the direct-download macOS edition. Same app, same on-device models, same privacy — plus the capabilities that need deeper system access than the Mac App Store sandbox permits.

Only in Outdoor

What the extra freedom buys.

These features require system access that sandboxed apps cannot use, so they ship only in the direct-download build.

Reliable lid-closed mode — a one-time admin install lets Screen Awake hold your Mac awake through a closed lid, even on battery
Auto-paste transcription into the app you’re working in
Window management and force-quit for other apps
Keyboard backlight control
The full Compute / Model Link surface: remote cat, P2P, screen + audio, SSH
Engine sidecars (MLXServe, GGUF/llama.cpp) for extra model backends
Instant Sparkle updates, with opt-in beta builds

Why two editions

Same cat, different fences.

Mac App Store apps run inside the App Sandbox, which is great for many things and simply doesn’t permit others — privileged power management, controlling other apps, or bundling extra engine processes. Indoor Cat (App Store) ships everything the sandbox allows; Outdoor Cat ships everything else too. Both are free to download, and licenses cover both.

Indoor Cat: App Store convenience, sandboxed
Outdoor Cat: direct download, notarized by Apple
Your data stays on-device in both

Download

Get Outdoor Cat

Signed and notarized. Updates arrive in-app via Sparkle.

brew tap local-ai-cat/tap && brew install --cask local-ai-cat

Download .dmg All install options

Docs

See every feature’s status.

The module ledger lists each feature, which edition ships it, and how it’s tested — generated straight from the codebase.

Feature matrix