runcat-dev/RunCat365

RunCat365 is a Windows system tray application that places an animated cat directly on the taskbar, where the cat's running speed reflects real-time CPU load. The project's core identity is a lightweight background process that maps CPU usage percentages to animation frame rates, creating a visual indicator of system performance.

The application achieves this by polling CPU load data at fixed intervals through Windows Performance Counters, then driving a frame-based sprite animation whose speed responds to the measured load. It renders the cat animation directly into the taskbar notification area using native Win32 API calls, embedding a transparent overlay window through Windows Shell and Explorer hooks.

The project covers CPU usage visualization as a continuous, non-intrusive monitoring tool, with the animation serving as an at-a-glance indicator of system activity. The documentation and installation surface are oriented toward Windows users seeking a lightweight, visually engaging way to observe their computer's processing load.