How to protect a keyboard from a cat?

Question for any programmer—and cat lover—working from his home office. So many times my keyboard is taken over violently by my two cats who think it’s the right place for a nap. And almost every time when they do this I’m was in this precious 100% concentration phases before I get interrupted.

I tried it with a burning an anti-mosquito coil under the desk but they got used to the smell pretty fast.

EDIT: And no I don’t want to keep the cats away completey from my room.

Everytime my cat sat on my computer desk in front of the monitor, or went near the keyboard I picked him up, dropped him on the floor (gently) and if he did it again in a short space of time I'd squirt water at him from a spray misting bottle.

It didn't take long for him to catch on to the idea that he can sit on my knees, on the chair with me, or behind the monitor - but never on the keyboard or in front of the screen.

Maybe he does that when I'm not around, but he knows not to do it in front of me!

Never used it myself, so I can’t attest to how well it works, but you might want to try Pawsense. It’s made specifically for this purpose.

However, that software is really meant to work only when you are away from the computer. If you are on the computer, and can’t get the cats to stay away, you have bigger problems. The reason the cat goes on the keyboard is because that’s where your hands are, and it wants attention.

Short of locking the cats out of the room—or putting a wall (floor to ceiling, cats like to jump and climb) of chicken wire between you and the cats—isn’t going to do much. Also, the barrier will cause incessant meowing, which can be stopped only by you giving the cats some attention.

I suggest you get a less needy pet, like a fish.

Use a Kitty Keyboard Cover.

The Kitty Keyboard Cover, or as we like to call it, "Kitty Keyboard Kover", is a simple and elegant solution to your cat(s) walking all over your computer keyboard.

Made from very strong 1/4" acrylic (plexiglas), the cover easily supports a 16 lb (quite large) cat.

It also, to a certain extent, helps keep all the kitty hair and dust and dirt out of the keyboard. There's plenty of room for a deeper keyboard, even the ones with the built-in touchpads and media buttons.

Build a shelf (U-shaped piece of wood) over the real keyboard and put a fake keyboard on top. Then reach under the shelf to type.