diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
index 0fa8a1279c..f002d0e40a 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@
 ### Added
 - Added a deterministic quick-lane task classifier (`classifyQuickLane`) exposed through a read-only `gjc quick-lane classify` command. It is an auditable classification surface that performs no routing and is NOT wired into runtime routing: it only prints whether a task request carries quick-lane eligibility signals (explicit file paths, issue/PR numbers, named symbols, explicit tests, numbered steps, acceptance criteria, error references, code blocks, or an explicit `force:`/`!` override) or deep-lane exclusions (vague, ambiguous, exploratory, risk-sensitive, or multi-file/cross-contract scope), and it never alters deep-path defaults. The classifier is deterministic and fail-closed: any exclusion forces the deep lane even when a concrete anchor is present. The #3984 routing decision remains open.
 
+- Gajae Pet now renders in iTerm2 using inline PNG frames, with the same reserved composer-side layout and lifecycle cleanup used by Kitty and Sixel.
+
 - `session.list` now supports bounded pages with opaque continuation cursors and stable snapshot sequences. Internal ACP, coordinator, CLI, and broker-restart consumers drain every page so existing session discovery remains complete.
 - Bounded-memory cold-session disk offloading is rollout-ready behind the `sessionMemory` settings namespace. `sessionMemory.mode` (default `"shadow"`) selects `off`/`shadow`/`enabled`: shadow measures without changing observable session behavior, and canary/default-on remain release-channel decisions rather than user-facing enum values. Fixed implementation budgets preserve the ≤64 MiB steady-state guarantee; transcript v5 stays authoritative and derived `.spill.*` sidecars remain disposable. Context materialization uses the typed `SessionContextTooLargeError` preflight, while `sessionMemory.contextOverflowRecovery` independently controls the async compact-once recovery path.
 - Enabled explicit-path and managed-session resumes validate descriptor-bound commit metadata, base/tail hashes, terminal proof, and hot-record digests before retaining only the authenticated post-compaction tail. Managed TUI and nested review-subagent sessions read authoritative transcript ranges through retained/no-follow descriptor checks while keeping disposable sidecars in a verified per-process resident cache outside the managed tree. Fresh-process gates cover 120k compaction cycles, direct/captured forks, and one-million-record first build plus exact lazy reopen.
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/gajae-pet-widget.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/gajae-pet-widget.ts
index 9143ae2c02..9dca9e395e 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/gajae-pet-widget.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/components/gajae-pet-widget.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ const KITTY_DROP_FRACTION = 0.45;
 const petKittyDropPx = (cellHeightPx: number): number =>
 	Math.min(Math.max(0, cellHeightPx - 1), Math.floor(cellHeightPx * KITTY_DROP_FRACTION));
 const PET_RAISE_ROWS = 1;
+/** iTerm2 has no sub-cell placement parameter; use transparent padding in a row above. */
+const ITERM2_RAISE_FRACTION = 0.25;
 const allocatedPetKittyImageIds = new Set<number>();
 
 function allocatePetKittyImageId(): number {
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@ export class GajaePetWidget {
 			kittyImageId: protocol === "kitty" ? this.#kittyImageId : undefined,
 			// iTerm2 receives an explicit 1:1 pixel size; keep its raster inside the
 			// same two-row footprint reserved for Kitty and Sixel.
-			iterm2TopPaddingPx: 0,
+			iterm2TopPaddingPx: Math.round(cell.heightPx * (1 - ITERM2_RAISE_FRACTION)),
 			iterm2BottomPaddingPx: 0,
 		});
 		this.#framedEditor.setReserve(this.#pixel.columns + PET_SIDE_MARGIN);
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/gajae-pet-widget.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/gajae-pet-widget.test.ts
index 148a16767e..e62fba6e62 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/test/gajae-pet-widget.test.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/gajae-pet-widget.test.ts
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ describe("GajaePetWidget", () => {
 			const payload = getEmitter()?.();
 			expect(payload).toContain("\x1b[28;76H");
 			expect(payload).toContain("\x1b]1337;File=");
-			expect(payload).toContain("width=36px;height=36px;preserveAspectRatio=0");
+			expect(payload).toContain("width=36px;height=50px;preserveAspectRatio=0");
 			expect(payload).toEndWith("\x1b\\");
 		} finally {
 			widget.dispose();
@@ -198,22 +198,22 @@ describe("GajaePetWidget", () => {
 			written.length = 0;
 
 			vi.advanceTimersByTime(1200);
-			expect(written.some(chunk => chunk.includes("\x1b[28;76H\x1b[4X") && chunk.includes("\x1b]1337;File="))).toBe(
+			expect(written.some(chunk => chunk.includes("\x1b[28;76H") && chunk.includes("\x1b]1337;File="))).toBe(
 				true,
 			);
 
 			setCellDimensions({ widthPx: 12, heightPx: 24 });
 			vi.advanceTimersByTime(100);
-			expect(getEmitter()?.()).toContain("width=48px;height=48px");
+			expect(getEmitter()?.()).toContain("width=48px;height=66px");
 
 			setTerminalSize(12, 30);
-			expect(getEmitter()?.()).toContain("\x1b[28;76H\x1b[4X");
+			expect(getEmitter()?.()).toContain("\x1b[28;76H");
 			setTerminalSize(80, 30);
 			expect(getEmitter()?.()).toContain("\x1b]1337;File=");
 
 			written.length = 0;
 			widget.setMode("off");
-			expect(written.some(chunk => chunk.includes("\x1b[28;76H\x1b[4X"))).toBe(true);
+			expect(written.some(chunk => chunk.includes("\x1b[28;76H"))).toBe(true);
 		} finally {
 			setCellDimensions(original);
 			widget.dispose();
diff --git a/run-gjc-pet.sh b/run-gjc-pet.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..5a968dc4d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run-gjc-pet.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+SCRIPT_DIR=$(CDPATH= cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd)
+SOURCE_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR"
+ORIGINAL_PATH=${PATH-}
+
+if [ ! -f "$SOURCE_DIR/packages/coding-agent/src/cli.ts" ]; then
+  printf '%s\n' "ERROR: Gajae-Code checkout not found: $SOURCE_DIR" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v bun >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  printf '%s\n' 'ERROR: bun is not available on PATH.' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+RUST_BIN=''
+if command -v rustup >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  RUSTC_PATH=$(rustup which rustc 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if [ -n "$RUSTC_PATH" ]; then
+    RUST_BIN=$(dirname -- "$RUSTC_PATH")
+  fi
+fi
+
+RUN_PATH=$ORIGINAL_PATH
+if [ -n "$RUST_BIN" ]; then
+  RUN_PATH="$RUST_BIN:$RUN_PATH"
+fi
+
+# This launcher is for iTerm2. GJC normally disables image overlays inside a
+# multiplexer because raw graphics escapes are not portable there; the explicit
+# protocol tells GJC that this launcher's output is intended for iTerm2.
+IMAGE_PROTOCOL=${GJC_FORCE_IMAGE_PROTOCOL:-iterm2}
+
+if [ ! -f "$SOURCE_DIR/packages/natives/native/pi_natives.darwin-arm64.node" ]; then
+  printf '%s\n' 'Native addon is missing; building it once...'
+  (
+    cd "$SOURCE_DIR"
+    PATH="$RUN_PATH" GJC_FORCE_IMAGE_PROTOCOL="$IMAGE_PROTOCOL" bun --cwd=packages/natives run build
+  )
+fi
+
+printf '%s\n' "Starting local Gajae-Code from: $SOURCE_DIR"
+(
+  cd "$SOURCE_DIR"
+  PATH="$RUN_PATH" GJC_FORCE_IMAGE_PROTOCOL="$IMAGE_PROTOCOL" bun packages/coding-agent/src/cli.ts "$@"
+)
+
+# PATH is deliberately scoped to the subshell above and remains unchanged here.
+PATH=$ORIGINAL_PATH
+export PATH