Ever wondered what would happen if a group of cats ran wild across your table? Well, wonder no more! In this review, I’ll tell you all about my fur-filled nights wrangling cat chaos with my friends. Spoiler: There were many fake meows and one suspiciously missing meeple. Grab a scratching post and hang on—the world of playful felines is about to unfold!
How It Plays
Setting up
Open the box and spill out a mountain of cat tokens. Deal each player a starter cat card, and then lay the main board in the center. Shuffle the action and cat decks. Place the yarn balls nearby. Get ready to wrangle some felines!
Gameplay
On your turn, draw a cat card, then play an action card or move a cat on the board. You’ll try to collect sets of cats by luring them with treats or sending yarn chaos into your friends’ plans. Other players will try to steal your cats, so guard your feline friends as if they’re made of glass. Turns go quick, so there’s no time to get distracted by real-life cats walking across the table. Trust me—I’ve tried!
Winning the game
The game ends when all cats have been adopted or the last action card flips. Count your sets and see who has collected the most different types of cats. The player with the most points and the proudest collection of furballs wins. If you lost, just tell everyone your cats knocked over your strategy.
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Cats.
How Does ‘Cats’ Scratch Your Itch for Player Interaction?
Let’s talk about the main reason I dragged my friends over last Saturday: pure, unfiltered competition (with a side of cat meeples). In ‘Cats’, the gameplay is all about outsmarting, outmanoeuvring, and occasionally annoying each other, just like real feline roommates competing over a cardboard box. You’re collecting fish, pouncing on sunbeams, and sometimes blocking your rival right as they’re about to claim a prime napping spot. And let me tell you: nothing turns grown adults into sneaky tricksters faster than a cat-themed board game.
The turns snap along quick, because you have a small set of actions to pick from. This keeps the game moving and everyone on their toes—no one’s checking their phone while a tabby makes its move. There’s a good mix of direct interaction (stealing fish tokens!) and sneaky indirect plays, like luring someone away from points with the promise of extra yarn. You always keep an eye on what the other players are planning, which means the table chatter is strong and occasionally sassy.
I found the game worked best with 3 or 4 players. Two players feels a bit like a cat staring contest and, strangely, less fun—more bickering, less mayhem. But add another friend, and suddenly the fur really starts flying. If your group likes stealing points and laughing at each other’s failed plans, you’ll love it. But if you’re after peaceful cat zen, this might not be the game for you. Next up: let’s paws for a moment and see if this game lands on its feet when it comes to strategy and luck.
Strategy vs Luck: Can You Outsmart the Cats?
Have you ever laid out your best plan, only for a furry feline to stroll in and knock everything to the floor? Welcome to the strategy versus luck conundrum in the board game ‘cats.’ I sat down with three friends (and my actual cat, who mainly sat on the rulebook), all ready to test our skills and mental fortitude.
In this game, chances are as sneaky as a cat at 3 a.m. Sure, you get to make choices—should you snatch that tasty-looking fish or block your opponent from nabbing the comfiest cardboard box? But just as you think you have the perfect move, along comes a card that says “all cats must nap” or a die roll that sends your plans up in catnip smoke. If you’re the kind of player who builds 17-move strategies like you’re playing chess, prepare for some mild frustration as luck sometimes paws your plans off the table.
But here’s the thing: the chaos keeps everyone laughing. The game’s mix of planning and random madness makes sure no one is ever truly out of the running. That’s great when your little cousin, who just learned to read, manages to topple the smug dad with a lucky card pull. Still, if you want a brain-burning strategy game, ‘cats’ won’t scratch that itch. But if you love a little cat-fueled unpredictability, you’re in the right box.
Speaking of boxes, next up I’m sinking my claws into something all board gamers care about: just how much do the pieces and art of ‘cats’ make you purr?
Component and Artwork Quality: Feline Finesse or Cat-astrophe?
Let’s talk about the physical stuff now—because it’s not all about what’s in the box, but how much joy it brings out when you open it. First, the cat tokens in ‘cats’ are adorably chunky. They have this irresistible heft, like a real cat that’s eaten too much kibble. I lost my heart to the orange one, but my friend Emily hoarded the stripey one like a dragon with gold. The tokens are sturdy, and they survived my nephew’s sticky little hands, so that’s a win for durability!
The cards are thick with a nice linen finish, and they don’t bend when you inevitably spill your excitement (or your coffee) during play. The box insert is a bit of a cat-nap, though. My tokens ended up in a jumbled cuddle pile even after one trip to board game night. If you like tidy games, bring snack bags, or embrace chaos like an actual cat would.
The artwork is pure joy. There are cats in hats, cats in boxes, cats pretending to ignore you just like real life. Each feline is packed with personality, so you can argue endlessly about which one is most like your own grumpy furball. The art lifts the mood and gives the game a lighthearted feel even when a game-ending betrayal looms.
So, component and artwork quality? Pretty pawsome. Next, let’s see if ‘cats’ leaves us purring for more or if it ends up like a one-hit wonder YouTube cat video—tune in for Replay Value and Fun Factor!
Do Cats Keep You Coming Back? Replay Value & Fun Factor
When it comes to replay value, ‘Cats’ delivers a basket full of feline surprises every time my group plays. It’s honestly like opening a fresh can of tuna—each round, someone in the group pulls off a move that makes us groan, laugh, or, if you’re like me, question your friendship choices. Cats themselves add spice to the mix. Each cat card has a sneaky personality, so no two games ever feel the same. One session, my friend Rob ended up with a hoard of mischievous ginger cats. He won, but only because my remaining cats had all the grace of a soggy cardboard box.
Replayability is strong here because the game stays light, quick, and packed with silly moments. There’s just enough chaos (thanks, cats!) that even folks who usually clutch their strategy guides will find themselves improvising. Expect table banter, backstabbing, and, occasionally, someone hissing playfully when things don’t go their way.
It’s not a game that overstays its welcome. We’ve managed to fit in three rounds in one evening without anyone begging for mercy. The hidden objectives and cat cards keep everyone guessing, and I’ve yet to see a group get bored of accusing each other of secretly hoarding cats under the table.
Would I recommend ‘Cats’? Absolutely! IF you like games bursting with silliness, chaos, and cats (fur and all), then give this a go. Just be ready to think on your feet, and maybe wear a lint roller as a hat for extra luck.
Conclusion
If you want a game full of chaos, cats, and laughs, ‘cats’ is going to deliver. Sure, it’s not the most strategic game out there—luck swans in and snatches your victory just when you’re getting smug. But if you can handle a bit of randomness and enjoy stealing cats from your friends while they groan, you’ll have a blast. It’s fast, it’s cute, and it never takes itself too seriously. I wish it felt a bit fairer sometimes, but hey, that’s cats for you! Thanks for reading, and may your cat hoard always be the fluffiest. This wraps up our review—time to pack away the cat tokens (and check if any real felines joined in).
