How To Play: Cats

So you picked up How To Play cats, and now you want to win, not just spend the night yelling at your friends for blocking your big tile spots. You’re in luck! I’ve played this game more times than my cat has shed fur on my couch. This guide shares a quick outline of the rules plus the strategies that actually work.

Overview

What’s in the box

1 game board
150 polyomino cat tiles
85 fish tokens
42 lesson cards
47 discovery cards
30 rare treasure tiles
6 player boats
1 Oshax cat meeple
1 Vesh meeple
4 cat bags
150 cat meeples
6 reference cards
1 rulebook

How To Play Cats: Rules Summary

Setup

Place the big colorful board in the middle of the table. Make sure your cat doesn’t sit on it (yet).
Give each player a boat board, a wooden cat, seven fish tokens, and a marker in their favorite color. No fights about the blue one, please.
Shuffle all the cat tiles. Place them in a face-down pile next to the board.
Put the treasure tokens and lesson cards nearby. My buddy Greg always throws them in a pile, but organizing works better.
Leave some space for discarded tiles. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Gameplay

On your turn, draw cat tiles and place them face-up in the center. Try not to knock over your drink.
Spend fish tokens to rescue cats and put them on your boat. Remember, left fish means sad cats.
Place cats on your boat. Make sure the colors match to make families, but don’t let the rats get too comfy.
Use lesson cards to plan your moves. They help you score bonus points, or sometimes just confuse your friends.
Keep playing until the cat pile runs out—usually after lots of cat puns and at least one snack break.

Winning

When all the cats have found homes, begin scoring. This is the part where everyone panics about rats.
Count points for completed cat families, covered treasure, and lesson cards. Greg always forgets one, so double-check.
Subtract points for rats and empty rooms. Hope you don’t have more holes than Swiss cheese.
The player with the highest score becomes the official Cat Whisperer. Bask in glory until next game night.

Special Rules & Conditions

Some lesson cards flip the rules. Pay close attention, unless you want to help your rivals win.
If you run out of fish, you can’t rescue any more cats. Don’t blame the cats, blame your math!
If you can’t fit a cat on your boat, you must leave it behind. Sorry Mittens, maybe next time.
To spice things up, try the solo mode or family mode. Both have smaller rule tweaks but big fun.

Now you know how to play cats! With these rules, even your grandma can join and win big (but she’ll probably just enjoy the cat theme). Good luck and watch out for those rats!

Best Cats Strategies

Crack the Board: Tile Placement Like a Cat Whisperer

Think Ahead, Win Hard

Every move counts! To win, I always look at the board like I’m planning a pizza—gotta make every slice count. Here’s what helped me outsmart my friends (even Steve, who counts cards in Uno):

Always leave space for big cats. I tuck in awkward-shaped tiles first and save easy spots for later.
Plan for treasure spots. I cover them with my first tiles—because extra fish tokens mean more options.
Block the rats early. The fewer rats visible, the fewer negative points I get. My friends groan every time they miss one.

Master the Corners and Edges

Transitioning to the edges, I fill in corners early. It makes those long, skinny tiles work wonders instead of leaving odd gaps I can’t fill.

Save the Big Tiles

Lastly, I keep one big tile handy. Near the end, I always have a way out of a tight spot, just in case. That trick bagged my last win!

Remember, cats love cleverness. Having a plan for each How To Play cats session turned my losses into epic wins!

Fish Frenzy: Mastering Resource Management in How To Play cats

Fish run the show in How To Play cats. I learned this the hard way—ran out, and had to sit and watch my friends scoop up all the best cat tiles. You need fish to rescue cats but also to buy lesson cards. Balancing these is key. Here’s how I made sure to always stay fish-rich (unlike last night):

1. Prioritize Fish Income Early

Grab baskets and lesson cards that boost fish income in the first rounds.
Always plan one round ahead—never blow all your fish at once.

2. Don’t Overspend During Drafting

Resist the urge to grab every shiny card. Pick only what fits your goals.
Leave yourself a fish buffer. It stops you getting stuck later.

3. Trade Wisely

Sometimes, a cheap cat or card is better than an expensive one.
If you’re flush with fish, buy cards that pay off with more fish next round!

Mastering Family Sets Early in How To Play cats

Spotting Family Opportunities Fast

Always check the boat for matching cat colors. Snag them before others notice. Quick action means less stress later.

Grab matching cats on your turn if possible.
Watch what others collect, so you can block them.
Plan your basket use to grab sets, not singles.

Using Fish Wisely

Don’t waste fish on random cats. Save up to claim family members when they arrive. Sometimes, skipping a turn gives you better options next round.

Count your fish at the start of each round.
Reserve fish for needed set pieces.

Scoring Big

Family sets score lots of points. However, finishing them early lets you focus on rare treasures and lesson cards. You’ll thank yourself later. That’s how to win big in How To Play cats.

Are You the Cat’s Meow?

Well, folks, that’s my whisker-twitching, fish-stealing guide for How To Play cats! After playing this game way too many times with my friends (and honestly, one friend who seems to have a personal vendetta against my cat families), I can say these tips work. Remember, it’s not about being the perfect strategist, it’s about outsmarting your pals and pretending you’re a genius. Aim for those fish, fill out families, and if all else fails, just knock a piece off the table and claim, “The cat did it!” Good luck, and may your box always be full of happy, chunky cats!

Want to know what we think of Cats? Read our detailed review of Cats here