Last Updated on July 22, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

A Game of Cat & Mouth by the creators of Exploding Kittens, is a fast-paced, two-player game of flicking, bouncing, and outsmarting your opponent. Using magnetic cat paws, players launch balls across the board in real-time—no turns, just chaos. The first player to achieve one of three winning conditions scores a point, and the race to five points begins. Easy to set up and wildly competitive, it’s a perfect mix of skill and speed for players of all ages.

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How to Play A Game of Cat and Mouth

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Objective

Be the first player to get all the balls of a single color onto your opponent’s side of the board—at the same time.

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Setup

1. Assemble the Cat Head by inserting its legs into the board base.
2. Install the 6 walls around the edges of the board.
3. Place the Balls:
   • Insert the Black Nose Ball and the 3 White Teeth Balls into the center of the Cat Head.
4. Distribute Yellow Balls:
   • Put 4 Yellow Balls on each player’s side of the board.
   • Any extra yellow balls are spares and not used during the game.
5. Attach the Paw Flickers to the paw icons on each side of the board.
6. Set the Score Trackers to zero for both players.

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How to Play

Players use their Paw Flickers to shoot balls to the other side as quickly as possible—no turns, no waiting.

• To flick, load a ball into your Flicker, pull it back, and release.
• You can flick any yellow or white ball.
• Play as fast as you want—there are no turns.

Start the game with a countdown: 3… 2… 1… GO!

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If a Ball Goes Off the Board

Shout “PAWS!” and stop flicking immediately.

• Retrieve the ball and return it to the same side it exited.
• Once it’s replaced, count down from 3 and resume play.

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Winning a Round

Each round ends—and a player scores 1 point—if any of these happens:

• The Black Nose Ball ends up on your opponent’s side.
• All 3 White Teeth Balls are on your opponent’s side at once.
• All 8 Yellow Balls are on your opponent’s side at once.

When a round is won:

• Stop play.
• Add 1 point to the winner’s score.
• Reset the board with all balls in starting positions.
• Count down from 3 to begin the next round.

First player to reach 5 points wins the game!

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Whether you’re aiming for the nose, knocking out teeth, or launching a yellow ball barrage, A Game of Cat & Mouth keeps players locked in from the first flick. With simple mechanics and nonstop action, it’s ideal for head-to-head play—and even more fun in tournaments. Just grab a paw, load up a ball, and let the cat chaos begin!