Circle the Cat: Trap the Cat Puzzle
Tap circles on a touch screen, click with a mouse, or use arrow keys and Enter
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About this game
Trap a runaway cat on a hexagonal board. Block one circle at a time and close every gap before the cat reaches the edge.
How to play
Tap an open circle to block it. After each block, the cat moves one step, usually along the shortest route to the edge. If it reaches an edge circle, it escapes. Win by blocking all six circles around it. Keyboard: arrow keys move between circles; Enter or Space blocks one. Restart deals a new board.
Circle the Cat at a glance
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Price
- Free to play, no download or account needed
- Devices
- Desktop, phone and tablet browsers
- Controls
- Tap circles on a touch screen, click with a mouse, or use arrow keys and Enter
How the cat moves
The cat starts in the middle of an 11 × 11 board with 10 to 14 circles already blocked. Each time you block a circle, it takes one step. Most steps follow the shortest open route to the edge; now and then it sidesteps instead, but it never moves farther from the edge. If it reaches any edge circle, the round is over.
Build the wall early
Blocking the circle right next to the cat rarely works, because it has six ways out. Place blocks two or three rows ahead of it to start a ring, using the circles that are already blocked as part of the wall. Once it cannot reach the edge, close the remaining gaps around it.
Scoring
A win scores 1,200 points minus 25 for each block you place, with a minimum of 100. Your best score and total wins are saved in this browser. Boards are random, and some are harder than others.
Questions about Circle the Cat
Is every board winnable?
Boards are random, so some are much harder than others. If a board looks hopeless, press Restart for a new one.
Can I undo a block?
No. Each block is permanent for the round, so look at where the cat is heading before you tap.