How it plays
On the small board with a lid, the player sets up five cats and four puzzle pieces with boxes as shown in a challenge in the booklet (60 in the edition reviewed). The challenges are spread over five levels. Then the pieces are moved one after the other, and the order is decisive. The challenge is solved when every cat is sitting in a box. The booklet gives the solutions. In German-speaking countries, the game is published as “Alles für die Katz!”
What it can help develop
A planning puzzle in compact form: before a piece is moved, it pays to work out in your head which position this will create and which moves will still be possible afterwards. Keeping several moves ahead in mind puts a load on working memory; recognising which piece fits where calls for spatial reasoning. Impulse control comes in too: the obvious move is not always the right one. Anyone who ends up in a dead end needs perseverance and has to abandon their plan: cognitive flexibility on a small scale.
Especially suitable for
- Children from age 7 who like puzzling things out on their own
- Trips and waiting times: a compact box with a lid
- Cat fans, as an introduction to logic puzzles
Less suitable for
- Families looking for a game they can all play together
- Children who give up quickly when they reach a dead end
Our verdict
Cats & Boxes is a worthwhile choice for children from age 7 who prefer to puzzle things out on their own, and for cat lovers trying logic puzzles for the first time. Its strength: a compact planning puzzle with a lid that also works on the go. Its limitations are the focus on a single player, the limited number of challenges and dead ends that discourage some children.
Getting started
- Set up the challenge exactly as shown in the booklet, because it specifies where the cats and boxes stand at the start.
- At a dead end, check the order of the moves first, because it determines the solution.
In detail
Variants and player count
According to SmartGames, the game includes a board with a lid, 5 cats, 4 pieces (the boxes) and a booklet of challenges with solutions; it is intended for 1 player from age 7. The challenges in the booklet set the starting positions of the cats, and the booklet cover names five levels: Starter, Junior, Expert, Master and Wizard. Players move the pieces one after another until every cat is sitting in a box; then the challenge is solved. The German edition is called “Alles für die Katz!” and the French edition “Chats tournent en rond”; the English SmartGames website uses the name Cats & Boxes. According to the “spiel gut” association, the board with its lid measures 15.5 × 15.5 × 4 cm, and the playing time is unlimited.
What reviewers say
No independent review of Cats & Boxes is listed. In 2023, the “spiel gut” association awarded its seal to the German edition, “Alles für die Katz!”, and classifies it among the thinking and patience games that are suitable for playing alone and call for patience and perseverance. SmartGames names concentration, logic, planning, problem solving and spatial reasoning as the skills involved.
How it compares
Jump In’ (from age 7, 1 person, flexible playing time) shares the skill area of logic and planning with Cats & Boxes and is also a solo puzzle with a booklet of challenges. In Jump In’, rabbits jump over occupied spaces until they are all sitting in holes. Quadrillion (from age 7, 1 person, flexible playing time) shares the age, the number of players, the playing time and the skill area of logic and planning with Cats & Boxes. In Quadrillion, players use twelve pieces made of coloured balls to fill every free space on the magnetic grids clicked together. Cats & Boxes suits children from age 7 who like puzzling on their own, and, thanks to the compact box with a lid, trips and waiting times. Cats & Boxes is less suited to families looking for a game for everyone and to children who give up quickly at dead ends.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What age is Cats & Boxes suitable for?
Cats & Boxes is recommended from age 7. A child is ready when they prefer to puzzle things out on their own and start afresh after a dead end instead of giving up straight away. Anyone who wants to play together with the whole family is less well served here.
How long does a game take and how many people can play?
The playing time is flexible; the “spiel gut” seal describes it as unlimited. A challenge is solved as soon as all the cats have found their box. It is played solo: the game is designed for 1 person.
What skills can Cats & Boxes help develop?
Cats & Boxes can help develop logic and planning. Before every move, it pays to think through the resulting position and the options that follow, because the order of the moves is decisive. The first, obvious move does not necessarily lead to the goal.
Is Cats & Boxes good for playing on the go?
Yes, the board with its lid measures only 15.5 × 15.5 × 4 cm. The booklet contains challenges on five levels, from Starter to Wizard; once they are all solved, the booklet is finished.
