Trapping the Cat Game: A Complete Guide

Whether you’re a beginner who’s never played before or someone looking to improve your strategy, this article covers everything you need to know. You’ll learn the basic rules, expert strategies, different ways to play the game, and even how to make your version at home. This classic puzzle game helps develop thinking skills for players of all ages while providing hours of entertainment.

What Is the Trapping the Cat Game?

Trapping the Cat,” sometimes called “Surround the Cat” or “Catch the Cat,” is a grid-based puzzle game. One player controls a cat that tries to escape, while the other player places barriers to trap the cat. The cat wins if it reaches the edge of the grid. The player wins if the cat cannot move anymore.

How to Play Trapping the Cat

What You Need

• A grid board (usually 11×11)
• A cat token
• Barrier markers

Basic Rules

1. The cat starts in the middle of the grid
2. The player places one barrier per turn
3. After each barrier placement, the cat moves one space
4. The cat always tries to move toward the nearest edge
5. The player wins by surrounding the cat
6. The cat wins by reaching any edge of the grid

Game Versions

Digital Version

Most people now play this game on phones, tablets, or computers. The digital version automatically moves the cat using an algorithm that finds the shortest path to an edge.

Physical Version

You can play with:

• Paper and pencil (draw a grid; use X for barriers, C for the cat)
• A checkerboard with a chess pawn as the cat and other pieces as barriers
• A homemade grid with buttons or coins as markers

Strategy Tips From a Game Expert

I’ve played over 1,000 games of Trapping the Cat and have found these strategies work best:

For Trapping the Cat

• Don’t try to build a complete wall right away
• Place barriers to create partial enclosures
• Focus on closing off the shortest paths to the edges
• Think 3-4 moves ahead
• Use the corners – they require fewer barriers to trap the cat

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Placing random barriers without a plan
• Building straight lines that the cat can easily go around
• Focusing too much on one side while leaving others open
• Waiting too long to start closing the trap

Math Behind the Game

The Trapping the Cat game is actually based on graph theory in mathematics. Each intersection on the grid is a “node,” and the cat moves along “edges” connecting these nodes.

For math fans: On an 11×11 grid, there are 121 possible positions for the cat. A perfect play would require about 20-30 barrier placements to trap the cat.

Teaching Kids With Trapping the Cat

This game helps children develop the following:

• Planning skills
• Strategic thinking
• Understanding cause and effect
• Visual-spatial awareness
• Problem-solving abilities

Simple Versions for Young Players

For 7-year-olds just starting:

• Use a smaller 5×5 grid
• Give kids more barriers per turn
• Let them practice without the cat moving first

Cat’s Movement Rules Explained Simply

The cat always moves toward freedom following these rules:

1. It looks at all the spaces it can reach
2. It calculates which move gets it closest to any edge
3. If two moves are equally good, it picks one (usually based on the game’s programming)
4. The cat can move diagonally (in most versions)

Winning Patterns

After studying hundreds of games, I’ve found these patterns almost always work:

Box Trap

Build a square around the cat, but leave one opening. When the cat moves toward the opening, close it.

Funnel Trap

Create a pathway that seems to lead to freedom but gradually narrows until you can close it.

Corner Strategy

Force the cat toward a corner where you need fewer barriers to create a trap.

Fun Facts About Trapping the Cat

• This game has been around for centuries in various forms
• Similar games were played in ancient China
• Computer scientists use this game to test artificial intelligence
• Mathematicians are still researching the optimal strategy
• The game is actually impossible for the cat to win against a perfect player
• Some versions give the cat special powers like jumping barriers

Different Names Around the World

• “Fox and Hounds” (UK variant)
• “Catch the Mouse” (Eastern Europe)
• “Tiger Trap” (Parts of Asia)
• “Enclosure” (Academic name in game theory)

How to Make Your Physical Game Board

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard or poster board
• Ruler
• Pen or marker
• Button or small toy (cat)
• Coins or paper clips (barriers)

Steps:

1. Draw an 11×11 grid on your cardboard
2. Mark the center spot for the cat’s starting position
3. Number the edges to keep track of winning positions
4. Use small objects as barriers

Digital Versions to Try

Many free versions exist online and as apps. Look for names like:

• “Trap the Cat”
• “Catch the Cat”
• “Surround the Cat”

The best versions let you adjust difficulty by changing:

• Grid size
• Cat’s movement patterns
• Number of barriers you get per turn

Advanced Strategy Guide

Once you understand the basics, try these expert techniques:

Path Analysis

Before placing barriers, count how many moves the cat needs to reach any edge. Block the shortest paths first.

Double-Threat Creation

Set up situations where you threaten to close in two different directions, forcing the cat to choose.

Barrier Economy

Good players can trap the cat using 25-30 barriers. Try to use as few as possible.

Pattern Recognition

Learn to spot dangerous board positions and avoid them.

Why This Game Helps Your Brain

Playing Trapping the Cat regularly can improve:

• Planning ability
• Spatial reasoning
• Decision making
• Pattern recognition
• Strategic thinking

Brain researchers have found that games like this activate our prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning and decision-making.

Game Theory Analysis

In game theory terms, Trapping the Cat is a “perfect information game” like chess, where both players can see all possible moves. It’s also:

• Zero-sum (one player’s win is the other’s loss)
• Sequential (players take turns)
• Deterministic (no chance elements like dice)

Mathematicians have proven that with perfect play, the trapper can always win on a standard grid.

Teaching Computational Thinking

Teachers often use this game to show:

• Algorithms (how the cat finds the shortest path)
• Heuristics (rules of thumb for good play)
• Optimization (finding the best solution)

Personal Experience

When I teach this game to students, I first let them play as the cat to understand how it moves. Only then do I let them try trapping. This approach helps them develop empathy for their opponent and better understand the game’s mechanics.

Team Play

Two players can work together to trap the cat, each placing one barrier per turn.

Conclusion

Trapping the Cat might seem simple, but it contains deep strategic elements that have fascinated players for generations. If you want a fast bit of fun or a tougher brain-teaser, this game gives you both. The best way to learn is to start playing and develop your strategies. The most important tip I can share from years of playing is always to think a few moves ahead. Don’t just react to the cat’s last move, but plan for where it will go next.

Happy cat trapping!