How to play Trap the Cat
Trap the Cat is a short strategy puzzle played on a board of 11 rows of 11 circles. The rows are staggered like a honeycomb, so every circle away from the border touches six others. The cat starts on the centre circle, and between 8 and 14 circles are already dark walls when a game begins.
On your turn, tap or click any light circle to turn it into a wall. You cannot build on a circle that is already a wall or on the circle where the cat sits. After each wall you place, the cat takes one step to a free circle next to it, and then it is your turn again. There is no timer, so take as long as you like over each wall.
The Moves counter under the board shows how many walls you have placed. The walls that were there at the start do not count, so a lower number means a cleaner win.
How you win or lose
You lose as soon as the cat steps onto any circle on the outer ring of the board. Once it reaches the edge, it runs away.
You win when it is the cat's turn and every circle next to it is a wall. Shutting the cat inside a large pen is only half the job. While the cat still has a free circle beside it, it keeps moving, so keep closing in until it has nowhere left to step.
How the cat decides where to go
The cat does not move at random while it has a way out. Before each step it finds the shortest route to the edge that avoids walls, and it takes the first step of that route. When two or more routes are equally short, it picks one of them at random. When it can no longer reach the edge at all, it wanders to a random free circle next to it.
On an open board the cat sits five steps from the edge, and it moves one step for every wall you place. That leaves little time to build a full ring, which is why the first few walls decide most games of this cat trap game.
Strategy tips
- Build ahead of the cat. A wall right next to the cat usually just makes it turn. Place walls two or three circles out, across the route it is likely to take.
- Read its route. Because the cat always heads for the nearest exit, you can predict its next step. Block the gap it is aiming for before it gets there.
- Use the starting walls. The walls that are on the board at the start are free barrier. Join your walls to them instead of building a new line from nothing.
- Watch for double threats. If the cat has two equally short routes, one wall rarely stops both. Look for a circle that both routes pass through, and wall that first.
- Finish the pen. Once the cat is sealed in, shrink the pen one circle at a time until every circle beside the cat is a wall.
The Daily puzzle
Switch to Daily to play the board of the day. The daily board changes at 00:00 UTC, and everyone who plays on the same UTC date gets the same starting walls. The cat also breaks its ties the same way for everyone, so two players who place the same walls in the same order see the cat make the same moves. Daily #1 is the board for 30 September 2026, and the number goes up by one each day.
When you finish, press Copy result to share a short line such as "Trap the Cat Daily #12 — trapped in 9 moves" with a link to this site. Your first result is saved in your browser, so if you come back on the same day, the page shows it. Press Play again to replay the board; the replay does not replace your first result.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trap the Cat free to play?
Yes. The game runs in your browser with no download, no account and no sign-up.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. Tap a circle to place a wall. The board resizes to fit the width of your screen.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes. Press Tab to move focus to the board, use the arrow keys to move between circles, and press Enter or Space to place a wall.
Why does the cat start to wander?
When the cat can no longer reach the edge, it has no route to follow, so it steps to a random free circle next to it. That means you have sealed it in. Keep placing walls around it until it cannot move.
When does the Daily puzzle change?
A new daily board starts at 00:00 UTC every day. The date follows UTC, not your local time zone.
Does the game save my progress?
Only your Daily puzzle result is saved, in the local storage of your browser on this device. Random games are not saved. The Privacy page has the details.