# Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition

Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition is a board game for 2–5 players. It plays in 20–40 minutes and is meant for ages 13 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 7.6 out of 10 by 107 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $22.95 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–5 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 20–40 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 13+
- **Complexity:** 2 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2022
- **Categories:** Card Game, Animals
- **Mechanics:** Trick-taking, Hand Management, Enclosure, Predictive Bid
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.6 out of 10, from 107 reviews
- **Owned by:** 284 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 872
- **Unique players:** 1,144

**Designers:** Muneyuki Yokouchi (横内宗幸)

**Artists:** Osamu Inoue (井上磨)

**Publishers:** Hobby Japan

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cardhaus Games | 22.95 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition/ |
| Atomic Empire | 23.99 $ | https://www.atomicempire.com/Item/320586 |
| Miniature Market | 23.99 $ | https://www.miniaturemarket.com/bezcatx.html |
| 401 Games | 30.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| Board Game Bliss | 30.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| eFantasy | 34.99 € | https://www.efantasy.gr/en/products/board-games/260408-board-game-cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| Zatu Games | 20.95 £ | https://zatu.com/products/cat-in-the-box |
| Good Games | 41.95 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| Alphaspel | 329 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/199103-cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition-franska-hollandska-regler-las-beskrivningen |
| Gameology | 47.95 $ | https://www.gameology.com.au/products/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| Dragons Lair | 399 kr | https://dragonslair.se/products/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition |
| Nexus | 5995 kr | https://nexus.is/vara/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-ed/ |

## Similar games

- [Colossal Cat in the Box](https://www.ludoya.com/games/colossal-cat-in-the-box)
- [Charms](https://www.ludoya.com/games/dois)
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- [Wizard: Jubiläumsedition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/wizard-jubilaumsedition)
- [luz](https://www.ludoya.com/games/luz)
- [500](https://www.ludoya.com/games/500)
- [Scharfe Schoten](https://www.ludoya.com/games/scharfe-schoten)
- [Torchlit](https://www.ludoya.com/games/torchlit)
- [Ninety-Nine](https://www.ludoya.com/games/ninety-nine)
- [No Loose Ends](https://www.ludoya.com/games/no-loose-ends)
- [Nokosu Dice](https://www.ludoya.com/games/nokosu-dice)
- [Inflation!](https://www.ludoya.com/games/zimbabweee-trick)

## Rules questions

### Do the face-down cards get used in this round or are they removed?

Each player selects one card from their hand and places it face down; those face-down cards are not used in the current round (page 4).

### When and how do we predict how many tricks we'll win?

After placing the face-down card, each player in clockwise order (starting with the start player) places a token on the number on their player board that represents how many tricks they predict they will win (page 4).

### What exactly do I have to satisfy when declaring the observed color on a played cat card?

Two rules must be met: the research-board space for that color and card number must be empty, and you must still have your player token on the X of that color on your player board; additionally the start player may not declare red unless a token already exists on the red row or they cannot declare any other color (pp.5-6, 12).

### If I declare a color different from the led color, does anything happen to my player board?

Yes — when you declare a color other than the led color, you remove the player token on your player board that was on the X of the led color (if it hasn't already been removed) and you can no longer declare that led color for the rest of the round (page 6).

### How is the winner of a trick determined when players declare different colors?

If any player declared a color different from the led color, resolve color strength first: red (trump) beats all, otherwise only cards of the led color remain; then among the remaining cards the highest number wins the trick (page 7).

### What is a paradox, and what happens if one occurs during the trick phase?

A paradox occurs when a player cannot legally declare any color for any card in their hand; when it happens you immediately stop the trick phase, the player reveals their hand, no one wins that trick, tokens placed during the interrupted trick remain, and the paradox-causing player scores −1 point per trick they won that round and forfeits any bonus (pp.8-9).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition)
- [Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/cat-in-the-box-deluxe-edition)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/345972)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._