
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,800
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Colossal Cat in the Box
- 2–5 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2024

2022
Rules assistance for Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition is a board game released in 2022 for 2–5 players, 20–40 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Muneyuki Yokouchi (横内宗幸) and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Enclosure, and Trick-taking.
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition is the quintessential quantum trick-taking card game for 2 - 5 cool cats, where your card’s color isn’t defined until you play it! Hypothesize how many tricks you will win, and record your bid. Place tokens on the community research board as you play your hand, and connect large groups of tokens to score even more points. Plan your tricks carefully as you cannot claim the color of a card with the same number that has already been declared. Doing so would be pawsitively catastrophic as you have just created a paradox! New Deluxe Edition features: Supports 2-5 players High quality geekbits-style plastic tokens Recessed player boards Recessed Center Research board Score pad And a custom plastic insert to keep Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition tidy! —description from the publisher
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition is 20–40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Enclosure, and Trick-taking. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition are: Muneyuki Yokouchi (横内宗幸). These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.