Treats & Tails

Rules Overview

Game design: David McDougal

A solo card game of cozy cat adoptions.

Adopt cozy cats by matching their hidden treat costs before the third Adoption Day.

Players: Solo Play Time: 10 minutes Ages: 8+ Mechanic: Hand Management

Components

• Cats: 6♣, 6♦, 6♥, 6♠ (4 cards)
• Treats: 7-10 (16 cards, 4 of each)
• Adoption Deck: 3-6 (16 cards, 4 of each) + 4 Aces
• Visitors: J, Q, K of each suit (12 cards, value 2 each)

Setup

• Place the 4 Cat cards face-up in a row.
• Shuffle the Treat cards. Deal 1 facedown under each Cat. These are the cats' hidden "adoption costs." Place the rest as a facedown Treat Deck.
• Shuffle the Adoption Deck. Draw 4 cards into your hand.
• Shuffle the Visitor Deck. Reveal 2 Visitors face-up to form the Entrance.

Objective

Adopt as many Cats as possible before the 3rd Adoption Day. Your score is the sum of the Treat values (7-10) of Cats you adopted.

Turn Structure

1. Choose Visitor

Pick 1 Visitor from the Entrance (value 2).

2. Choose Cat

Select 1 awake Cat to attempt adoption.

3. Play Adoption Cards

• By default, you may play 1 number card from your hand.
• If you play an Ace, you may play up to 2 number cards instead.
• When playing an Ace, choose one effect:
• +/-1 to your total (and you succeed if your total is within +/-1 of the Treat value), OR
• Peek at or discard the top Treat card of the Treat Deck, OR
• Draw 1 card from the Adoption Deck.

4. Check Success

• Total = Visitor (2) + Adoption cards (+ Ace effect if used).
• Success: Total equals the Cat's hidden Treat value (or within +/-1 if using the Ace +/-1 effect).
• Failure: Otherwise.

5. Resolve

If success:

• Reveal the Cat's Treat and add it to your score pile.
• Remove the Visitor from the game.
• Remove the Cat from play (adopted).
• Burn (discard) the top Treat from the Treat Deck face-up.

If failure:

• Reveal and discard the Cat's Treat.
• Deal a new Treat facedown under the Cat.
• Turn the Cat facedown (asleep).
• Place the Visitor into the Visitor Discard.

6. Clean-Up

• Discard used Adoption cards.
• Draw back up to 4 cards (reshuffle Adoption Discard into deck if needed).
• Refill Entrance to 2 Visitors (reshuffle Visitor Discard if needed).

Adoption Day

Triggered if:

• All Cats are asleep, OR
• Treat Deck is empty, OR
• Visitor Deck is empty.

Steps:

• Burn the top Visitor from the Visitor Deck.
• Wake all Cats (turn them face-up).
• Shuffle the Adoption Discard back into the Adoption Deck.
• Refill the Entrance to 2 Visitors.

The game ends after the 3rd Adoption Day or when all Cats are adopted.

Scoring

• 0-9: Still Learning
• 10-19: Cat Companion
• 20-25: Cat Whisperer
• 26+: Forever Home Hero

Worked Examples

Example 1: Successful Adoption

• Visitor: Jack♠ (value 2).
• Hand: 5♣, Ace♥, 3♦, 4♠.
• Target Cat: awake Cat with hidden Treat = 9.

Player plays Ace♥ (unlocking second card and using +/-1 effect) + 5♣ and 3♦.

• Total = 2 (Visitor) + 5 + 3 + 1 (Ace) = 11.
• Treat is 9, but Ace gives +/-1 tolerance, so a total of 11 counts as success.
• Cat adopted, Visitor removed, Treat (9) added to score, top Treat of deck burned.

Example 2: Failed Attempt

• Visitor: Queen♦ (value 2).
• Hand: 4♣, 6♠, 3♥, Ace♣.
• Target Cat: awake Cat with hidden Treat = 10.

Player plays 6♠ only.

• Total = 2 (Visitor) + 6 = 8.
• Treat is 10, so failure.
• Reveal Treat (10) and discard. Deal new Treat under Cat, turn Cat asleep.
• Visitor goes to the Visitor Discard.

Frequently Asked Questions