Review Summary

Cat-Opoly is a feline-themed take on the traditional, popular Monopoly board game. Rather than buying properties, players buy rare breeds of cats to make more “rent” than their opponents. Buy cat houses, upgrade to pet spas, and try to avoid water, because a wet cat is an angry cat that misses three turns.

Players can either play the traditional variant, which as any Monopoly player knows can last for several hours, or the one-hour variant, where the winner is the player with the most money after one hour of play.

It is a fun, themed variant of a classic that is bound to be popular with lovers of cats and traditional board games.

Cat-Opoloy – A Quick Look

A Cat-Themed Take On a Classic

Monopoly was introduced in 1935 and has since become a staple of Boxing Day festivities and family gatherings around the world. Such is its popularity that hundreds of variants of the game have been produced, ranging from Fortnite to boards that use local landmarks. Some introduce different mechanics that change the basics of the game, while others are essentially just re-skins, but they all share some roll-and-move mechanics as well as luck elements and set building.

Cat-Opoly is a feline-themed take on the game and while there are a couple of tweaks to the gameplay, it is essentially the same Monopoly that most people have played at some point. That means if you like Monopoly and cats, you are likely to enjoy this game. But, if neither of those things are for you, you will probably want to avoid Cat-Opoly. It can also make a good fit idea for the cat lover or Monopoly player in your life.

Cat Facts

All of the game has been re-skinned and based on cats. Rather than buying properties, players buy breeds of cat. Rather than building houses, they erect cat houses, and instead of hotels, the game features pet spas. Jail has been replaced by water and Free Parking is now a catnip square: if you land on catnip you take everything in the middle of the board. Even the player pieces have changed, with options including a ball of yarn and a milk bottle.

One nice touch is that the backs of the cat cards all have interesting facts about cats, such as the fact that cats have three eyelids. Once you’ve played the game a couple of times, you will likely ignore the facts, but they’re fun for the first couple of plays.

Easy to Learn

One of the reasons for Monopoly’s massive popularity over the past 90 years is that it is easy to learn. Roll the dice, move your piece, and take an action according to the square you land on.

Cat-Opoly has the same basic rules and doesn’t introduce anything especially new, which means the rules are just as basic as the original title. For a family games night, the combination of luck from the dice rolling and the simple rules means that anybody has a chance to win. There are Monopoly strategies that will carry over to Cat-Opoly, but even these aren’t infallible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Long Does a Game Take?

Like standard Monopoly, a full game of Cat-Opoly can last several hours as players wait for others to go bankrupt. However, there is a shorter version of the game, where players agree on a set time or number of turns, and the player with the highest net worth after that time is the winner. The game recommends setting a one-hour time limit, which is probably reasonable. In most games, the ultimate winner can be determined after an hour of play.

What Happens to Unpurchased Property?

One of the most overlooked rules in Monopoly states that if a player chooses not to buy a property they land on, the bank auctions that property immediately. Not only does this make otherwise difficult-to-obtain property available even when it isn’t your turn, but it also shortens the game length.

And the auctioning mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy. Players can bid on cats they don’t necessarily want to keep it out of the hands of another player who is trying to make up a set. Or they might bid just to bump up the price and make sure another player doesn’t get the Siamese for a steal.

What Happens When You Fall in Water?

The water space replaces jail, and when a cat lands in the water, they are forced to remain for up to three turns. A wet cat can roll the dice on their turn and if they roll a double, they get out of the water. Alternatively, they can pay $100 at the start of their turn and get straight out. If, after three turns of rolling, the player has not rolled a double, they must pay $100 and start moving from their next turn.

Does All Money Get Paid into the Middle of the Board?

When a player lands on the catnip (Free Parking) square, they take any money in the middle of the board. Rent goes to the appropriate player and the cost of buying cats goes to the bank.

However, squares that demand payment, such as the Fleas square, see the money placed in the middle of the board. Payment from Catastrophe and Purrfect cards also go in the middle of the board, and all of this is collected by any player lucky enough to get their hands on catnip.

What the Users Say

We’ve researched other websites, read other reviews, and looked at ratings from people who have bought Cat-Opoloy to determine how popular it is. It is generally well received, with most players enjoying the cat reskin. A lot of players positively mention the cat facts on the backs of cards.

Players that don’t seem to like the game are those that aren’t fans of the original Monopoly board game.

Conclusion

Cat-Opoly is a feline-skinned version of the Monopoly board game. The rules are very similar to those of the original game, but pretty much every element of the board and gameplay has been changed to feature cats and cat-related items. It is a great gift for cat lovers and will be popular with Monopoly fans who are also into cats.

If you don’t like cats or you find Monopoly tedious, however, you likely won’t enjoy Cat-Opoly, either.

Also see:

• Essential Cat Party Supplies for a Kitty-Themed Event
• Rompicatz Adjustable String Wand Toy Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict