We all have that friend or family member that’s obsessed with cats. But how could they not be? These cute furry felines are full of personality and cuddles – if you’re lucky.
They make the perfect characters for memes, cartoons, and videos. It seems cats are paw-pping up everywhere these days!
And just when you thought you couldn’t get enough of them, we have our top picks for the best board game gifts for cat lovers. So read on to find that perfect gift for that cat-loving friend.
🏆 Our Top Picks for Best Board Game Gifts for Cat Lovers
In a hurry? Take a quick peek before you go at the Best Game Gifts for Cat Lovers.
Best Games for Cat Lovers
The Isle of Cats
Players: 1-4
Playing time: 60-90 minutes
Help! Cats are stuck on the island and need assistance. A rescue is needed because they obviously can’t swim to the mainland. It is up to you to take them aboard your ship – with some constraints, of course.
The Isle of Cats is a competitive, card-drafting game. Players battle it out to manage resources on their personal ships while also learning valuable lessons. These lessons will help give them more advantages and eventually rescue more cats. But make sure each cat fits with their respective families – you wouldn’t want any catfights! Points are awarded for lessons learned and cats rescued. After five rounds, the player with the most points wins.
The beautiful artwork brings this quirky theme together. The Isle of Cats provides enough complexity for more advanced gamers while maintaining a lighthearted, cat-friendly theme. It’s an excellent combination for someone who loves both cats and gaming.
Calico
Players: 1-4
Playing time: 30-45 minutes
It’s a quilting competition in Calico.
Players collect tiles to create the best quilt paw-sible. Sew a patch tile into your quilt and take another from the stack each turn. Be crafty with your tile placement. Pattern combinations might get you buttons or the attention of a cuddly kitten. Buttons, cats, and completing your pattern get you points and hopefully a win.
While the gameplay is straightforward, there is a lot of variability, strategy, and replayability. Different quilts allow you to scale the challenge. Start on an easy quilt and work your way to the more advanced as you master those sewing skills.
It’s an excellent gift for someone who enjoys puzzles and tile-placement games. Think Azul, but for cat lovers.
Cat Lady
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 15-30 minutes
If you’ve ever jokingly referred to your friend as a Cat Lady, this is the perfect gift!
Cat Lady celebrates the cat lover in all of us. It’s a lighthearted, fast-playing card game. Collect cards including catnip, cat food, toys, and of course – cats! You must have enough resources to take care of the cats in your hand. If not, expect a penalty for being an irresponsible owner.
Cat Lady is a simple game, even a bit fluffy! It’s a great option for those looking to have some fun and a good laugh while collecting cute kitties.
Cloaked Cats
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 20 minutes
Some cats are a bit skittish, and these are no exception. You and your cat friends head to the glamorous ball incognito. After all, you wouldn’t want everyone spotting you so early on.
It is up to you to determine who the players are behind their cloaks. Ask questions and make deductions. But be careful not to reveal too much about yourself in the process. The first player to unveil the other cats’ identities wins.
These Cloaked Cats are cunning, but so are you. Clever thinking and strategic questions can help you spot the other cats in their tracks.
Pusheen Purrfect Pick
Players: 2-5
Playing time: 10-30 minutes
Based on the comic strip, Pusheen is a cutesy board game perfect for those who follow the famous feline or who simply enjoy cute cat fandom!
Pusheen comes with two boards, the park setting, and the home setting. Either location has boundless opportunities for fun. Travel around, collecting essentials like gems and cupcakes. Exchange some yummy cat cupcakes for snapshots of your fun times. Gain points for each snapshot, getting you closer to the win!
Who can show Pusheen the most fun this weekend? Play to find out!
Exploding Kittens
Players: 2-5
Playing time: 15 minutes
Exploding Kittens is a widely enjoyed card game with a ridiculously silly theme. It might sound like a concerning title – but it’s all in good fun!
The game is about picking cards and managing your hand. You have to discard every turn, so keep the most valuable ones. They may come in handy down the line. Certain cards can help you see what’s coming up in the deck or protect you from danger. When someone pulls an Exploding Kitten – they’re out!
If your cat-loving friends already enjoy Exploding Kittens, have no fear! The Barking Kittens Expansion is here. It takes it to another level with 20 new cards and a wearable Kitty Crown. Who doesn’t love a funny prop to go with their game?
Catlantis
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 15 minutes
It’s mermaid-meets-cat in Catlantis, and it plays to its theme well. It’s a game of bluffing and card-trading with funny puns and cute designs that’ll keep you smiling.
Turns involve collecting resources and negotiating with other players. Gather wealth and treasures, and determine what other players might be going for. You must use political strategy to stay on their good side while ensuring they don’t get ahead.
Gameplay is quick, and the strategy is simple – making Catlantis a light and easy game for all cat lovers.
Wizard Kittens
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 15-30 minutes
This is the purr-fect option for cat lovers looking for a fantasy-themed game.
These kittens are new to the world of wizardry and inevitably make some mistakes along the way. This time, they’ve unleashed some unwanted curses from the library. The players must work together to defeat the curses and avoid the librarian.
It’s a semi-cooperative game involving card collecting. Spell Cards may be used to defeat a curse or sabotage other players. If the players can successfully squash the curses, they can tally up points to find the winner. That is…if the librarian doesn’t catch them first!
Do you have what it takes to be a fully-fledged Wizard Cat? Try your hand at Wizard Kitten to find out.
Cat Crimes
Players: 1
Playing time: self-paced
You’ve got to be kitten me! The cats have done it again…spilled water, broken a glass, or tore up the couch.
Cats are mischievous. While some offenses can be fur-gotten, this one’s a serious Cat Crime. Collect cards and use deductive reasoning to find the culprit and put the case to rest. Challenge Cards give you clues, and Suspect Cards detail each cat’s character.
Where was Fluffy when the couch cushion tore? If you can figure out where each cat was at the time of the crime, you can pinpoint the feline at fault.
Cat Crimes is a great choice for cat-loving kids as well. It is simple to learn and helps develop those logic skills.
Cat-Tastic
Players: 2-4
Playing time: self-paced
Owning a business is no catwalk!
Find out for yourself in Cat-Tastic – the game about starting your own cat-care business. Travel around the board, earning and spending money. You might have to pay the groomers to keep your kitty looking pretty or take a trip to the vet’s office. If you own these businesses, then players will have to pay you.
You might adopt a cat along the way and gain some extra hearts. The first player to 6 hearts wins, so get all the love you can!
Cat-Tastic is a great choice for kids. It’s easy to learn and play. Plus, it gets them learning about income in a fun, purposeful way. Overall, it’s Cat-Tastic!
Wrap-Up
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best board game gifts for cat lovers! If you need the perfect gift for that special cat person in your family or friend group, look no further! These adorable, cat-themed games are sure to make any cat lover smile.
Have you tried any of the games on this list? Did we miss any of your cat-themed favorites? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you.
Cheryl is a teacher, writer, and board game fan. She likes incorporating games into all areas of her life, from classrooms and family nights to lively parties with friends. While she’s played too many to count, her favorites have always been classics like Codenames and chess.