Cat Ladies of Maple St. Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Setup
• How to Play
• Starting the Game
• Playing Your Turn
  • 1. Play Your Cards
  • 2. Shop at the Market
  • 3. Clean Up & Draw 5 Cards
  • Example of a Turn
• Gaining a Cat
• Buying and Playing Mystery Cards
  • Buying Mystery Cards
  • Playing Mystery Cards
• Ending the Game
• FAQ's
  • General Gameplay
  • Backhanded Compliment
  • Bottle of Milk & Milk Dish (Mystery Cards)
  • Bridge Club
  • Cat Burglar (Mystery Card)
  • Makeover
  • Play BINGO!
  • Scary Cucumber (Mystery Card)
  • Security System

Game Components

Cat Cards (29). Each cat is perfectly unique and ready for their forever home!

Market Cards (103). There are 10 different types of Market cards you can buy during the game. These cards help you adopt cats more quickly.

• 34 Hard Candy cards
• 6 Security System cards
• 6 Backhanded Compliment cards
• 6 Bridge Club cards
• 6 Makeover cards
• 21 Mystery cards
• 6 Breakfast Menu cards
• 6 Catnip cards
• 6 Play BINGO! cards
• 6 Cruise Vacation cards

Happiness Scoreboards (4) & Cat Tokens (4). Each player gets a Happiness Scoreboard and a Cat Token to track their progress toward adopting their next cat. Every time you reach the "Adopt a Cat!" space, you get a Cat card!

The Happiness Scoreboard has a "Start" space, numbered spaces 1 through 7, and a final "8 Adopt a Cat!" space.

Setup

1. Place the Market cards in the center of the table according to the illustration. (Note that all the cards in the game are Market cards except the cats.) Market cards should be arranged in order of cost – from least card cost to greatest card cost. (The cost of each card is shown on the price tag in the upper-right corner of the card.)

   IMPORTANT: All card stacks should be face-up except the Mystery Deck cards, which are kept face-down (so that the black side with the question mark is showing). Make sure the Mystery Deck cards are shuffled.

2. Place the Cat cards in a face-up stack beside the Market cards to form the Cat Deck. (Cat cards can be in any order.)

3. Give each player a Happiness Scoreboard and its color-matching Cat Token. Scoreboards should be placed at the top of each player's play area and Cat Tokens placed on the Start space.

4. Deal each player 7 Hard Candy cards and 3 Cat cards. Each player shuffles their cards together to form a personal Draw Pile. Their Draw Pile is placed face-down to the left of their play area.

   TIP: For your first game, we recommend removing 6 Cats from the Cat Deck, as well as removing the Mystery cards from the game. (You can return these cards to the box for now.) This will simplify and shorten the game while you get the hang of it. After your first game, you can add these cards back in.

How to Play

In a Deck Building game like Cat Ladies, each player starts with a small collection of cards. During the game, they purchase new cards to add to their collection. You'll start Cat Ladies with 10 cards – 7 Hard Candy and 3 Cats. You'll end the game with a larger and stronger collection of cards, including (of course) more cats!

Your growing collection of cards will cycle through your hand multiple times during the game. You will play them, discard them, and eventually reshuffle to play them again. Each card you play gives you resources to make progress in the game:

• Hearts represent happiness! They move you forward on your Happiness Scoreboard toward adopting your next cat! (Heart icon with a number inside; the number is the Happiness value.)
• Coins are used to go shopping for new cards. The more Coins you have, the better cards you can buy to add to your collection! (Coin icon with a number inside; the number is the Coin value.)

Some cards have other special abilities that help you along the way. Just follow the instructions on the card!

Every time you reach the "Adopt a Cat!" space on your Happiness Scoreboard you'll get another cat! The game ends immediately when the last cat is taken from the Cat Deck. The winner is the Cat Lady with the most Cat cards at the end of the game!

Starting the Game

Choose a starting player. (If you're playing multiple games, change the starting player each game.)

Each player draws the top 5 cards from their Draw Pile to form their starting hand.

Beginning with the starting player, take turns in a clockwise direction. Use the instructions that follow to guide your turn.

Playing Your Turn

A turn consists of 3 steps:

1. Play Your Cards
2. Shop at the Market
3. Clean Up & Draw 5 Cards

1. Play Your Cards

Play the cards in your hand in any order you choose. To play a card, lay it face-up in front of you and use the resources or special ability written on the card.

• Happiness value: Move your Cat Token on your Happiness Scoreboard according to the number inside the Heart.
• Coin value: Use Coins to shop at the Market in Step 2 (leave the card in your play area until then).
• Special ability: Follow any written instructions when you play a card. (Note that some cards have multiple resources or abilities.)

IMPORTANT: You may play all the cards in your hand, including multiples of the same card.

Once you have used a card's Happiness value and any special abilities, place that card in your Discard Pile. (If a card has Coin value, you should leave that card in your play area until Step 2.)

TIP: Before your turn starts, it is helpful to arrange the cards in your hand in the order you plan to play them on your turn. Consider playing cards with special abilities first, then cards with Happiness value, then cards with Coin value.

2. Shop at the Market

You can now purchase new cards by using the Coin value of cards you played on this turn.

Add up the total Coin value from all the cards you played on this turn. (All cards with Coin value should still be in your play area.) The combined Coin value of these cards is your buying power for this turn.

Example: two Hard Candy cards (1 Coin each) and a Bridge Club card (2 Coins) give a buying power of 4 Coins.

You can purchase any combination of cards from the Market as long as their total cost is less than or equal to your buying power.

Card cost is the purchase price of each card, shown on the card (for example, the Breakfast Menu card's price tag in its upper-right corner).

IMPORTANT: When you purchase a card, place it directly into your Discard Pile. (You may not play a card on the same turn it was purchased.) Note that Mystery cards never go into your Discard Pile (see additional information about Mystery cards on pages 9-10).

After using the Coin value of your cards from this turn, place these cards into your Discard Pile and move to Step 3 to complete your turn.

TIP: You do not have to use all the buying power available to you. However, any unused buying power does not carry over to a future turn.

3. Clean Up & Draw 5 Cards

Make sure that all cards from this turn have been put into your Discard Pile (except Mystery cards). Then end your turn by drawing 5 new cards from your Draw Pile. (These cards will be used on your next turn.)

IMPORTANT: If there are not enough cards in your Draw Pile to draw a full hand, draw as many as you can, then shuffle your Discard Pile and place it face-down to the left of your play area to form a new Draw Pile. Then finish drawing your hand.

TIP: Before drawing 5 new cards, there should be no cards in your hand and all cards played or purchased on this turn should be in your Discard Pile (except Mystery cards).

Example of a Turn

Ansley has 2 Cat cards and 3 Hard Candy cards in her starting hand.

1. Play Your Cards: She plays her 2 Cat cards (1 Happiness value each) and moves her Cat Token 2 spaces on her Happiness Scoreboard. She then puts these cards into her Discard Pile. Next she plays her 3 Hard Candy cards. Because they have Coin value, they stay in her play area for Step 2.

2. Shop at the Market: She has 3 Hard Candy cards in her play area (1 Coin value each), so her buying power is 3 Coins for this turn. She uses her buying power to purchase a Bridge Club card (costing 3 Coins), which she places directly into her Discard Pile. She then places her Hard Candy cards into her Discard Pile.

3. Clean Up & Draw 5 Cards: She makes sure all the cards from this turn are in her Discard Pile (no more cards in her hand or play area). Then she draws 5 cards (for her next turn). Play moves to the person on her left.

Notice her Cat Token is now on the "2" space. Notice her 2 Cats, Bridge Club, and 3 Hard Candies are all in her Discard Pile.

Gaining a Cat

Every time you reach the "Adopt a Cat!" space on your Happiness Scoreboard, you get a new cat!

When you reach the "Adopt a Cat!" space, take the top Cat card from the Cat Deck and place it directly into your Discard Pile. Then return your Cat Token to the Start space. If you still have Happiness value remaining after gaining a cat, keep moving your Cat Token forward from Start until you've scored all your Hearts.

Example: Jersey's Cat Token is on "6" and she plays a Cruise Vacation card (5 Happiness value). She moves 2 spaces forward to the "Adopt a Cat!" space, adds a Cat card to her Discard Pile, and returns to the Start space. She then moves forward 3 more spaces on her Happiness Scoreboard (ending on the "3" space).

IMPORTANT: When you get a new Cat card, place it directly into your Discard Pile. You may not score the Happiness value of that cat on this turn.

TIP: During the game, you might gain a cat through other means besides reaching the "Adopt a Cat!" space on your Happiness Scoreboard. Unless the instructions on a card indicate otherwise, place all new cats directly into your Discard Pile.

Buying and Playing Mystery Cards

Mystery cards give you special chances to boost your Happiness and Coin values, slow down your opponents, or even get a cat!

IMPORTANT: Mystery cards are treated differently than the other cards in the game. They are one-time-use and are kept separate from the rest of your cards. They never go into your Discard Pile and therefore never get shuffled into your Draw Pile.

TIP: You may look at your Mystery cards whenever you want, but keep them secret from your opponents.

Buying Mystery Cards

Like other cards, Mystery cards may be purchased during the Shop at the Market step of your turn. (Mystery cards cost 4 Coins.) To purchase a Mystery card, draw the top card from the Mystery Deck, read it, then place it face-down near your Happiness Scoreboard to be played on a future turn (see below).

Playing Mystery Cards

You may play any or all of your Mystery cards during the Play Your Cards step of your turn (in addition to playing the cards in your hand). You can play a Mystery card on any turn you choose, except on the same turn it was purchased.

To play a Mystery card, place the card face-up in your play area and follow the instructions on the card. If the card has Happiness or Coin value, use these values the same way you use them on any other card.

IMPORTANT: After playing a Mystery card, return it to the Mystery Deck by placing it face-down on the bottom of the deck. (This card might be purchased again later in the game.)

Ending the Game

The game ends immediately when the last cat is taken from the Cat Deck.

To determine the winner, players separate their Cat cards from the rest of their cards and count their cats.

The player with the most cats is the winner!

If there is a tie, the player with the fewest turns wins. If the players had the same number of turns, the player with the most unused Mystery cards wins. In the unlikely event that it's still a tie, the winning cat ladies celebrate their shared victory!

FAQ's

General Gameplay

Q: When a card instructs someone to "Draw" a card, what do they do? A: When instructed to "Draw" a card, the player should draw the top card from their personal Draw Pile and add it to their hand. Drawn cards can be played on that turn.

Q: What happens when you run out of one (or more) of the cards for sale in the Market? A: The game continues as normal, but that card (or cards) is no longer available for purchase (unless someone returns one of those cards to the Market by using a Makeover Card).

Q: Is there a maximum number of cards you can have in your hand? (Or a limit to the number of cards you can play in one turn?) A: No. Although you normally draw 5 cards for each hand, you might end up with more than 5 in your hand (if another player plays a Bridge Club, for example). On each turn, you can play all the cards in your hand (including additional cards you might draw as you play out your turn).

Q: Does the starting player have an advantage? A: Since the game ends immediately when the last cat is taken from the Cat Deck, sometimes one (or more) of the players may have had an extra turn. This is why we recommend changing the starting player each game.

Another way to adjust for the starting player advantage is to change the number of cards each player draws on their first turn. To do this, each player draws a starting hand from their Draw Pile based on the number of players in the game (see table below). After their first turn, players will begin drawing 5 cards each turn (like normal).

• 2 players: First player draws 3 cards, Second player draws 5 cards.
• 3 players: First player draws 3 cards, Second player draws 4 cards, Third player draws 5 cards.
• 4 players: First player draws 2 cards, Second player draws 3 cards, Third player draws 4 cards, Fourth player draws 5 cards.

Q: Can I count how many cats remain in the Cat Deck? What about other stacks of cards in the Market? A: Yes. At any time, players can count the number of Cat cards remaining in the Cat Deck, or the number of cards available in the Market.

Backhanded Compliment

Q: Can you give an example of using the Backhanded Compliment card? A: Zion plays a Backhanded Compliment card against his opponents, forcing each opponent to choose one card from their hand to place into their Discard Pile. (The result of this attack is that Zion's opponents will now have only 4 cards in their hand to play on their next turn.) However, Karis has a Security System card in her hand, which protects her from the attack, so she shows this card to Zion and then returns it to her hand. (The other opponents are still affected.) Finally, Zion uses the Happiness value on the Backhanded Compliment card to move his Cat Token 1 space forward on his Happiness Scoreboard.

Q: If my Backhanded Compliment card gets blocked by a Security System, do I still score the Happiness value on the Backhanded Compliment card? A: Yes. When you play a Backhanded Compliment, any opponents with a Security System in their hand do not have to discard a card, but you score 1 Happiness value no matter what!

Bottle of Milk & Milk Dish (Mystery Cards)

Q: How do I redeem these 2 cards for a cat? A: Once you have collected 1 Bottle of Milk and 1 Milk Dish, you can redeem them for a free cat! To do so, just place the 2 cards together on the bottom of the Mystery Deck. Then take the top cat from the Cat Deck and place it directly into your Discard Pile. (If you have multiple bottle/dish pairs, you can redeem each pair for a free cat.) Remember that you can't use a Mystery Card on the same turn you purchased it.

Bridge Club

Q: Can you give an example of how the Bridge Club card works? A: Jackson plays a Bridge Club card, which allows all players (including Jackson) to draw an additional card into their hand from their Draw Piles. (In most cases, players will now have 6 cards in their hands.) Jackson can play his additional card immediately, and his opponents will play their extra cards on their upcoming turns. Because the Bridge Club card also has Coin value, Jackson leaves the card in his play area until he gets to the Shop at the Market step to add to his buying power.

Cat Burglar (Mystery Card)

Q: How does a Cat Burglar card work? A: Steal 1 card from an opponent's hand without looking at the face of their cards. (The opponent may first shuffle the cards in their hand if they want.) The card you steal goes directly into your hand to be played on this turn. After you play the stolen card, it goes into your Discard Pile (it is now yours). The player whose card was stolen may not draw a replacement card.

Q: Can a Cat Burglar card be blocked by a Security System? A: Yes it can since Cat Burglar is an "ATTACK!" card.

Makeover

Q: Can you give an example of how the Makeover card works? A: Elysa decides to use a Makeover card to exchange a Hard Candy card in her hand for a Breakfast Menu card from the Market. To do this, she plays her Makeover card by laying it face-up in her play area. Next, she takes a Hard Candy card from her hand and returns it to the Market by placing it face-up on the Hard Candy card stack. Since the card she returned had a card cost of 1 Coin, she can now gain a new card from the Market that costs up to 4 Coins (3 Coins more than the card she returned). She chooses a Breakfast Menu card, which she places directly into her Discard Pile. She then places her Makeover card into her Discard Pile as well. She cannot use any value on this turn for the Hard Candy card she returned or Breakfast Menu card she gained.

Q: When I play a Makeover card, can I return more than 1 card to the Market? Or can I gain more than 1 card from the Market? A: No. The Makeover card works as a 1-for-1 card exchange. For each Makeover card you play, return 1 card to the Market and gain 1 card from the Market.

Q: When using a Makeover card, can I use the Happiness value, Coin value, or special abilities of either the card I returned or the card I gained? A: No. You may not use the value or ability of either card on this turn.

Q: When I play a Makeover card, can the Makeover card itself be the card I choose to return to the Market? A: No. The only way to return a Makeover card to the Market is to have a second Makeover card in your hand. In that case, play the first Makeover card and choose the second Makeover as the card you return to the Market.

Q: Can I use a Makeover card to return a cat? A: No. (We won't tell them you asked.)

Play BINGO!

Q: How does a Play BINGO! card work? A: Lay it face-up in your play area and choose an opponent to reveal their hand to you.

If they have 1 cat in their hand, add 4 Coins to your buying power for that turn.

If they have 2 cats in their hand, add 6 Coins to your buying power for that turn.

If they have 3 or more cats in their hand, get a FREE CAT!

If they have 0 cats in their hand, place the BINGO card in your Discard Pile (it has no value for this turn).

Q: When I use a Play BINGO! card, does the opponent I choose have to show me their whole hand or just their Cat cards? Do other players get to see their hand as well? A: They must show you their whole hand, but they are not required to reveal their hand to the other players in the game.

Q: If I have more than one Play BINGO! card in my hand, can I play them against the same opponent? Can I play them against different opponents? A: Yes. You can choose the same opponent, or choose a different opponent for each one.

Scary Cucumber (Mystery Card)

Q: Can a Scary Cucumber card be blocked by a Security System? A: Yes it can since Scary Cucumber is an "ATTACK!" card.

Security System

Q: Which cards can a Security System block? A: A Security System card can block all "ATTACK!" cards: Backhanded Compliment, Cat Burglar, and Scary Cucumber.

Q: How does a Security System card work? A: When attacked, reveal the Security System card from your hand to protect your cards from the attack. Once revealed, the Security System goes back into your hand and keeps protecting you as long as it's in your hand. When your turn comes around, playing your Security System card will allow you to draw an additional card for your hand from your Draw Pile.

Q: Does a Security System card block the attack for everyone, or only the player who has the card? A: A Security System card only protects the player who has the card in their hand.

Q: I was still shuffling my deck (or drawing my cards) when an opponent played an "ATTACK!" card. Can I finish drawing my hand to see if I can block the attack? A: Yes. If you do not have a full hand available when you are attacked (perhaps because you're still shuffling your Discard Pile), you may finish drawing your full hand to see if you draw a Security System to block the attack.