Treats & Tails

Rules overview

Treats & Tails

A solo card game of cozy cat adoptions

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

1. Place the 4 Cat cards face-up in a row.
2. 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.
3. Shuffle the Adoption Deck. Draw 4 cards into your hand.
4. 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

1. Burn the top Visitor from the Visitor Deck.
2. Wake all Cats (turn them face-up).
3. Shuffle the Adoption Discard back into the Adoption Deck.
4. 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: asleep 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 → 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 → failure.
• Reveal Treat (10) and discard. Deal new Treat under Cat, turn Cat asleep.
• Visitor → Visitor Discard.