Start with region pressure
Look for colored regions with the fewest open cells. If every possible cell in a region sits in the same row or column, that line can often be cleared elsewhere.
Use X marks aggressively
Mark cells that cannot hold a cat. Good X marks make forced moves visible: a row, column, or region with one remaining legal cell must take the cat there.
Apply the no-touch rule after every placement
After placing a cat, mark all adjacent cells, including diagonals. Then clear the rest of that row, column, and colored region.
Check the board in loops
Move through regions, rows, columns, and adjacency. A deduction in one group often creates a new forced move in another group.
Practice path
Start with 5x5 puzzle #1, then browse the puzzle archive for larger boards.
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