Who goes first?
From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Cat in the Box?

Pegasus Spiele German rules for 2–5 players, English summary

Whoever most recently encountered a black cat goes first.

Read the publisher’s rulebook

Rule details

That player takes the round-start card and leads the first trick. The round-start card passes clockwise for subsequent rounds.

The two-player changes leave the starting criterion unchanged.

If there’s a tie

The cited starting-player instruction does not specify a tie-break. We don’t infer one.

Source & edition

  • Cat in the Box — Pegasus Spiele rulesPegasus Spiele · Vorbereitung, step 5; Ein Stich; Vorbereitungsphase der nächsten Runde; Regeländerungen für 2 Personen; PDF pages 3, 5, 10 · Checked 2026-09-23

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