Components

  • 25 Room cards (5 each of 5 different scenes)
  • 25 Cat cards (5 each of 5 different cats)
  • 1 Bruno the Bulldog card
  • Instructions

Object of the Game

Be the first player to collect four Room cards that are either all the same or all different, by quickly matching Cat cards to the corresponding Room cards.


Setup

  • Separate the deck into piles according to card back.

  • Sort the 25 Room cards (house back) into five face-up stacks (one stack per room) and place them in a row, in the middle of the playing area.

  • Give each player a set of five Cat cards (matching color footprint back). Place any extra sets out of play.

  • Give the Bruno the Bulldog card to whoever was last to pet a cat.

  • Hold your Cat cards in your hand, secret from opponents, and take a moment to notice that each Cat card matches one stack of Room cards by color and design.



Game Play

Pounce is played out over a number of rounds. To start a round, all players secretly choose one Cat card from their hands at the same time and place it face down in front of them.

At this point, the holder of the Bruno the Bulldog card may block one of the Room stacks by placing the card on top of a stack of choice.


Pounce

When all players are ready, they simultaneously shout "Pounce!" and reveal their face down cards. Now everyone races to slap the Room stack that matches their face-up cards.

  • If you were the first (or only) player to slap the matching Room stack, take the top card and place it face up in front of you.

  • In case of a tie, both players receive cards.

  • If Bruno the Bulldog was played on a Room stack, any player that played a matching Cat card to the blocked stack does not receive a card.

  • If you pounced on either the wrong stack or a blocked stack by mistake, you must return a previously won Room card to the correct stack.



Start a New Round

All players collect their Cat cards back into their hands. Whether or not Bruno the Bulldog was played, the card gets passed to the player on the left.

A new round begins exactly as the previous. Note: You may select the same Cat card or choose a different one every round.


End of the Game

Continue playing rounds until one player wins by collecting either four of the same Room cards or four different Room cards.

In case of a tie, reset all of the cards and play again. For a longer game, play through several times (suggested 3 or 5). First player to win a majority wins the game.




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