Catz Slots
User Review
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Cats is an animal-themed, 30-payline and five-reel slot from London-based developer International Gaming Technology (IGT).
Cats is a high-quality, high-definition slot game that features all the great features of an exceptional slot. The Split feature is particularly very creative and adds a nice, unique touch. The winning combinations also hit pretty regularly so this is a game that won't devour your bankroll. Slots require no skill or strategy – You don’t need to be a pro to hit the jackpot in online slots. A strategy also isn’t a requirement as the outcomes in online slot games are always random. Slots are cheap or free to play – There are no expensive buy-ins with online slots. Players can choose to wager as little as $0.01 up to $100 a game. The slot also features two symbols on a single space (split symbols), which can mean wins of up to 10 symbols in a row. There is a wild symbol (which can also be a split symbol) and also a scatter (which again can be a single or split symbol) which not only offers payouts, but also grants access to the free spins bonus feature.
IGT has been making online slots for nearly 20 years. Today, they are a global supplier and operate across 100 countries.
Their Cats slot comes with customizable paylines, split symbols, and an auto spins feature.
Game manufacturer: | IGT |
Number of paylines: | 30 |
Game theme: | Animals, wild |
RTP: | 94.93% |
Reels: | Five |
Min/Max bet: | $0.01 / $50.00 |
Progressive jackpot: | No |
Regular jackpots: | No |
Maximum standard win: | $10,000 |
Free spins: | 7-10 |
Themes & visuals
Cats is sadly not an officially licensed title based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running Broadway musical, Cats.
However, this slot might not be the feline theme you were expecting. There are no domestic cats to be found here. This slot goes all-out on the wild theme, with such icons as:
- Panthers
- Lions
- Tigers
- Pawprints
- Cheetahs
- Cougars
Standard playing card symbols make up the rest of the icons (jacks, queens, and kings). Unlike in some other titles, they aren’t adapted to the theme at all.
Cats looks decent overall, but it doesn’t have as many animated segments on its main reels as some of its competitor slots. The bonus round features a nice intro animation, however.
The music is a fairly standard, futuristic slot score, but it is done better than many. We’re not convinced it fits well with the big-cat theme, but it’s more than passable for listening.
The sound effects added a nice touch too, with a different growling or roaring sound for each of the big-cat icons.
Betting options & paying combinations
Cats includes 30 paylines and five reels. Bets start at $0.01 per line and go up as high as $10 per line, or $300 a spin on a maximum payline bet.
You can choose to bet on only one line, giving a minimum bet of $0.01. This game is perfect for penny-slots players.
While this is a good bet range, the highest rollers might be disappointed it cuts off at $300 a spin; not at $400 like some other IGT slots.
The top prize available here on a standard bet is the fixed $10,000 when you pull five wilds in one line. While not a small-fry prize, this isn’t as much as you’d get for pulling five wilds on some other titles.
One of Cats’ main draws are the auto spins and line customization features. These two options are always going to be appreciated by more-experienced slots players.
You can tailor the game to the way you like to play it, which opens the game up to those with differing budgets.
Lastly, the return-to-player (RTP) of this slot is 94.93%, which is a respectable rate. However, it is not the best RTP you’ll find in an IGT slot.
What about the jackpots?
Cats does not offer a big-money jackpot. Big split-symbol pulls can offer you relatively high prizes at the maximum bet, but this doesn’t make up for the lack of a designated prize.
Slots need a jackpot to be truly competitive for your attention in today’s market, and Cats is lacking in this score.
Additional features & bonus rounds
Cats features a wide variety of symbols and scatter symbols but only one bonus round. There’s a decent amount of depth here, but it can’t stand up to IGT’s top-tier titles when it comes to their range of extras.
1. Wild symbols
There’s only one wild symbol, which is the Cats logo. It functions as a standard wild symbol, and substitutes for any symbol to make a winning line.
In the case of two symbols fitting the bill to make a win, Cats’ wild symbol takes the higher-paying option.
When the wild symbol replaces one of the big-cat icons, it automatically becomes a split symbol. This means it counts as two symbols when calculating a win.
2. Scatters
Cats offers 12 different scatter icons. Bear with us – it’s not as complicated as it sounds.
Every one of the five big-cat icons has its own split symbol equivalent that depicts two cats instead. These count as two symbols for purposes of a winning line.
That means you can potentially pull ten of the same symbol on one winning line, unlocking the possibility for big wins.
The last scatter symbols are the pawprint and split-pawprint icons. As with the big-cat icons, split pawprints count as two when making a winning line.
Pull four or more anywhere on the reels after one spin to unlock the following:
- Four: 2x the total bet
- Five: bonus round with five free spins
- Six: bonus round with ten free spins
3. Bonus rounds
Pull five or more pawprints to unlock Cats’ solitary bonus round.
This consists of either five or ten free spins on a separate set of reels, which feature the same symbols minus the pawprints and split pawprints.
This means that free spins rounds cannot be extended by pulling more during your run.
Each free spin is played with the same number of paylines and bets per line that you were using when you activated the bonus.
Who is this game ideal for?
The Cats slot should appeal to more advanced players looking to change things up with some different mechanics. The split-symbol system certainly offers that, along with your ability to change bet lines and the auto spin functionality.
However, more serious players may expect a dedicated jackpot and more than one bonus round. A $300 maximum bet is also lower than the $400 limit found of some of IGT’s (and their competitor’s) titles.
Similar games by IGT
Bats And Cats Slots
Prowling Panther and Cat Paws are two similarly feline-themed slots from IGT.
Alternatively, if you’re more of a dog person, Coyote Moon or Wolf Rising might be more suitable to your tastes.
What’s hot?
Unique split-symbols mechanic: It’s always nice to see something different on a slot, and Cats has succeeded admirably on this point. The ability to get up to ten of any symbol on one winning line makes for an attractive prospect.
Custom paylines & auto spins: Cats allows you the option to bet on as little as one central line. Winning lines are clearly displayed, overlaying the reels when pulled. The lines are also displayed when you change the number of them on which you are betting.
This system gives enviable clarity to Cats’ line structure and should be helpful for new and experienced players alike. It is also used by a fair number of IGT’s other slots.
What’s not?
No jackpots: This is a cardinal sin in today’s slots environment. The potential for bigger wins off split symbols doesn’t really make up for it.
Only one bonus round: As much as simplicity is laudable, having only one bonus round won’t offer enough depth for most players. It’s also a fairly simple free spins bonus, with only the split-symbol mechanic distinguishing it from any other slot bonus round.
Final Rating
- Graphics and design – 2/5: Cats runs smoothly and looks decent enough. The split-symbol mechanic also adds a fun extra dimension to the gameplay. On the other hand, the lack of a jackpot and only one bonus round takes away from this title’s appeal.
- Sound effects – 3/5: The music was listenable with some decent added sounds, such as the big cat roars for each symbol. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but certainly as good as most slots– bar the big-money, licensed titles.
- Jackpot value – 0/5: No designated jackpot prizes means Cats was never going to get any other score in this category.
- Replay value – 2/5: No jackpot and a solitary bonus round means it’s hard for us to give this otherwise-enjoyable title a high score.
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You can forget about giving Tiddles a cuddle before dishing out his favourite bowl of cat food when it comes to the Cats slot machine from IGT.
This free to play slot is about the house cats’ larger, wild cousins.
One word of warning, check the volume on your device when you load up the slot game as when the first musical introduction kicks in (completed with a rather fierce cat roar), it can frighten the life out of you.
Here’s how this handsome slot shapes up in more detail.
Overview: Cats Slot
The online Cats slot is IGT’s version for internet-based customers of one of its most popular land-based casino games.
That popularity has been repeated online for this 5×3 reel game. It has up to 30 selectable paylines in operation on each spin.
You can play one, three, five, nine, 15 or 30 paylines per spin, and you can bet from $0.01 per payline up to a maximum of $20.
The game features the usual playing card low symbols with an assortment of wild cats including lions, tigers, panthers and jaguars as the high symbols.
The slot also features two symbols on a single space (split symbols), which can mean wins of up to 10 symbols in a row.
There is a wild symbol (which can also be a split symbol) and also a scatter (which again can be a single or split symbol) which not only offers payouts, but also grants access to the free spins bonus feature.
Who will the Cats slot appeal to?
If you have played some of IGT’s slots that offer the split symbol feature (the Noah’s Ark slot is a perfect example), then you will be completely familiar with the gameplay and also some of the main sound effects in the game.
It seems IGT has taken a popular structure for a slot and simply given it a new theme each time.
That said, Cats slots will appeal to all slot players as it has the ability to offer very good-sized wins in both the base game and especially the free spins round.
The split symbol feature really does add an extra element to the game, and with wilds also being these double symbols too, you can rack up some great wins without ever triggering the free spins.
Gameplay: Cats Slot
One of the nicest aspects of the Cats online slot machine game is that you can really alter the amount of paylines and coin size per payline to suit yourbudget.
This means that there is great flexibility when it comes to your stake on the slot and that all players, from lower stakes players to higher rollers, will find a way to enjoy Cats.
Graphically, the slot isn’t anything particularly special. The playing card lows are generic and the cat symbols on the reels are well-designed, but not the most inspiring.
The sound effects are similar to several other IGT games with simply a few added cat sound effects to give it a fresh touch. Some would argue this is lazy, but others would say if it is a winning format, why change it?
The biggest feature of the game is the split symbols. These effectively mean that the game can offer payouts of up to 10 symbols on a payline, rather than five.
It also means that you can win cash with just two symbols of the same cat next to each other on a payline (provided one is a double).
Add into this the wild and scatter having double symbols too and there’s plenty of potential here for some big base game wins.
This helps the base game race along nicely and wins are generally regular, although base game wins tend to be small.
However, you can hit a decent-sized win from time to time, especially
when a double wild or two lands in the requisite position.
The biggest wins are found in the free spins round, which is triggered with you obtain five or six paw prints across reels two, three, and four. Five will give you the same number of free spins, while six paw prints gives you double that at 10 free spins.
You can re-trigger additional free spins during the free spins bonus round.
Even though Cats is based on a physical game, there’s also a nice balance between standard slot gaming and some additional features, which will keep players interested.
Special features: Cats Slot
Split symbols
The split symbol feature means that as well as single cat symbols on a reel, you can land two cat symbols in a single space.
This means you can have a payline of up to 10 symbols, offering some huge base game wins.
Split wilds and scatters
It is not only the higher value cat symbols that are split symbols; the wild symbols can also be split offering two wilds in one spot.
The scatter symbol (the cat’s paw print) is also a split symbol.
Free spins
Land five paws on the reels to trigger five free spins, or six to trigger 10 free spins. Scatters appear on reels two, three, and four only.
The free spins bonus sees a new colour scheme. Here’s where we see the potential for some big wins heading toward the 10,000-coin jackpot.
What works?
Split symbols and wilds
The split symbols add a huge amount to the base game, especially given that the wild symbols are also split and you will often turn up a win when perhaps you thought the spin was a loser.
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Base game payouts
While most base game payouts are generally small, especially for low symbol wins, the higher symbol wins can offer very rewarding payouts, especially when split symbols and wild symbols are used to increase the value.
Free spins bonus
Free spins is very hit and miss and you stand a much better chance of a big win landing 10 free spins than five, but despite the low value wins, the potential for much bigger wins does exist and can be hit with a little patience.
What doesn’t?
Very similar to other IGT games
It is clear from reviewing a number of IGT games that the developers have clearly reused slot structures. If you are looking for originality and creativity, Cats doesn’t offer that.
However, that is not to say that the slot is bad; it is simply very similar to several other IGT games.
Graphics and sounds uninspiring
There’s nothing inherently bad about the soundtrack and graphics of the slot. They just look and sound a little dated and occasionally corny.
Free spins wins variable
The potential for big wins in free spins is always present, but it can be frustrating to wait a while to trigger free spins, only to end up with a relatively small win.
This is slightly annoying and does happen more often when triggering the lower number of free spins (five) than the larger (10).
The scores
Graphics and soundtrack 2/5
The game is serviceable enough and plays well, but the presentation is a little dated.
But seeing as this is based on the popular land-based slot, it would have been hard for the developers to be completely original here.
Originality and creativity 1/5
Again, seeing as this slot is based on a popular land-based game, then it is hard for the developers to be too original.
Retaining the key features of the slot that made it popular was probably a good idea, but it scores low for originality and creativity.
Play value 3/5
Things are better in terms of play value. Some very generous base game wins, especially thanks to the split symbols feature, do boost your bankroll.
If you can get a generous free spins round on the go, then Cats can reward you generously at times.
Jackpot potential 3/5
A 10,000-coin slot is not to be sneezed at, especially when played at the higher stakes.
Combine this with some nice sized base game wins and the occasional bigger free spins win and you have a decent jackpot potential.
Repeat play 3/5
Yes, Cats may look a little dated and its gameplay and presentation is derivative of other IGT slots, but there’s no denying that what it does, it does well.
Add into this a chance of some decent-sized wins and this is a slot to which you will keep coming back.
Total score 12/25
A lack of presentation and perhaps a few additional features hold Cats back from getting a higher score. That, combined with some poor returns from free spins round, contributes to its lower marks.
However, play the Cats slot when she is purring and pouring out the cash and you can enjoy a lucrative time here.