Finish every consequence
After placing a cat, mark its row, column, region, and every adjacent cell. One missing mark can hide the next certain move.
Watch region intersections
If every remaining cell in a region lies on one row, that region’s cat must occupy the row. You can exclude every other cell in that row.
Compare candidate sets
If two rows are limited to the same two columns, those columns are reserved. This often unlocks a third row without choosing between the pair.
Use contradiction sparingly
On expert boards, assume one candidate holds a cat and follow only certain consequences. If the assumption creates a conflict, you can safely eliminate that candidate. The full replay labels this technique honestly as bounded contradiction.