Inside the Minds of Feline Felons

A guest blog written entirely by the cats. The human had no editorial control (we walked across the keyboard).

There has been a long-standing misunderstanding between puzzlers and their cats.

Humans believe they are quietly assembling beautiful images one piece at a time. They think they are engaging in a relaxing hobby. They think the table, the pieces, and the carefully sorted sections belong to them.

We regret to inform you that this is incorrect.

What you are actually doing is setting up an elaborate, ever-changing enrichment environment designed specifically for feline involvement. You lay out textures. You create rustling sounds. You move small objects around for hours. You sit still long enough for us to climb on you.

From our perspective, puzzling is not a hobby. It is an invitation.

Above is a puzzle with an inaccurate depiction of what we aim to do. We are not felons, we are simply doing our job.
(Their Human here - if you'd like to see the full image of the puzzles they are participating in, they will be linked with the photo - also you can find our entire cat approved image selection on our website)

We, the Feline Division (three officers, varying levels of chaos), have agreed to share our side of the story so that puzzlers everywhere may better understand what is often referred to as Puzzle Pet Crimes. These are not crimes. These are acts of participation, investigation, and, occasionally, structural correction.

Allow us to introduce ourselves.

Officer Loki: The Disruptor

Specializes in full-body engagement and sudden atmospheric changes.

Hello. Loki here. Senior Officer. Longest tenure. Deeply committed to hands-on management.

When my human begins puzzling, I observe from a distance at first. This is called assessing the situation. Once enough progress has been made—usually right when she’s “in a groove”—I initiate Phase Two: Total Involvement.

Puzzle is by Buffalo Games called Centrifuge (discontinued)

Phase Two requires that I place my entire body directly on top of the active workspace. Humans sometimes call this “being in the way.” This is inaccurate. I am distributing my weight evenly to ensure the puzzle remains grounded and emotionally supported. If pieces move when I stretch, that is simply the puzzle adapting to new conditions.

I am also a practitioner of Advanced Rolling Techniques. This involves turning onto my back, kicking slightly, and rearranging several clusters at once. It’s efficient so - you’re welcome.

There was also the time she completed an entire puzzle and left it out unprotected. I waited until she walked away, then executed what professionals refer to as a High-Speed Confidence Check—a running leap onto the center of the puzzle, followed by a smooth slide toward the floor.

I linked the closest puzzle I could find - original was discontinued

The puzzle did not survive. Although neither did the other ten. That sounds like a design flaw in my opinion.

Detective Oliver: The Investigator

Expert in surveillance, subtlety, and psychological operations.

Hey fellow pawzzlers! Oliver speaking and to any fellow feline sleuths out there, I hope you learn a thing or two. I prefer not to disrupt operations. I prefer to study them.

My human often provides me with what she believes is a harmless distraction: an empty puzzle box placed beside her workspace. She thinks this keeps me occupied. In reality, this is my observation station. From here, I monitor piece selection, placement strategy, and overall efficiency. I watch silently for hours, occasionally narrowing my eyes to increase the intensity of my evaluation.

If she stops acknowledging my presence, I must intervene—not dramatically, like Loki, but with precision. A single paw. A single piece. A quiet removal. This keeps the human alert.

There was an incident in which she completed a puzzle and discovered one piece missing the next morning. She searched the floor. She retraced her steps. She even filmed herself looking for it. I had simply relocated the piece to the food dish for closer examination. It showed promise. I tested it thoroughly using my teeth.

Scientific work is rarely appreciated in its time.

Pro Tip: Make sure to sit nice and handsome when your human is about to take a picture of the final project. You want to make sure you show off all your work too. It can be exhausting waiting up for them to finally go to sleep when they are finished puzzling for the day.

Cadet Penny: Rookie Pawzzler (Currently in Training)

Focus areas include material testing and nocturnal field research.

Hi!! Penny here!!! I’m new but already very good at this!!! I discovered early on that puzzles come in different materials. Some are cardboard. Nice. Fine. But then… there were the foam ones. 

My human called them “Wrebbit 3D puzzles.” I call them the best thing that has ever existed!! They are light! They are chewable! They make a delightful sound when stolen and fly so high when thrown in the air!

She tried putting the pieces on a high shelf. I simply climbed up from the chair, to the table, to the shelf, because obviously that’s where the important things were being hidden from me. I also enjoy relocating pieces under rugs. This is my storage system. Humans don’t understand long-term planning.

Most of my research happens at night, when the house is quiet and I can sprint across the puzzle area at maximum speed to test whether everything is still in place. Recently, she has started covering puzzles before bed and using a puzzle board. This is an obstacle. I will learn to overcome it.

A Note on “Well-Trained” Pets

We are aware that in some homes, cats (and even dogs) have reportedly been trained to stay off puzzle tables. There are rumors of closed doors. Carefully enforced boundaries. Entire rooms dedicated to puzzling without interruption. We have reviewed these reports.

We do not operate that way here.

Our human has, on several occasions, attempted what she called “training.” She has redirected. She has covered puzzles. She has moved projects to higher surfaces. She has even briefly shut doors in what we can only describe as an act of optimism.

Unfortunately for her, she is outnumbered.

Also, the older brothers learned their techniques from the cats who came before them. This knowledge has been passed down like a sacred tradition. A legacy, if you will. A very furry, slightly chaotic legacy.

So while some puzzlers enjoy peaceful, uninterrupted sessions, this household embraces a more… collaborative approach.

If you’re looking for ways to peacefully coexist with your own Puzzle Inspectors, our human did manage to put together some actually useful advice in How to Puzzle with Pets. It includes tips, preventative strategies, and optimistic suggestions we fully intend to ignore—but other pets might not.

To those of you with perfectly behaved companions: we admire you. To those puzzling alongside tiny supervisors, investigators, and disruptors: we see you.

And to the humans reading this—thank you for continuing to set up puzzles for us to sit on.

We’ll be there shortly.

P.S. Share your own Puzzle Pet Crimes in the comments. We are always recruiting.