1. Also called cat and rat . a children's game in which players in a circle keep a player from moving into or out of the circle and permit a second player to move into or out of the circle to escape the pursuing first player.
2. Western U.S. tick-tack-toe (def. 1).
3. play cat and mouse , to engage in a gamelike relationship in which evasion and pursuit are used: They played cat and mouse for a while before she consented to go out with him.
4. play cat and mouse with ,
a. to toy or trifle with.
b. to use strategy on one's opponent, esp. while waiting to strike: The detective played cat and mouse with the suspect.
[ 1910-15 ]