Cats Slot Machine - Play Cats Slot Free

Introduction

Cats is a great all-rounder apart from anything else, and it caters to those who love simple gameplay, while also appealing to gamers who need lots of special features to keep them interested.

Of course, the top prizes involved in the game are seriously impressive too, and while Cats doesn't have a progressive jackpot, it does offer some great winning potential to those lucky enough to hit the top combos.

The History of Cats Slot

Cats started life like so many other hugely successful online slots did - as a staple of land-based casinos. Originally launched into US casinos, it was an instant hit and soon became a favorite of American gamblers, due to its attractive design, fun gameplay and huge winning potential.

Like many other popular casino slots, it was turned into an online slots game to allow fans to play from the comfort of their own homes. The online version has all the exciting features and thrilling gameplay of the original, and, even better, as it's online, you can try it at many sites for free, to see whether it's for you or not.

Cats Layout

This slots game has a fairly standard layout, and is a five-reel game. There are three active symbols per reel, meaning 15 symbols are visible at any given time. The background of the game is a stunning picture of the African savanna at, presumably, sunset.

The symbols are set against a plain black background, which really helps them stand out. There are a total of 30 paylines in the game and these are clearly indicated by the colored tabs on either side of the gaming screen. Unlike lots of other slots, you can't view the paylines by clicking on these tabs, however.

If you want to see the paylines clearly highlighted, you will need to change the number of active paylines by using the paylines buttons at the bottom left of the screen. This lights up all the payline patterns in bright colors, making them easy to see.

The game controls are at the bottom of the screen and the help button can be located on the bottom right of the playing area.

Double Symbols

One of the most exciting features of Cats is the innovative split symbols. While some other online slots do feature split symbols, Cats was one of the earliest and remains one of the best-known for this feature.

You will notice as you spin the reels that some of the big cat symbols appear slightly different. Instead of having a picture of a single tiger, lion, panther etc, they have two identical big cats, one in front of the other.

These symbols can really help you rack up big wins, so keep an eye out for them and hope that you see a lot of them! Whenever you see one of these split symbols, it counts as two symbols, not just one.

This means you only need a minimum of two matching symbols on an active payline to scoop a win. For example, if the first reel shows a black panther (regular symbol) and the second reel shows a split black panther symbol, and both of these symbols are on an active payline, you will scoop the relevant prize for three black panthers, despite only actually landing two matching symbols on an active payline.

Of course, when you begin to realize the possibilities this feature presents, things become even more exciting. If you take a look at the game's paytable, you will notice that payouts for the big cat symbols start at three symbols and go all the way up to 10.

How can this be possible if there are only five reels? Easy - because you can land split symbols on all five reels! While this might not happen very often, it is certainly possible and should keep the game extra exciting for you.

There are huge prizes possible if you land multiple matching big cat symbols across all the reels. For example, while three black panther symbols on an active payline scoops you 10 coins, landing 10 across the paylines will net you a cool 2,500 coins.

Payouts

As already mentioned, the biggest payouts come as a result of combos involving multiple split symbols. The lowest prize in the game is provided by the Jack, Queen and King - three of each of these will land you five coins.

All three of these lowest paying symbols have the same payouts. You can win a maximum of 100 coins if you're lucky enough to land five matching Jacks, Queens or Kings across an active payline. The Ace pays out slightly higher: 8, 20 or 200 coins for 3, 4 or 5 symbols respectively.

Next come the big cats. The cheetah, leopard and tiger are the lowest paying of the big animals, and will land you 10 coins if you hit three matching symbols on an active line.

These symbols all pay out identically. You can, however, win up to 1,000 coins if you're lucky enough to land 10 cheetahs, leopards or tigers across the five reels on an active line. Of course, to achieve this, you would need to have five split symbol cheetahs, leopards or tigers.

The next highest paying symbol is the stunning lion, although it again has a top payout of 1,000 coins. The top paying big cat symbol is the mighty black panther, which pays out 10 coins for 3 symbols, 30 coins for 4 symbols, and on and on until you get to a whopping 2,500 coins for 10 panthers across all five reels.

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Max-win 10,000x

Volatility Medium

Top RTP 94.93%

Bonuses

As explained above, the free spins feature is triggered when you land five or more paw print symbols across the reels. These special scatter symbols do not need to appear on adjacent reels or along any active paylines or in any particular position.

They can appear anywhere on the reels and you will be rewarded with a prize, providing you have four or more showing on the reels. To trigger five free spins, you will need to land five paw prints anywhere across the reels.

The symbols can be any combination of standard or split symbol scatters, as the split symbols are worth two regular symbols.

If you trigger the free spins feature, the sound effects will soon let you know something exciting is happening, as will the roar of the big cats featured in the game.

You'll be taken to another screen that looks slightly different to the base game, but the symbols are, in fact, all the same. The payouts are the same in the free game session as in the base game.

You can hit the spin button if you want to hurry things along, or you can let the game run automatically if you want to sit back and enjoy the excitement for as long as possible.

Overall Review

While some players might like more special features in a slots game, the split symbol feature effectively doubles the number of potential symbols with every spin, meaning Cats is capable of delivering huge payouts from time to time. It's also a highly enjoyable game with a retro feel that is easy to pick up, and it will appeal to seasoned and novice gamers.

Which other IGT games are worth a look?

This firm is one of the world's biggest and best-loved game developers, so you're sure to find all kinds of games you love in the back catalog. There are no other games exactly like Cats, but if you enjoy quality design and exciting gameplay, here are a few of the company's most popular online slots:

Cleopatra Mega Jackpots

From the moment you launch this game, it's clear it's a big deal. From the dramatic Egyptian movie-score music to the intricate and brightly colored symbols, this game is a feast for the senses from the very start. One of the Mega Jackpots series of games - there are several, all offering genuinely life-changing sums of money as their top prizes.

Cleopatra offers huge prize-winning potential even if you don't come close to landing the jackpot. There are three different ways in which you can scoop the game's top prize. As it's a progressive, the total amount changes every day, but it's frequently in the millions and tends to be won every few months.

In order to land the world famous jackpot, you will need to do one of the following:

First way: you need to land five Mega Jackpots symbols along the center payline, with any bet size and in the base game. This can happen on any spin at any time.
Second way: you need to land five Mega Jackpots symbols along the center payline during any one of your free spins during the free spins feature. Again, this can happen during any spin at any time.
Third way: you can receive a second chance, behind-the-scenes drawing after a game. This feature is triggered at random and can happen at any bet level, although your odds of winning this feature do increase if you are betting larger amounts.

Siberian Storm Dual Play

This exciting slots game is a sequel to the much-loved Siberian Storm and sticks with the big cat theme of Cats. Admirers of big cats will surely love this thrilling and innovate game.

Upon launching Siberian Storm Dual Play, you will immediately notice that there are two sets of reels rather than just one. One set of reels sits on top of the other, and both share one single center reel with an incredible 10 symbols. Players can choose whether to bet on one set, or both sets of reels, with each spin. It's fun to switch between both options and see which you prefer if you're new to the game.

However, as the big selling point of the game is the special dual reels, you really should try at least a few spins with both sets of reels activated. If you do decide to play with both sets, you will enjoy an incredible 2,880 ways to win, which, as you'll realize, is a mammoth number for a slots game by any developer.

To get started, all you need to do is select your bet size, choose how you would like to play, and hit the spin button to start the reels. Wilds can appear in Siberian Storm Dual Play just like they do in the original version of the game.

If you choose to play with both reel sets, you could wind up with an incredible 10 wilds on the special center reel, as it's made up part of both sets.

If you're a fan of this firm’s innovative and exciting Multiway Xtra feature, you'll be delighted to discover that this feature also makes its way into Siberian Storm Dual Play. It's possible to build winning combinations left to right as usual, but also from right to left and even right in the middle of reels. All you need is to land three or more identical symbols on an active payline.

As if all that wasn't enough, you'll also be able to land free spins in this exciting game. These are triggered - whether you play one or two sets of reels - whenever you land five or more scatters in any position across the reels. Even better, the free spins feature can be retriggered, making it possible to build up some truly impressive prizes.

About IGT

IGT stands for International Gaming Technology, and the mega brand is simply one of the most successful names in the online casino business. The company originally started out back in 1975, so is also one of the oldest names in the gaming industry.

The firm was founded by a man named William Redd and was at first called A-1 Supply. A few years after it was founded, it changed its name to Sircoma. Fast-forward a few more years to 1981, and it moved closer to its current name, rebranding once more as International Gaming Technology.

International Gaming Technology enjoyed huge success early on, thanks to its innovative video poker machines, which were a hit with casino goers. The firm went public in 1981 and the board soon purchased other gaming and technology brands to strengthen the company's market share.

International Gaming Technology quickly became a market leader with its inventive rewards systems for players. Today, the company is credited by many casino industry insiders and experts as revolutionising the casino gaming industry over the years.

Many of the firm's earlier innovations and strategies are still widespread within online and land-based casinos all over the globe.

In 1998, International Gaming Technology made two important acquisitions, buying Sodak Gaming and Barcrest Gaming. Barcrest in particular is very well known in the online gaming industry today, and produces the incredibly successful Rainbow Riches series of slots.

These are some of the most played online games and they are available at countless casinos all over the world. Acquiring two such successful firms opened up yet more markets to the company and the firm continued to grow, buying out Acres Gaming in 2003.

IGT then moved into the large Canadian market, establishing IGT Canada in the process to smooth its entry into the country.

The year of 2005 saw the company's 25th anniversary, and the firm continued to acquire rivals and other gaming companies as it moved into more new markets. Russia and Mexico were soon added to the list of countries the company was present in.

In 2009, a new president was appointed in the form of Patty S Hart, and IGT released the brand new sbX tier one package.

In an industry as competitive as online gaming, the company has gone from strength to strength and has outlived - and certainly out-performed - many of its competitors.

The firm celebrated a significant milestone in 2010 when it manufactured its two millionth machine. In recent years, it has continued to be a big hitter in both land-based casino and online gaming, and it was part of a huge merger in 2014, when it was acquired by Italian giant, Gtech.

Gtech paid $6.4 billion, and IGT kept the name it has made so famous all over the world.

Disclaimer: Cats trademark / license is owned by IGT. This site is not endorsed by IGT.