Copy Cats is a cat-themed slot from NetEnt, released in May 2017. It runs on a 5-reel, 3-row grid with 25 paylines and is available on desktop only. The central mechanic is a copycat feature where a full stack of matching cat symbols on reel 1 transforms all cats across the remaining reels into copies of that same type. With a 96.76% RTP, low-medium volatility of 3.9 out of 10, a 30% hit frequency, and a maximum payout of 300x your stake, this is a game built around frequent feature triggers rather than big single-hit wins.
The visual design leans into a cartoon cat aesthetic. Four distinct cat characters, each in a different colour, serve as the key symbols. Red, pink, blue, and golden cats populate the reels alongside lower-value card symbols. The golden cat doubles as the wild symbol, substituting for everything except the bonus scatter. The art style is clean and playful, with each cat having its own personality and animated reactions when part of a winning combination.
The Copy Cats Feature
This is the defining mechanic and it triggers more often than you might expect. When any of the four cat types lands as a full stack on reel 1, filling all three positions, the Copy Cats feature activates. Every cat symbol that has landed on reels 2 through 5 transforms into a copy of whichever cat is stacked on reel 1. Non-cat symbols on those reels remain unchanged.
The practical effect is significant. If you have a full stack of red cats on reel 1 and, say, six other cat symbols scattered across the remaining reels, all six become red cats. That creates clusters of matching symbols across the grid that would be impossible under normal conditions. The more cat symbols that happen to land on reels 2 to 5 when the feature triggers, the more copies are created and the more paylines connect.
The golden cat, which serves as the wild, can also trigger the feature. A full stack of golden wilds on reel 1 activates Copy Cats and turns every other cat on the grid into a wild symbol. This is the highest-value version of the feature, as wilds substitute for all paying symbols and create the maximum number of winning combinations.
Free Spins
Three bonus scatter symbols landing on reels 1, 3, and 5 activate 10 free spins. The scatter placement is fixed to those odd-numbered reels, so you need all three specific positions to trigger the round. Additional free spins can be awarded during the feature if three more scatters land on the same reels.
The free spins round changes the Copy Cats mechanic in one important way. During the feature, every cat symbol that lands on reel 1 is automatically wild, regardless of which cat type it is. This means any full stack of cats on reel 1 triggers the Copy Cats feature and converts all other cats on the grid into wilds. You no longer need the specific golden cat to get the wild conversion. Every cat stack on reel 1 produces the same high-value wild transformation.
This upgrade makes the free spins round considerably more potent than the base game. In the main game, only a stacked golden cat creates wild copies. In free spins, all four cat types produce the same result. The frequency of wild-generating Copy Cats triggers roughly quadruples, since any of the four cats can now do what only one could do before.
Payline Structure and Bet Range
Twenty-five fixed paylines across the 5x3 grid. The bet range runs from 0.25 to 125 per spin, with the minimum reflecting a penny per payline. All paylines are always active, so every spin covers the full 25 lines.
The paytable is weighted toward the Copy Cats feature rather than individual symbol values. Five of a kind payouts for the cat symbols are moderate on their own, but the feature's ability to flood the grid with matching cats means multi-line wins are common when it triggers. The golden wild naturally pays the highest individual rates.
RTP, Volatility and Session Character
The 96.76% RTP is solid and sits above the NetEnt catalogue average. Volatility at 3.9 out of 10 confirms this is a low-medium variance game, and the 30% hit frequency backs that up. Roughly three in every ten spins return something.
The 300x maximum payout is low by modern standards, and this shapes how sessions play out. Copy Cats is not a game where you sit through long dry stretches waiting for a single massive hit. Instead, the base game Copy Cats feature fires regularly, producing clusters of small to medium wins. The free spins round with its universal wild conversion offers the best earning potential, but even that is capped at a modest ceiling.
Sessions tend to be steady. The high hit rate and low volatility mean your balance fluctuates gently rather than swinging dramatically. The Copy Cats feature provides visual excitement and multi-line wins often enough to maintain momentum. For players who prefer consistent activity over high-risk chasing, this is a well-constructed low-variance option from NetEnt's 2017 catalogue. The desktop-only limitation is worth noting, as this is one of the older titles that was not rebuilt for mobile play.
