I’ve learned a great deal of things – including a way to dry land in the midst of a severe storm – from watching cats. As a household with a multitude of cats in several different shades who happens to work from home, I’ve been put in a position where a lot of what I do involves pitching, coffee and watching cat behavior.

There have been cats present for most of the online bridge games I’ve played. (Kitty kibitzers, perhaps?) They’re more than reassurance or a way to bounce off my thoughts aloud; they’ve also had a lot to do with bridge strategy.

If you don’t have cats but would like to learn the same things (or just see some of the best things on the internet for animal lovers), head to YouTube or find any number of online video streams pointed at cats.

Here are some of the bridge strategy tips I’ve learned from watching cats.

#1: What’s in the Box? 

A fellow journalist once told me that she had a wonderful way to deter cats from running over her keyboard: it only took the introduction of a box next to the computer. Of course, it worked!

Where there’s an empty box to explore, there’s a cat. 

Apparently, this is something that happens to work on larger cats, too.

What I learned from this was taking to things with just the right level of curiosity. (And, to make sure I’m as comfortable as a cat-in-a-box before approaching an online bridge game).

#2: Approach New Cats with Caution

Whenever two new cats meet for the first time, there’s a display of puffy tails and majestic fur; then, you’ll see a dance with a hiss or two – until usually, they decide whether or not they’ll get along from here.

Cats who are the best of friends today all started with this strange, cautionary dance beforehand.

Approach new bridge partners and opponents in the same way.

Look, watch, circle, think: Then move from there.

#3: Look Before Leaping

Cats are as careful of new objects as they are of other cats. Whenever a cat sees something new, they’ll usually walk up to it and test the waters first. 

Very few cats will simply leap without looking. First, they test the solidity of the surface with a paw press; do they trust it enough to put more weight on their next move? 

In bridge moves, I approach every card played with the same type of caution. 

Don’t just jump. Know what you’re jumping to.

#4: Patience, Patience and Patience…

Cats are eternally patient. Sometimes, they might even seem like they have absolutely nothing else in the world to do (or to worry about) – and this can last for a few minutes to a few hours.

For any card game, you have to apply patience; sometimes, while waiting for the game to start, other times, to wait until the right time for a specific move.

Patience is an asset for anyone who learns how and when to apply it.

#5: Practicing Often

I’ve watched many kittens grow into bigger cats. In all of these instances, I’ve watched them start with “play-fighting” amongst each other – or inventing little “games” that involve the back-and-forth of a leaf, a pebble or a bottle-cap. (No, I’m not always sure where the objects in question go from there, or where they came from.) 

What does this mean to bridge? 

Cats practice. They practice their reflexes and skills almost all the time.

Wonder why cats have such great reflexes? They work at it. Just like bridge players should be working on their game.

#6: Some Partnerships Don’t Work

Tom & Jerry references aside, some pet partnerships just don’t work – and some cats just don’t like to be in the same room together for too long, no matter how hard you might try. 

The same can be true for bridge partnerships. Not all of them work out. 

If you’re not feeling the right vibe in your current bridge partnership, then the problem might be as simple as the wrong partnering. Continue playing, but switch around your partners until you’ve found the right match.