Cat Runner is an endless runner set in a cityscape environment. A young, blue-eyed, black-and-white cat is trying to escape a worker in a cap and uniform. The player's mission is to help the cat run through the busy streets, rooftops and other areas of the city and collect coins, gems and powerups without hitting anything or allowing the worker to catch them.
The player can pick one of the cat's friends to make the run, including another cat, a rabbit and a panda. They help the character run left and right, jump over short barriers and gaps and slide under signs and other objects. They also have the ability to use a hoverboard to prevent crashes. That said, if the character does crash, there's no penalty other than returning to the start of the run.
Every day, the player receives gifts that include coins and gemstones. They're also challenged to complete tasks, such as collecting 500 coins, scoring 1000 points during a single run and picking up two powerups, to earn points toward a 2X score multiplier. They can use the money to then upgrade clothing, characters, hoverboards and powerups.
