diff --git a/cat.html b/cat.html
index b3991f3..2f67dc8 100644
--- a/cat.html
+++ b/cat.html
@@ -301,14 +301,19 @@ function isvalidpath(mypath) {
 
 // would adding 'overthing' to our existing path result in a valid path?
 function canextendpath(overthing) {
+	var pathtype;
+
 	if (!overthing) return false;
 
+	pathtype = getpathtype();
+
 	if ( isadjacent(overthing, curpath[curpath.length-1]) && // adjacent to last thing in path?
 	    !pathcontains(overthing) &&  // path doesn't already contain this?
-	    (getpathtype() == "parade" || isinpathdir(overthing)) // path in a straight line
+	    (pathtype == "parade" || isinpathdir(overthing)) // path in a straight line
 			) {
 		// create a fake new path containing this.
 		var fakepath = curpath.slice();
+
 		fakepath.push(overthing);
 		if (isvalidpath(fakepath)) {
 			return true;
@@ -697,9 +702,20 @@ var game = {
 		mylevel = new Object();
 		mylevel.hashelp = hashelp;
 		mylevel.goals = new Array();
+		mylevel.thinglist = new Array();
 		this.levels[lev] = mylevel; 
 	},
 
+	//                  thingtype  pct
+	addlevelthings: function (lev) {
+		var i,idx;
+		for (i = 1 ; i < arguments.length; i += 2) {
+			idx = this.levels[lev].thinglist.push(new Object()) - 1;
+			this.levels[lev].thinglist[idx].type = arguments[i];
+			this.levels[lev].thinglist[idx].pct = arguments[i+1];
+		} 
+	},
+
 	//                             goal1type goal1count  goal2type goal2count etc...
 	addlevelgoals : function (lev) {
 		var i,idx;
@@ -737,9 +753,14 @@ var game = {
 		this.levels = [];
 		this.addlevel(1, true); 
 		this.addlevelgoals(1, "food", 10);
+		this.addlevelthings(1, "cat", 45, "food", 100);
 
 		this.addlevel(2, false); 
 		this.addlevelgoals(2, "points", 200);
+		this.addlevelthings(1, "cat", 45, "food", 100);
+
+		this.addlevel(3, false); 
+		this.addlevelgoals(3, "points", 500);
 
 		/*
 		for (i = 1; i < this.levels.length; i++) {
@@ -764,6 +785,8 @@ var game = {
 		var i;
 		while (!anyvalidmoves()) {
 			var m;
+
+			console.log("populating grid...");
 			clearthings();
 
 			// populate initial things
@@ -1584,14 +1607,50 @@ function shadowtext(ctx, text, size, col, x, y) {
 }
 
 function getrandomtype() {
-	var pct,type;
-	pct = Math.random() * 100;
-	if ( pct < 45) {
-		type = "cat";
-	} else if ( pct < 90) {
-		type = "food";
+	var pct,type = null,i;
+	var thinglist;
+
+	if (curlevel >= game.levels.length) {
+		thinglist = null;
 	} else {
-		type = "llama";
+		thinglist = game.levels[curlevel].thinglist;
+	}
+	if (thinglist == undefined || thinglist.length == 0) {
+		// default thinglist
+		thinglist = [
+			{
+				type:  'cat',
+				pct:  45
+			},
+			{
+				type:  'food',
+				pct:  90
+			},
+			{
+				type:  'llama',
+				pct:  100
+			}
+		];
+	}
+
+	/*
+	console.log("thinglist length is " + thinglist.length);
+	for (i = 0; i < thinglist.length; i++) {
+		console.log("   thing " + i + " is " + thinglist[i].type + " pct "  + thinglist[i].pct);
+	}
+	*/
+
+	pct = Math.random() * 100;
+	for (i = 0; i < thinglist.length; i++) {
+		if (pct <= thinglist[i].pct) {
+			type = thinglist[i].type;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (type == null) {
+		console.log("couldn't find type!  pct is " + pct);
+		type = 'cat';
 	}
 	return type;
 }
diff --git a/todo b/todo
index 2b122a3..497f29a 100644
--- a/todo
+++ b/todo
@@ -29,18 +29,20 @@ phone fixes as per http://www.html5rocks.com/en/mobile/touch/
 
 https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/10/design-your-own-mobile-game/
 
-custom thing chance ratios for each level
-	1:  no llamas
-	2:  no llamas
-	3:  llamas
+*custom thing chance ratios for each level
+*make llamas only start appearing a few levels in
 
-make llamas only start appearing a few levels in
+restrict catparades on level 1 - 
+	cat can only go to cheese!
 
 make help text for llamas come later
-	llamas scaring cats
-	parades can have one llama
+	(keep orig help around for reference)
+	lv1 help:  just how to eat cheese
+	lv2 help:  just how to make cat parades
+	lv3 help:  
+		llamas scaring cats
+		parades can have one llama
 
-make initial help text jsut talk about paraes, no llamas
 
 
 Level selection screen