Cat-and-mouse and Cat and mouse

Cat and mouse and cat-and-mouse are semantically related In some cases you can replace phrase "Cat and mouse" with "Cat-and-mouse", this phrases are similar.

Cat and mouse noun - A game for children in which the players form a circle and join hands; they raise their hands to let a player inside the circle or lower their hands to bar a second player who is chasing the first.

Cat-and-mouse and cat and mouse are semantically related in watchful waiting topic. You can use "Cat-and-mouse" instead a noun phrase "Cat and mouse".