Non-PRO English to Italian Other

It slowly occurred to me that I had been set up, the cat pressed like a commando against the wall next to the door, and when my guard relaxed he made his move with such perfect timing that it could not be blocked. His reaction to my past attempts appeared to be hard-wired. In other words, he was incorregible.

hard-wired mi fa sempre rimanere con un palmo di naso... e set up? il gatto l'aveva sistemato/raggirato/giocato... non mi viene

grazie!