Cats are one of Mankind's oldest companions. Countless players have cats of their own at home, too. It makes sense, then, that you'd want to tame your own cat in your favorite Minecraft world.
But taming a cat isn't the same as with other mobs. They require a careful, considerate touch. And that's assuming you even know where to look. So, sit tight while we tell you everything you need to know about taming a cat in Minecraft.
Where To Find A Cat
Cats are unique in that they're the only animal mob that doesn't spawn in the "wild." They only spawn in one of two structures: villages or swamp huts.
Swamp huts, found in swamp biomes, often contain a single witch mob, along with some minor loot. They're somewhat uncommon, but will always host a black cat nearby.
Generally, villages are the best way to find stray cats. Relatively common, and large enough that you can usually find up to 5 cats wandering nearby, they also provide an excellent place or rest in your travels.
As long as the village has at least five claimed beds (so there are at least five villager mobs using them), there's a chance for a cat to spawn nearby once every 60 seconds. So, even if you don't see one immediately, you just need to wait it out.
How To Tame A Cat
Cats will do everything they can to avoid you, even sprinting away if you get too close. To lure them closer, hold a raw cod or salmon in your hand, get within ten blocks of distance, and then wait. Soon after, they will slowly get closer.
Once close enough, feed the fish to the cat. Each fish has about a 33% chance of taming the cat, so we ideally recommend having around eighteen of them on hand when making the attempt.
Once tamed, they will behave similar to wolves, that is they will follow the player unless instructed to sit and can be healed by feeding. Instead of fighting mobs, they will passively scare off creepers and phantoms when nearby.
Minecraft Mods that Keep Cats Interesting
Cats are cute and fun to have around, but they don't do much once you have them. Whether you're a full-on cat lover or just a casual fan of pets, these cat-themed Minecraft mods will add a bit more depth and life into these charming feline mobs.
Cat Jammies
No, not pajamas. The Cat Jammies mod adds in a new interaction between cats and music boxes.
When you play music from a music box, any nearby cats will begin bobbing their heads to the music, jamming out. It’s a small but charming change that gives even more reason to tame a cat.
Simply Cats
For a more engaging experience that draws inspiration from real life, Simply Cats is the mod to go to. Instead of the traditional taming method, you can adopt cats and dogs from a new shelter worker type of villager.
You’ll need a pet carrier to keep your new pet from running off, and if they’re adopted from inside the shelter, they’ll be spayed/neutered, disabling breeding. It emulates the real-world adoption process wonderfully, lending some whimsy and uniqueness to the experience of getting a cat.
Cat Burger
Possibly the cutest cat-themed quality-of-life mod available, Cat Burger introduces a new craftable item that simplifies the hunger system. Crafted from bread, beef, and Totems of Undying, this equippable ally will float nearby.
While equipped, it’ll slowly replenish your hunger bar. Should you take lethal damage, it will also trigger the same revival effect of the Totem of Undying, while also maxing out your hunger and saturation bars.
How to Install Minecraft Mods
You can install the above mods automatically using the CurseForge app or manually by placing the mod files within your game’s mods folder. Both methods allow you to easily add custom features and enhancements into your vanilla Minecraft experience.If you want to learn more, you can read our detailed guide on how to install Minecraft mods.
Common Issues and Quick Fixes
I can't seem to tame an ocelot
While ocelots used to be the only way to get a pet cat, this changed in update 1.14, when cat mobs were introduced as their own unique mob.
For version 1.14 and newer, you cannot tame an ocelot into a cat. Ocelots can still be fed raw cod or raw salmon to gain their trust, but they will remain ocelots and not be tied to the player.
A stray cat runs away when I try to tame it
Unlike most mobs, cats are very shy about being approached. Even while holding a raw fish, a stray cat might run away scared if you move or turn your camera too quickly.
To avoid spooking the skittish animal, stay as still as possible while holding raw cod or salmon. Let the cat approach until you can feed them the fish.
The stray cat won't accept my fish
Cats specifically only accept raw salmon or cod. The cooked versions, as well as tropical fish, won't work.
Most villages are near lakes or rivers. Fishing from them will quickly result in the right kind of fish.