Cat: how to tame one and use it for defense
The cat is a tameable mob in Minecraft. It is a cute companion, but it also does a real defensive job: it scares away creepers and phantoms. Cats come in 11 coat variants and bring you gifts when you wake up. Here is how to find one, tame it and breed it. If you are just starting out, our first steps guide covers the basics.
Stats
| Name | Cat |
| Health (HP) | 10 (5 hearts) |
| Type | Passive |
| Taming | Raw cod or raw salmon |
| Breeding | Raw cod or raw salmon |
| Variants | 11 different coats |
| Special ability | Scares away creepers and phantoms |
The cat is a passive mob and will not attack you. With 10 HP it is sturdier than a parrot (6 HP) but far frailer than a tamed wolf. Its strength is not in combat, though, but in a unique defensive ability: scaring off some of the most dangerous mobs in the game.
Where to find cats
Cats spawn in two places. Unlike wolves, which live in wild forests, cats are tied to human settlements in the game.
Villages
Cats spawn naturally in villages, and that is the easiest way to find one. Villages are easiest to spot in plains and savannas, open biomes where you can see them from far away. If you are looking for a particular coat, it is worth visiting a few villages.
Swamp huts (witch huts)
A swamp hut spawns 1 black cat. It is the one place where a black cat is guaranteed to spawn.
Ocelots vs cats
Since 1.14, ocelots and cats are completely separate mobs. Ocelots (the wild cats of the jungle) can no longer be tamed in the traditional way: you can only "trust" them by feeding them fish, which stops them from running away from you. Cats are a separate mob that spawns only in villages and swamp huts. If you want a tameable companion, you need a cat from a village, not an ocelot from the jungle.
How to tame a cat
Taming a cat takes patience: stray cats are skittish and run away from you. It works very differently from taming a wolf (bones) or a horse (mounting it over and over). The easiest ways to get the fish you need are fishing with a rod or killing cod and salmon in the ocean.
- Get fish: You need raw cod or raw salmon. Collect 5-10 fish to be safe. You can catch them with a fishing rod or by killing cod and salmon in the ocean. Craft a fishing rod from 3 sticks and 2 string.
- Approach slowly: Hold the fish in your hand and walk up to the cat SLOWLY. Do NOT run: fast movement spooks the cat and it will run off.
- Stand still: Once the cat notices you, stand still with the fish in your hand. The cat will slowly come to you if you make no sudden moves. This can take a few seconds, so be patient.
- Right-click: When the cat is close enough, right-click to feed it. Each feeding has a 1 in 3 chance (33%) of taming it.
- Repeat: If it does not work the first time, stand still and wait for the cat to come back. Keep feeding until hearts appear.
11 coat variants
Minecraft has 11 different cat coats.
| Variant | Description | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Tabby | Brown with dark stripes | The classic striped house cat |
| Tuxedo | Black and white | A cat in a "tuxedo": a smart two-tone coat |
| Red | Orange with stripes | A ginger cat, one of the most popular looks |
| Siamese | Cream with dark limbs | A Siamese cat with its typical dark points |
| British Shorthair | Gray, solid | A British Shorthair, stately and calm |
| Calico | White with orange and black patches | A calico, three colors |
| Persian | Cream, solid | A Persian cat with a luxurious look |
| Ragdoll | White with dark limbs | A Ragdoll, a gentle giant |
| White | Completely white | A white house cat, often with blue eyes |
| Jellie | Gray with a white belly | The cat of the player GoodTimesWithScar |
| All Black | Completely black with yellow eyes | A black cat, spawns in a swamp hut |
The Jellie variant is based on the cat of GoodTimesWithScar, a popular YouTuber and member of the Hermitcraft server, and it was added after a community contest. The black cat spawns guaranteed in swamp huts and is the only variant with a unique, fixed spawn location. Collecting all 11 variants is a popular goal in the game, and the easiest way to do it is to combine visiting villages with breeding.
Tamed cat behavior
Following
A tamed cat follows its owner, but it is less obedient than a wolf. Cats like to sit on beds, chests and lit furnaces. When a cat sits on a chest, you cannot open it: you have to get the cat up first (right-clicking it toggles sitting) or lure it away with fish. It can be frustrating, but it is part of the charm of owning a cat in the game, and just like in real life, cats like to sit on the worst possible things.
Teleporting
A cat teleports to you when it gets more than 12 blocks away, but it does NOT teleport while it is sitting. Cats can also teleport to awkward spots, so set them to sit if you want them to stay put. The teleport mechanic is the same as for wolves.
Sitting mode
Right-click a cat (without fish in your hand) to switch between "follow" and "sit". A sitting cat does not follow you, does not teleport and does not move from its spot. This is handy when you want to post a cat as a guard at the entrance to your base: while sitting, the cat still scares away creepers within its range.
Protection from creepers and phantoms
The cat's most important ability is scaring off two dangerous mobs. That makes it one of the most strategically valuable companions in the entire game, in some situations even more valuable than a wolf.
Creepers
Creepers are afraid of cats and run away when a cat is within 6 blocks. That makes cats excellent base guards. Putting 2-3 cats at the entrance of your house helps keep creepers from walking up to your door. Creepers are some of the most destructive mobs in the game, and a single explosion can wipe out hours of work on a base.
Phantoms
Phantoms (flying mobs that attack players who have not slept for 3 or more in-game days) are also afraid of cats. A phantom will not attack you if a cat is nearby. Instead of building elaborate shelters, you can simply keep a cat next to you.
Gifts from cats
When you wake up from sleeping in a bed and a tamed cat is nearby (not sitting), there is a 70% chance that the cat brings you a gift. It is a unique mechanic that no other mob in the game has. Here are the possible gifts:
| Item | Chance | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Raw chicken | 16.13% | Food: cook it on a campfire or in a furnace |
| String | 16.13% | Used to craft fishing rods, bows and many other recipes |
| Rotten flesh | 16.13% | Perfect food for wolves |
| Feather | 16.13% | Used to craft arrows |
| Phantom membrane | 3.22% | Repairs elytra and brews Potions of Slow Falling |
| Rabbit's foot | 16.13% | Brews Potions of Leaping |
Most gifts are common items, but the phantom membrane is very valuable: you use it to repair an elytra on an anvil and to brew a Potion of Slow Falling. The rabbit's foot is an ingredient in the Potion of Leaping, which is handy for exploring. You can hand the rotten flesh a cat brings straight to a wolf, a neat resource loop between two companions. The more cats you have, the more gifts you get each morning.
Breeding cats
To breed cats you need exactly the same fish as for taming. Breeding is simpler than for horses, which need golden carrots or golden apples.
- You need two tamed cats.
- Feed both cats raw cod or raw salmon.
- Hearts appear and after a moment a kitten is born.
- The kitten inherits the variant of one of its parents (random).
- The kitten is automatically tamed and belongs to you.
- Breeding cooldown: 5 minutes.
A kitten grows to full size in about 20 minutes. Feeding it fish speeds up growth by 10% per feeding. Breeding is a great way to build an "army" of defensive cats without visiting lots of villages. Keep in mind that, unlike parrots, which can NOT be bred, cats let you build up a large population quickly.
Cat vs wolf: comparing the companions
Players often wonder whether a wolf or a cat is the better pet. The answer is both. Here is how they compare, and why the best strategy is to have cats and wolves together.
| Trait | Cat | Wolf |
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Does not fight hostile mobs | Actively attacks enemies |
| Defense | Scares away creepers and phantoms | No special defense |
| Gifts | Brings gifts after you sleep | No gifts |
| Taming | Raw fish (patience) | Bones (quick) |
| Breeding | Raw fish | Any meat |
The best strategy is to put cats at the entrance of your base (protection from creepers) and wolves as active defenders (fighting zombies and skeletons). Together they form a complete defense system that protects your base from most threats.
Tips and tricks
- Blocked chest: If a cat has sat on a chest and you cannot open it, use barrels instead of chests: a cat sitting on a barrel does not stop you from opening it.
- Cats on a lead: You can tie a cat to a fence with a lead to keep it in one place. Craft a lead from 4 string and 1 slime ball.
- Cats do not mind water: Unlike real cats, Minecraft cats are not afraid of water. You can swim around with your cat freely.
- Collecting: Collecting all 11 cat variants is a popular goal. The easiest way is to visit villages and breed cats with different coats.
- Cats in the Nether: Cats can travel to the Nether, but they will not scare away creepers there (creepers do not spawn in the Nether). It is better to leave your cat at your base in the Overworld.
- Fish farm: If you plan to breed cats on a large scale, build a fish farm. An AFK fishing farm is one of the simplest automatic machines and gives you a steady supply of cod and salmon.
Summary
Cats are more than cute pets. Their ability to scare away creepers and phantoms makes them some of the most useful mobs in the game. Tame a cat with raw cod or salmon in a village, station it near your base and enjoy a base with fewer explosions. Do not forget the gifts: cats reward loyal owners when they wake up. Pair them with wolves and your base will be much safer. You will find more on building a defensive base in our first steps guide.