How to Breed Cats in Minecraft (Raw Fish + 11 Cat Varieties Guide)
Short answer: to breed cats in Minecraft, feed two tamed cats raw cod or raw salmon. Both adults need to eat one raw fish to enter love mode (pink hearts appear), producing a kitten within a few seconds. Wild cats (Stray Cats from villages, Black Cats from witch huts) can't be bred — you must tame them first using the same raw fish. Once tamed, cats can be bred indefinitely and the kitten randomly inherits one parent's color from the 11 possible cat skin variants.
Cats are the second of Minecraft's two pet mob options (alongside wolves — see our wolf taming guide). They're easier to find than wolves (villages always have stray cats) but harder to tame. Tamed cats prevent Creeper and Phantom spawns nearby, sleep on beds with you, sometimes bring you gifts in the morning, and look great as base decoration. This guide covers the full taming-then-breeding workflow, all 11 cat colors, and the unique gift mechanic.
Quick Answer Table
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What do cats eat? | Raw Cod or Raw Salmon (both work for taming and breeding) |
| How to tame a wild cat? | Right-click with raw fish (each fish has ~33% tame chance) |
| How to breed tamed cats? | Feed both adults one raw fish each — hearts appear |
| Kitten growth time? | 20 minutes (one Minecraft day) |
| Where to find wild cats? | Villages (Stray Cats — random color) and Witch Huts (Black Cats only) |
| Cat color variants | 11 colors: Tabby, Black, Red, Siamese, British Shorthair, Calico, Persian, Ragdoll, White, Jellie, All Black |
| What do they prevent? | Creepers and Phantoms won't approach within 16 blocks of a tamed cat |
| Gift mechanic? | Yes — tamed cats sometimes leave gifts when you sleep nearby |
Where to Find Wild Cats
Wild cats spawn in two places:
Stray Cats (Villages)
Every village has 1 stray cat per 4 villagers (up to 10 cats max). They wander around the village and look like any of the 10 non-black color variants. Approach a village — you'll see them scattered.
Black Cats (Witch Huts)
Witch Huts (the small dark cottages in swamps) always have 1 Black Cat nearby. This is the only place Black Cats spawn naturally.
If you want a specific color, you'll need to tame from a village (random color) or hunt down witch huts for the black variant.
How to Tame a Cat
Step 1: Get raw fish
Either Raw Cod or Raw Salmon — both work. Fish for them in any ocean or river using a fishing rod (1 stick + 2 string + 1 string in a Z-pattern). Catch 10-15 raw fish for safety.
Step 2: Approach the cat carefully
Cats are skittish. They run away when you approach normally. Use these techniques:
- Sneak (hold Shift) — cats don't flee from sneaking players
- Approach slowly — quick movements scare them
- Don't make eye contact — look slightly to the side
Step 3: Right-click with raw fish
While sneaking and holding raw fish, right-click the cat. The fish is consumed. Each fish has approximately a 33% chance to tame. Keep feeding until pink hearts appear.
Average tames: 3-7 fish per cat. Plan for 10 fish minimum.
Step 4: Once tamed
The cat gets a red collar (dyeable to any of 16 colors). It will:
- Follow you within 10 blocks
- Sit when you right-click (right-click again to stand)
- Sleep on your bed (sometimes between your legs)
- Sometimes bring you gifts when you sleep nearby
- Prevent Creeper and Phantom spawns within 16 blocks
The 11 Cat Color Variants
| Variant | Spawn Source | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Tabby | Village | Orange and white striped |
| Black | Witch Hut only | Pure black |
| Red | Village | Solid orange |
| Siamese | Village | Cream and brown points |
| British Shorthair | Village | Gray with white markings |
| Calico | Village | Multi-color patches |
| Persian | Village | White and fluffy |
| Ragdoll | Village | White with darker face |
| White | Village | Pure white |
| Jellie | Village | Gray with dark stripes |
| All Black | Village | Pure black variant (rare) |
To get a specific color, you may need to visit multiple villages (since each village's cats are randomly assigned). You can breed two cats of different colors — the kitten randomly inherits one parent's variant.
How to Breed Tamed Cats
- Bring 2 tamed cats close together (~3 blocks)
- Hold a Raw Cod or Raw Salmon in your hand
- Right-click the first cat → it enters love mode (hearts)
- Right-click the second cat → also love mode
- A kitten spawns between them
- Kitten grows in 20 minutes (real-time)
- Kitten color is randomly inherited from one parent
Creeper Repellent (Why Cats Are Awesome)
Here's the killer feature: tamed cats prevent Creepers from approaching within 16 blocks. Creepers run AWAY from tamed cats. If you keep a few cats around your base, you'll never have creeper damage to your base again.
Same effect for Phantoms — they avoid areas with tamed cats. So cats also prevent Phantom attacks (the flying things that spawn at night if you haven't slept).
This makes cats arguably more useful than dogs for base defense in some scenarios. Wolves attack mobs; cats prevent them from coming close in the first place.
The Gift Mechanic
When you sleep in a bed with a tamed cat nearby (within ~16 blocks), there's a 70% chance the cat brings you a gift the next morning. The gift appears as an item on the bed next to you.
Possible gifts:
- Rabbit foot
- Rabbit hide
- Phantom membrane
- Raw chicken
- String
- Rotten flesh
- Feather
Most gifts are minor utility items, but the rabbit foot and phantom membrane are valuable for brewing potions. Over many nights, a sleeping-cat-fan accumulates plenty.
Common Questions
Can wild cats be tamed and bred?
Wild cats CAN be tamed (with raw fish, ~33% per attempt). Once tamed, they can be bred just like any other tamed cat.
Why won't my cat follow me?
Tamed cats sometimes get lazy. Make sure: (1) the cat is tamed (red collar), (2) it's standing (not sitting — right-click to toggle), (3) you're within 10 blocks. If still won't follow, walk in front of it and stand still.
Can cats fight mobs like wolves do?
No. Cats don't attack any mobs. They prevent Creeper/Phantom spawning, but they don't engage in combat. Unlike wolves, cats are defensive deterrents only.
Why do cats sit on chests and furnaces?
Random behavior. Tamed cats sometimes choose to sit on player-placed blocks (especially chests). It's a known quirky behavior — they may block you from accessing the chest. Push them off or right-click them to stand them up first.
Do cats despawn?
Tamed cats never despawn. Wild stray cats can despawn if no player is nearby.
Can I have multiple cats?
Yes. There's no limit. Many players keep 3-5 cats around their base.
What's the difference between Stray Cat and Ocelot?
Cats and Ocelots are separate mobs. Ocelots are wild jungle mobs that can't be tamed (you just feed them raw fish to make them trust you). Cats are the village/witch-hut variant that CAN be tamed and bred. Both are housecat-style mobs.
Putting It All Together
The workflow for a cat colony:
- Fish for 15-20 Raw Cod or Raw Salmon
- Travel to a village. Find stray cats wandering around
- Sneak close (hold Shift), right-click each with raw fish until tamed
- OR find a witch hut in a swamp for a Black Cat
- Walk home with tamed cats following (they auto-follow within 10 blocks)
- Once at base, breed pairs with raw fish to create kittens
- Keep 3-5 tamed cats around your base for full Creeper/Phantom protection
- Sleep with cats nearby for daily gifts
For more Minecraft mob taming and feeding guides, see our companion posts: How to Tame a Wolf, What Do Foxes Eat, What Do Armadillos Eat, What Do Axolotls Eat, What Do Parrots Eat, What Do Cows Eat, and What Do Bees Eat.
If you're building a circular cat pavilion in your base for your cat colony, our Minecraft circle generator blueprints the perfect circular kitty lounge. And if you want your tamed cats safe on a multiplayer server with friends, see our best Minecraft server hosting comparison.
That's everything you need to know about cats in Minecraft. Raw fish, sneaking, tamed colors, Creeper-free base. Happy taming!