Quick answer: To tame a cat in Minecraft, find a stray cat (they spawn in villages and swamp huts), hold raw cod or raw salmon, and slowly approach without moving too fast. Feed it fish until hearts appear above its head — now it’s yours. Tamed cats follow you, can be told to sit, and scare off creepers and phantoms.
Cats are one of the most useful pets in Minecraft — a tamed cat parked near your bed keeps creepers and phantoms at a distance, and it’ll even bring you gifts. Here’s how to tame one.
Where to Find Cats
- Villages — stray cats spawn in villages (the number scales with how many beds the village has). Most cats you tame will come from here.
- Swamp huts — witch huts always have a black cat nearby, the only place black cats spawn naturally.
How to Tame a Cat
- Get raw cod or raw salmon. These are the only foods that tame cats — catch them by fishing or kill cod/salmon in the water.
- Approach slowly. Cats are skittish and will run if you move too fast or get too close too quickly. Walk toward one gently.
- Hold the fish and feed it. With raw cod or salmon in hand, use it on the cat. Repeat until hearts pop up — that means it’s tamed and a collar appears.
- Keep it close. A tamed cat follows you, teleports to you if you get far away, and can be made to sit (use on it) so it stays put.
Why Tame a Cat?
- Creepers avoid cats. Creepers actively back away from cats, so one near your base is passive creeper protection.
- Phantoms avoid cats too — handy if you skip sleep and get swarmed at night.
- Morning gifts. A cat that sleeps near you may leave a gift (string, feathers, rabbit’s foot, and more) when you wake up.
- Breeding. Feed two tamed cats raw cod/salmon to breed them — kittens inherit a parent’s colour.
Building a home for your pets on a shared world? Keep it online 24/7 with Minecraft server hosting. For more animal guides, see how to tame a fox.
FAQ
What do you feed a cat to tame it?
Raw cod or raw salmon — those are the only two items that tame cats. Cooked fish and other foods won’t work.
Do cats keep creepers away?
Yes. Creepers actively avoid cats, so keeping a tamed cat near your base or bed helps stop creepers from sneaking up on you.
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