Minecraft is home to a diverse array of tamable cat mobs, with 11 different breeds available to find and tame. From the common tabby to the ultra-rare albino, cats come in a wide range of colors, patterns, and personalities for players to discover. In this guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about spawning, taming, and breeding all 11 types of Minecraft cats.
An Overview of Cats in Minecraft
Before we dive into the specifics, here‘s a quick overview of how cats work in Minecraft:
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Cats can spawn naturally in villages or be found as stray cats in the wild
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Stray cats use the ocelot skin until tamed with raw fish
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Tamed cats adopt one of the 11 coat patterns and can be bred to produce kittens
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Cats scare away creepers, follow players, and sometimes bring gift items
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Each cat breed has different spawn rates and traits
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There are 11 cat skins total, ranging from common tabby to ultra-rare albino
Now, let‘s explore each of the 11 cat variants in Minecraft in detail!
1. Tabby (Orange)
The most common cat breed you‘ll encounter is the orange tabby. Nearly 35% of natural cat spawns in villages will be orange tabbies.
Tabby refers to the distinctive striped coat pattern seen on orange, grey, and brown tabby cat variants. The gene for the tabby pattern is dominant, meaning it will be expressed if present.
Orange tabbies have thick, bold black stripes contrasting with their bright ginger coat. They are energetic, playful, and possess a strong hunting instinct.
Breeding two tabby pattern cats together has a high chance of producing additional tabby kittens. I find that orange tabbies readily accept raw fish gifts and make loyal companions in Minecraft.
Fun fact: The orange tabby coat pattern is thought to provide better camouflage in forested areas compared to stripeless variants!
2. Tuxedo
The striking black and white tuxedo coat pattern appears in approximately 15% of naturally spawning cats. Their white paws resemble spats on formal shoes.
Tuxedo cats have a reputation for being highly affectionate, vocal, and intelligent. Many exhibit a very lively, playful personality and energetic curiosity.
The tuxedo pattern involves the extreme piebald white spotting gene. Interestingly, nearly 80% of cats with this piebald gene turn out to be male.
I once bred two Tuxedo cats together and 3 out of 4 of their kittens were also Tuxedos. Overall, they make very devoted and engaging feline friends in-game.
3. Red Tabby
At first glance, red tabby cats look identical to the orange tabby except with more reddish hues. The red tabby pattern has a natural spawn rate around 10%.
Red tabbies share the energetic playfulness of orange tabbies but may be slightly more mellow in temperament. Both coat colors can be found among many real-world cat breeds.
The distinctive red versus orange hue is caused by variants of the orange gene that produces pigment. Red coats only deposit pigment on the fur tips, while orange distributes it throughout each hair shaft.
I‘ve noticed that natural red tabby spawns are more common in specific biomes like flower forests and regular forests. Give them a juicy salmon, and they‘ll be purring by your side in no time!
4. Siamese
The Siamese breed is recognized by their cream colored coat with brownish points on the face, ears, paws and tail. They have bright, piercing blue eyes.
Around 5% of naturally spawning cats will be Siamese. They also frequently appear when breeding cats with point coloration together.
True Siamese cats possess the extreme temperature sensitive albinism gene that restricts pigment to the cooler extremities of their body. This gives rise to their signature pointed pattern.
In real life, Siamese cats are very vocal, social, and demanding of attention. Minecraft Siamese cats retain this energetic affection-seeking personality that makes them delightful pets.
Fun fact: Traditional Siamese cats originated as sacred temple cats in Siam, now known as Thailand. The breed became popular in the West in the late 19th century.
5. British Shorthair
The British Shorthair is the quintessential chunky, round-faced household cat breed. Their thick, plush coat comes in over 100 different colors and patterns.
The British Shorthair coat texture is caused by a dominant gene that shortens the length of the hair shafts. The silver shaded pattern appears on around 5% of spawns.
While laid-back and easygoing, British Shorthairs do require daily interaction. They tend to be calmer and more independent than needy. Minecraft‘s British Shorthairs purr readily when pet.
I‘ve observed that British Shorthair kittens seem to inherit the signature dense coat type more often than not when bred from a British parent. Their charming expressions win me over every time!
6. Calico
The uniquely patchwork calico pattern is found on roughly 5% of naturally spawning cats. No two calico coats are exactly alike.
For a cat to be calico, it must genetically be female (XX chromosomes). The white spotting, black, and orange tabby genes combine to create their tricolored harlequin look.
Calico cats tend to have big personalities – they are often described as strong-willed and outgoing but very affectionate to their chosen person.
In my experience, calico cats make exceptionally playful and engaging pets in Minecraft. And their mismatched colors make each one wholly unique.
Fun fact: In folklore, calico cats were believed to bring good luck in Japan and parts of Europe. Their colors were thought to ward off evil spirits.
7. Persian
The Persian cat breed is recognized by its long, flowing coat and distinctly shortened muzzle structure giving them a snub-nosed appearance.
Persian variants appear in only around 3% of naturally spawning cat mobs. Their long fur coats the norm as a recessive trait requiring two copies to manifest.
While cute and fluffy in appearance, Persians tend to have calm, dignified personalities. They can be selective about receiving affection and do not always enjoy being picked up.
I‘ve found it best to let Persian cats come to you for pets rather than chasing after them. Give them space, and they will reward your patience with purrs in time. Their elegance is unmatched!
8. Ragdoll
The Ragdoll breed is distinguished by its signature blue eyes and distinct colorpointed coat patterns. Ragdolls appear rarely at a 1% natural spawn rate.
This cat was bred to have an extremely docile, gentle nature. The name Ragdoll comes from their tendency to go limp and relaxed when picked up.
The genetics behind Ragdoll colorpoint coats is similar to Siamese dilution. Body temperature determines how pigment distributes, leaving the cooler core lighter.
Ragdolls make exceptionally laid-back, affectionate pets in Minecraft. Their rarity and personality quirks make them a special find for any cat lover!
Fun fact: The founding Ragdoll cats were bred beginning in the 1960s in California by a breeder named Ann Baker. The exact early parentage remains a mystery.
9. White
The snowy white cat is a fairly rare find, composing around 2% of natural cat spawns in villages. Their gleaming white coats can have blue, gold or odd-eyed irises.
While occasional myths paint white cats as mean spirited or aloof, these claims are false. White cats can be just as loving, energetic and playful as any other coat color.
A white coat requires the epistatic dominant white gene to mask underlying coat patterns. Historically, white cats were associated with privilege, nobility and good fortune in many cultures.
Though rarer than other varieties, white cats ultimately make wonderful, lively companions for those lucky enough to find one roaming village streets. Make friends with one, and it will bring brightness to your build!
10. Black
The inky black cat has sleek, dark fur complemented by vivid orange eyes. Approximately 2% of naturally spawning cats will be solid black.
Like white coats, a dense black coat requires a particular dominant allele to mask all other color patterns in the cat‘s genotype.
Despite superstitions unfairly maligning black cats, their mischievous, fun-loving temperament is no different than other coat colors when properly socialized.
Landing an elusive black cat friend in Minecraft feels especially rewarding. Their bold black coats seem fitting companions for exploring the darkness of night or the depths of caves. Me-wow!
Fun fact: During the Middle Ages in Europe, black cats were associated with witchcraft, leading to widespread cat persecution. Luckily today they are seen as friendly house pets.
11. Jellie
Jellie‘s gray patched coat makes her stand out from the other cat breeds. This design immortalizes the real-life cat Jellie, owned by Minecraft creator Markus Persson.
This Easter egg cat variant was added to honor Jellie and has about a 1% chance of spawning naturally. Jellie has green eyes, unlike standard Minecraft cats.
Owning Jellie in-game is a true prize for any Minecraft player. Her unique looks and origins are sure to make cat lovers smile. Be sure to feed her only the finest salmon!
Fun fact: The real Jellie was adopted by Markus Persson in 2008 and has been featured on Minecraft merchandise and splash screens. What an honorary place for this celebri-kitty!
Ultra Rare Albino Cat
The rarest of all cat variants is the pure white albino, estimated to have a less than 1 in 10,000 chance of spawning naturally.
Albino cats have a rare genetic mutation that prevents their bodies from producing melanin pigment in the fur, skin and eyes. The mutation must be carried recessively by both parents.
Without melanin, the cat‘s eyes will be pink and their coats brilliant white. This lack of pigment leaves them sensitive to sun exposure.
Acquiring an albino cat is the ultimate status symbol and flex for cat collectors in Minecraft. Their ghostly white elegance is simply breathtaking!
Spawning and Breeding Cats
Now that you‘re a pro on cat variants, let‘s go over some tips for spawning and breeding cats:
- Seek out ocelots in jungle biomes and tame them with fish to unlock cats
- Look for stray cats roaming village streets
- Certain biomes influence cat coat spawns
- Breed two cats of the same variant to increase likelihood of that breed
- Feed cats cooked fish to enter love mode and produce kittens
- Kittens will randomly inherit one of the 11 coat types
- For rare coats like albino, repeatedly breed the same parent cats
With over a dozen kitties to collect, there‘s no shortage of feline friends to discover as you explore the diverse biomes of Minecraft. Each cat has something special to offer your adventures. Happy cat wrangling!
The Purrfect Companions
After reviewing all 11 current cat breeds that populate the Minecraft world, it‘s clear these digital kitties have amazing depth and personality. Every cat variant is special and purrfect in its own way.
Personally, I have a soft spot for the rarer breeds like the British Shorthair and black cats. But collecting each coat type has been an enjoyable scavenger hunt across villages, jungles and beyond.
What‘s your favorite Minecraft cat? Let me know in the comments – whether it‘s the lovable orange tabby, the mellow Ragdoll or the majestic white Persian, we all have our preferred feline friends.
Hopefully this guide gave you some fun new insights on spawning, collecting and breeding the diverse kitties in Minecraft. Now get out there and make some new furry friends! Just be sure to keep plenty of fish on hand for gifts.
