How do you tame an ocelot in Minecraft?

Who this is for: Minecraft players confused about ocelot taming mechanics and those seeking tameable pet companions.


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Understanding Ocelot Taming in Modern Minecraft

Here’s the important truth: you cannot tame ocelots in current versions of Minecraft. This changed significantly in the Village & Pillage update (1.14), when Mojang removed the ability to tame ocelots and introduced cats as separate mobs instead.

What Changed and Why

Before 1.14, players could tame ocelots using raw fish, turning them into cats. However, Mojang decided to split these into two distinct mobs:

  • Ocelots – Wild jungle cats that can only be befriended, not tamed
  • Cats – Tameable pets found in villages and witch huts

This change aimed to make the game more realistic, as real ocelots are wild animals that don’t typically become domestic pets.

How to Befriend Ocelots Instead

While you can’t tame them, you can still befriend ocelots by following these steps:

  1. Find ocelots in jungle biomes – they’re quite rare and skittish
  2. Hold raw cod or raw salmon in your hand
  3. Approach very slowly without making sudden movements
  4. Wait for the ocelot to come close enough to feed
  5. Right-click to give them the fish

Befriended ocelots won’t follow you home or sit on command, but they’ll trust you enough to stay nearby and won’t run away when you approach.

How to Actually Get Pet Cats

If you want a tameable feline companion, look for cats instead:

  • Village cats – Spawn naturally in villages with at least one villager and four beds
  • Witch hut cats – Always spawn with witch huts in swamp biomes
  • Stray cats – Occasionally spawn near villages

Tame cats using raw cod or salmon, just like the old ocelot method. Once tamed, they’ll follow you, sit when commanded, and even bring you gifts!

Legacy Versions and Bedrock Differences

Players on older Java versions (pre-1.14) can still tame ocelots using the traditional fish method. Some Bedrock Edition players report different behaviors, but the core mechanics remain the same across current versions.

If you’re looking for more animal taming adventures and creative building projects, you’ll find plenty of exciting Minecraft content to explore.

TL;DR

You cannot tame ocelots in modern Minecraft (1.14+) – they can only be befriended with fish. For actual pet cats, find and tame village cats or witch hut cats instead.

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Joyst1ck

Gaming Writer & HTML5 Developer

Answering gaming questions—from Roblox and Minecraft to the latest indie hits. I write developer‑focused HTML5 articles and share practical tips on game design, monetisation, and scripting.

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