19 Children’s Books About Cats To Read With Your Kitten-Loving Kid

Pete the cat might be the busiest animal around, because it seems like he’s done it all! In the many books starring him, he becomes a superhero, goes to preschool, throws a pizza party, competes in the science fair, and so much more. There are more than 80 Pete the Cat books available, and they’ve sold millions of copies worldwide, so chances are they’ll be a hit in your household too.

“Pete the Cat is beloved by children nationwide for a reason,” says one Amazon review. “As a former children’s librarian, I read a lot of books to huge crowds of kids, and this is one of my favorites. It’s great that you can go online and hear the song for free whenever you want if you don’t know the tune or want a refresher. The art is a little funky, but kids really like it from my experience.”

Tabby McTat and his owner, Fred, sing music on the street for tips, which they collect in Fred’s hat. Tabby is perfectly happy, until an accident happens to Fred and the two are separated unexpectedly. Time marches on and Tabby finds happiness again, but he always wonders if he’ll ever see his old friend again...and he very well may before the book ends.

Booklist recommends this title for readers in preschool through second grade, saying, “This pleasant rhyming venture is illustrated by Scheffler with bright, detailed vignettes that carry the story from scene (Tabby hiding the car keys under the mat) to scene (keeping the newspapers nice and flat). A fun frolic about musical duos who aren’t quite the same without each other. Like their trademark tune, it all ends ‘PURRRR-fectly.’”

The Little Kitten may be a Halloween book, but it’s the kind of story your kiddo will want to hear throughout the year. A little girl named Ollie and her cat Pumpkin are playing outside on a lovely day in October when they find a lost kitten trying to stay warm in a pile of fallen leaves. They get the kitty all warmed up and play together, becoming instant friends. But when Ollie starts seeing signs for a lost kitten, she knows her new pal has a family to go home to, and it becomes her mission to get him there.

As its Booklist review says, “This gentle story is a sweet option for a Halloween read-aloud and will please young feline fans any time of the year.”

Does your little bookworm need to learn their colors, or just enjoy really brightly illustrated books? Goodnight, Rainbow Cats is the perfect choice either way. Read along with this board book and say goodnight to each colorful cat as they make their way home for bed, cozying up in their favorite snoozing spots as they enter their house. Cat loving parents, you won’t mind reading this one over and over again as your little one learns to turn the cardboard pages and point out the felines inside. This would also make a great baby shower gift if your BFF is pregnant and you want to acknowledge her fur baby, too.

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey tells the true story of a cat named Kunkush and his loving family, who are fleeing Iraq. The family has to leave their home but can’t imagine abandoning their pet, so they stow him away and carry him in secret all the way to Greece. The cat gets lost along the way, but aid workers find him and, with the help of the internet, they find Kunkush’s family in their new home and reunite them with their furry friend. This book is perfect for kids between 4 and 8 years old.

Slinky Malinki is a bit of a troublemaker, stealing clothespins, slippers, sausages, and more! What other kinds of mischief will he get into throughout this story?

“We have a cat and this is a great cat tale for our kids (3 and 1),” says an Amazon reviewer. “Lynley Dodd's rhyming and storytelling are very entertaining and Slinky Malinki is a beloved character. We bought this after first receiving Slinky Malinki Open the Door as a gift (another recommended title). It is amazing how hard it is to come across a children's book that has the perfect balance between good artwork and good writing. There are so many poorly written stories out there. My husband and I have no qualms reading this story over and over again to our kids.”

Fans of Beatrix Potter will know she created a whole world of adorable animal characters in tiny clothes, far more than just Peter Rabbit. In this book, Tom Kitten and his sisters are dressed in their finest new clothes. Their mother cat sends them outside to play while they wait for company to arrive, with firm orders to stay away from the ash pit, the pig sty, and anything else that will get them all dirty. And, like any parent can guess, they get pretty messy before it’s all said and done. This is a perfect purchase for kids who love cats and parents who love classic stories.

Does your little one just adore the family cat? Or, if you have multiple kitties, do they have a clear favorite they spend a lot of quality time with? When it comes to children’s books about cats, why not make your dynamic duo one of their very own? I See Me is a customizable book company with lots of titles and types of books to choose from (even coloring books). This version about what would happen if your pet cat could talk lets you design the cat and the kid, and add your own special dedication to the recipient if you’re giving it as a gift.

They All Saw A Cat is all about how different animals each see a cat differently, with the illustrations depicting the kitty from the perspective of a dog, a bumblebee, and others. So while the cat may be the star, it’s really a book about how everyone sees the same thing a little bit differently.

This book was a New York Times bestseller in 2016 and 2017 and has won a long list of awards, including the Caldecott Medal and Honor and recognition as a School Library Journal Best Book of 2016, Junior Library Guild Selection of 2016, and more. That means not only is it sure to entertain your little one, but the literary experts of the world think it will enrich their education, too.

“Moggie” is a British slang term for a cat that is, well, just a cat! It’s not a cat of any special breed or any fancy looks. And that’s what Mog is: an ordinary cat who happens to be pretty forgetful. This book is a reprint of the original from a few generations back, so parents and grandparents may recognize the story and get a kick out of reading it to today’s little ones.

“My dad always talks about how he used to read this book to us when we were kids,” says an Amazon review. “I was excited to be able to buy him a new copy to read to his grandkids... My kids love the story of Mog the Forgetful Cat.”

Each night, the farmer’s cat takes a moonlight stroll. Readers can tag along as he wanders through farms and fields into town to see what it looks like after dark. The author and illustrator, Dahlov Ipcar, grew up on a farm on Georgetown Island, Maine, which surely inspired some of the scenes in this classic kids’ book.

And some cool info for parents: Ipcar penned more than 30 children’s books in her career, and her artwork can be found in numerous museums and special collections. So, just know that you’re not only giving your child a book about a cat, but a book that is subtly teaching them about art, too.

Megabat is the star of this series, but this installment features his nemesis, Fancy Cat, meaning kids who have devoured all the other cat tales on this list may enjoy it, too. When Megabat’s best friend Daniel gets a cat for Christmas (a super soft cat named Priscilla with the most voluminous tail and perfect whiskers), Megabat wonders if his kid will love his new pet more than the rest. So, Megabat and his sidekick Birdgirl start hatching plans to give Priscilla the boot. But, by the end, they may learn that Priscilla isn’t here to steal Daniel’s heart all the way, and Megabat isn’t getting dethroned anytime soon.

If you’ve ever had an outdoor cat, or lived in a neighborhood where outdoor cats roamed, you know that sometimes that “stray” you’ve been leaving food out for isn’t necessarily homeless after all. And that’s why Sid the cat ends up with six dinners each day. He’s convinced six families on his street he’s their cat, stopping by each to spend time with the people who live there and making his rounds at meal time. Sid’s master plan comes crashing down when he gets sick, and suddenly all six families want to take care of him. This book is a is a Smarties Prize Winner and a NCTE Notable Children’s Book, so it should go over well with your young readers.

This is an interactive flap book with some really unique illustrations that definitely stand out on a bookshelf. The three stars, cats Moonpie, Andre, and Tiny, will have you searching for them in boxes, blowing on the page to dry them off, and ultimately wishing they could pop off the page and play for real. There Are Cats in This Book is ideal for readers between 3 and 7 years old, or in preschool through grade 2.

As one Amazon review reads, “The most important thing to mention about this book is that my 17-month-old daughter loves it. From the very first time we opened it she started giggling, laughing, petting, and kissing the cats in the book. When she wants story time she brings us this book first. That alone to me is worth far more than 5 stars.”

Parents who love puns and music, and kids who love cats, will really enjoy this vibrant board book. Show your little one illustrations of kitties in iconic outfits and poses from artists like Tuna Turner, Dolly Purton, and the rock band Hiss. This is the purrfect baby shower gift for expectant friends who love cats and classic music. Show your kids

If your child really enjoys Music Cats, you should also check out Artsy Cats, which features Henry Catisse, Jackson Pawlock, and many other famous artists turned feline. Bookish Cats does the same with beloved book characters, like The Litter Prince and Anna Purrenina.

‘Scratchie: A Touch-and-Feel Cat-Venture’ is a board book that celebrates all kinds of fun textures using an adorable black cat as your child’s guide to explore them. Scratchie loves to sharpen his claws on all kinds of things, and invites readers to sharpen their nails along with him.

“Overall, super cute and fun,” says an Amazon review. “The idea is that this cat named scratchy is going around scratching all the things. I really appreciate that it has a more diverse range of textures than most books that are pretty much just made of different colors of fur. A great buy and I’m glad I bought it! My 10 month old loves this book & it’s held up well.”

As cat owners know, there’s never any shortage of wild antics and mischievous deeds when you live with a cat. In this board book, readers follow a trouble-making kitty around his home to see what kind of rowdy, silly, and downright naughty things he’ll get into today. The story is written in rhyme and features bold, super colorful illustrations, so it’ll keep young readers fully engaged in the tale. And kids and parents alike will enjoy laughing together at the cat unwinding toilet paper, fishing the goldfish out of the bowl, and more. When the cat curls up with his kid for bed at the end of the day, it’s a nice reminder of why you let your cat stay... despite the messes.

If you want a quick understanding of Niblet & Ralph, just think of all those shows where two identical twins switch places for a day and try to keep their identities a secret. Niblet and Ralph live in the same apartment building and wave to each other from their windows all the time. And, well, they look pretty darn similar. Finally they decide to meet in person, and their owners confuse them and each take home the wrong pet. Will they be stuck in the other’s life forever, or will they manage to get their humans to switch them back?

Want to work on your little one’s counting with some adorably illustrated, vibrantly colored kitty cats? This picture book isn’t as simple as “One cat sleeps. Two cats play. Three cats stack.” It also dives into more complicated math operations as the cats try stacking themselves 10 high. This is a great read for toddlers and grade schoolers alike.

“Stack the Cats is perfect for new readers. It has just the right amount of new words along with familiar words and numbers as the story goes. It's the first book I ever heard my nephew read on his own, which was AMAAAAAAAAZING,” says one Amazon reviewer.