You know how kids often fixate on specific interests and go all in with an enthusiasm only a child could have? That describes the current state of my oldest daughter and her undying love for cats. Her room is kitty themed, she loves stuffed kitties, and she especially loves books about cats.
She actually has a basket filled with kitty books and a few of her smallest stuffed kitties on a shelf in her room! (See below). She’s a pretty organized kid, so it’s on brand for her to take those books about cats from her main shelf and make a special place for them.
This has made me somewhat of an unintentional expert on cat-themed books for kids. As I’m sure I can’t be the only one with kitty-obsessed kiddo, it seemed fitting to spread the love and pass on some recommendations.
Each book on mentioned on this list will include a description and suggested reading age based on retail listings. Except for the last two on the list, all these books are part of a series, which is excellent for easily keeping your child supplied with books they enjoy.
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9 Books About Cats for Kids
Katie the Catsitter
Ages 8-11
Graphic novel
Back Cover Description: Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp–something that’s way out of Katie and her mom’s budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way to earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life gets interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they’re not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city’s most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie’s upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who’s this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city’s history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats!
Magic Kitten: A Summer Spell
Ages 6-8
Chapter Book
Back Cover Description: Lisa isn’t excited to spend the summer in the country with her aunt, but just when she thought her summer was going to be lonely and boring, she finds a tiny orange kitten in her aunt’s barn. Suddenly her summer looks much brighter!
Purrmaids #1: The Scaredy Cat
Ages 5-9
Early Reader Picture Book
Back Cover Description: Coral, Shelly, and Angel are best friends. They love exploring their home in Kittentail Cove. On the first day of sea school, their teacher asks everyone to bring in something special to share with the class. Shelly and Angel can’t wait to visit Tortoiseshell Reef to find an extra-special treasure. But the reef is all the way on the edge of the cove and Coral is scared to swim that far away from home. Can this scaredy-cat learn to be brave?
Dr. Kitty Cat: Posy the Puppy
Ages 5-8
Easy Chapter Book
Back Cover Description: We’ll be there in a whisker! Dr. KittyCat is a talented vet — and an adorable cat. She’s ready to rescue whenever help is needed. When a call comes in that Posy the puppy has hurt her leg at the Paws and Prizes field day, Dr. KittyCat rushes to the scene. Without Dr. KittyCat’s help, Posy will be disqualified! Posy has two-color art inside! Supercute photographs of real puppies and kittens combine with hand-drawn purple line art for a completely unique look.
The Secret Kitten and Other Tales
Ages 6-9
Chapter Book
Back Cover Description: Three delightful kitten stories to treasure in one book, from best-selling author Holly Webb. Includes The Secret Kitten, The Brave Kitten, and Sammy the Shy Kitten.
Pet Rescue Adventures is a series of heartwarming animal tales. Each book focuses on one kitten or puppy and their unique journey to find their new “forever home”. A wonderful collection of heartwarming tales, perfect for animal lovers!
Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue
Ages 5-8
Easy Chapter Book
Back Cover Descriptions: Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for an adventure. Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue is the first book in a chapter book series about Kitty and her superhero adventures.
Meet Kitty, a charming chapter book character with catlike superpowers. With dramatic two-color art on every page and an emphasis on friendship, family, bravery, and building self-confidence, Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue is a perfect choice for independent readers and fans of Rebecca Elliott’s Owl Diaries.
Kitty is special. Her mother is a superhero with catlike powers that Kitty and her little brother Max will someday inherit. But being a superhero involves going on daring adventures at night, and Kitty doesn’t know if she’ll ever be brave enough for that!
One night though, Kitty finds a sleek black cat with white paws waiting at her window. When he introduces himself, Kitty is shocked to realize she can understand him—her powers have arrived! The cat, Figaro, has a problem. There’s a terrible meowing sound coming from the clock tower, and the other cats don’t know what to do. The night outside looks cold and uninviting, and Kitty is afraid of the dark. But she musters up her courage and sets out to find the source of the mysterious sound. Along the way, she makes new friends, uncovers her confidence, and learns what it means to be brave.
With an aspirational main character, a kindle of cats, striking two-color art on every page, and fun facts included at the end of each story, these chapter books are just right for newly independent readers.
Catstronauts
Ages 6-9
Graphic Novel
Back Cover Descriptions: When the world is thrust into darkness due to a global energy shortage, the Worlds Best Scientist comes up with a bold plan to set up a solar power plant on the moon. But someone has to go up there to set it up, and that adventure falls to the CatStronauts, the best space cats on the planet! Meet the fearless commander Major Meowser, brave-but-hungry pilot Waffles, genius technician and inventor Blanket, and quick thinking science officer Pom Pom on their most important mission yet!
In this graphic novel, debut author and illustrator Drew Brockington breathes life into a world populated entirely by cats, brimming with jokes, charm, science, and enough big boxes and tuna sandwiches for everyone!
Rosie’s Story
Ages 8-12
Nonfiction Chapter Book
Back Cover Description: The true story of how one little cat became the leader of a pack of huskies — as seen on hit social media site The Dodo!
Rosie the cat was small and weak — until she befriended a giant husky! When Rosie was rescued by her foster moms as a kitten, they worried she wouldn’t get better. But as soon as she started spending time with Lilo the husky, she began to feel great.
The two animals became best friends, and now Rosie does everything Lilo does. They go on walks together, take naps together, and even go on boat rides together! This inspiring true story teaches us that love is the only thing you need to make a family.
This story is perfect for middle-grade readers and comes with an eight-page full-color photo insert!
A Castle Full of Cats
Ages 3-7
Picture Book
Back Cover Description: The queen’s cats have taken over the palace, and the king has had enough! Beloved artist Ruth Sanderson brings her signature detailed and lush style to this humorous story of royal compromise. Told in rhyme, and with dozens of cats on each page, this gorgeous book is sure to have cat lovers of all ages purring!
Let me know if there are any other books about cats that you think should have been on this list! I am always in the mood to hear book recommendations.