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Cats Books for Kids

262 books in cats. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.

Cats books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A cats title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.

Across HootRated's 262 cats titles, books span picture books through Grade 7. About 99% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 0% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 1.2/5.

Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.

The winged cat

Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Cover of The winged cat

The winged cat

Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Level 4-5 Mild

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's dairy

Lynley Dodd

Cover of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's dairy

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's dairy

Lynley Dodd

Level 2 Gentle

That bad, bad cat!

Claire Masurel

Cover of That bad, bad cat!

That bad, bad cat!

Claire Masurel

Level 1 Gentle

Digby and Kate 1,2,3

Barbara Baker

Cover of Digby and Kate 1,2,3

Digby and Kate 1,2,3

Barbara Baker

Level 1-2 Gentle

The Littles

John Lawrence Peterson

Cover of The Littles

The Littles

John Lawrence Peterson

Level 3-4 Gentle

Dog and Cat shake a leg

Kate Spohn

Cover of Dog and Cat shake a leg

Dog and Cat shake a leg

Kate Spohn

Level 1-2 Gentle

The church mouse

Graham Oakley

Cover of The church mouse

The church mouse

Graham Oakley

Level 1-2 Gentle

Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) Goes to the Moon

Katheen Hale

Cover of Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) Goes to the Moon

Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) Goes to the Moon

Katheen Hale

Level 2 Gentle

The case of the vanishing cat

Dorothy Brenner Francis

Cover of The case of the vanishing cat

The case of the vanishing cat

Dorothy Brenner Francis

Level 2-3 Mild

Buster and the little kitten

Hisako Madokoro

Cover of Buster and the little kitten

Buster and the little kitten

Hisako Madokoro

Level 1-2 Gentle

The sea-thing child

Russell Hoban

Cover of The sea-thing child

The sea-thing child

Russell Hoban

Level 2 Gentle

Take care, Good Knight

Shelley Moore Thomas

Cover of Take care, Good Knight

Take care, Good Knight

Shelley Moore Thomas

Level 1-2 Gentle

Skippyjon Jones In Mummy Trouble

Judith Byron Schachner

Cover of Skippyjon Jones In Mummy Trouble

Skippyjon Jones In Mummy Trouble

Judith Byron Schachner

Level 2 Gentle

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

Diane Fox

Cover of The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

Diane Fox

Level 3-4 Gentle

The cat that went woof!

Martyn Beardsley

Cover of The cat that went woof!

The cat that went woof!

Martyn Beardsley

Level 1-2 Gentle

Why not?

Sylvia A. Hofsepian

Cover of Why not?

Why not?

Sylvia A. Hofsepian

Level 1-2

Here's that kitten!

Maria Polushkin Robbins

Cover of Here's that kitten!

Here's that kitten!

Maria Polushkin Robbins

Level 1-2

Rooftop wizard

Bruce Emmett

Cover of Rooftop wizard

Rooftop wizard

Bruce Emmett

Level 2

Pomily's wish.

Eleanor Nilsson

Cover of Pomily's wish.

Pomily's wish.

Eleanor Nilsson

Level 3

I am the cat

Lee Bennett Hopkins

Cover of I am the cat

I am the cat

Lee Bennett Hopkins

Level 2

The muddle-headed Wombat on clean-up day

Ruth Park

Cover of The muddle-headed Wombat on clean-up day

The muddle-headed Wombat on clean-up day

Ruth Park

Level 2

The patchwork cat

Nicola Bayley

Cover of The patchwork cat

The patchwork cat

Nicola Bayley

Level 2

The church mice spread their wings

Graham Oakley

Cover of The church mice spread their wings

The church mice spread their wings

Graham Oakley

Level 2

Looking for Felix

Elizabeth Hathorn

Cover of Looking for Felix

Looking for Felix

Elizabeth Hathorn

Level 1-2

Crab cat

Nicola Bayley

Cover of Crab cat

Crab cat

Nicola Bayley

Level 1-2

Bimmi Finds a Cat

Elisabeth Jane Stewart

Cover of Bimmi Finds a Cat

Bimmi Finds a Cat

Elisabeth Jane Stewart

Level 2

Temple cat

Andrew Clements

Cover of Temple cat

Temple cat

Andrew Clements

Level 1-2

Lyle at Christmas

Bernard Waber

Cover of Lyle at Christmas

Lyle at Christmas

Bernard Waber

Level 1-2

Will that wake mother?

Martha McKeen Welch

Cover of Will that wake mother?

Will that wake mother?

Martha McKeen Welch

Level 1-2

Daisy, Buttercup, and Weed

Jean Little

Cover of Daisy, Buttercup, and Weed

Daisy, Buttercup, and Weed

Jean Little

Level 4-5

The tale of Tom Kitten

Elsa Knight Bruno

Cover of The tale of Tom Kitten

The tale of Tom Kitten

Elsa Knight Bruno

Level 1-2

Chin Yu Min and the ginger cat

Jennifer L. Armstrong

Cover of Chin Yu Min and the ginger cat

Chin Yu Min and the ginger cat

Jennifer L. Armstrong

Level 4-5

The hallowe'en cat

Kenneth Lillington

Cover of The hallowe'en cat

The hallowe'en cat

Kenneth Lillington

Level 3

The witch and the ring

Ruth Chew

Cover of The witch and the ring

The witch and the ring

Ruth Chew

Level 4-5

The baby blue cat and the whole batch of cookies

Ainslie Pryor

Cover of The baby blue cat and the whole batch of cookies

The baby blue cat and the whole batch of cookies

Ainslie Pryor

Level 1-2

Mary Moon is missing

Patricia Reilly Giff

Cover of Mary Moon is missing

Mary Moon is missing

Patricia Reilly Giff

Level 3-4

Kitty's carrier

Lisa McCue

Cover of Kitty's carrier

Kitty's carrier

Lisa McCue

Level K-1

The cat who escaped from steerage

Evelyn Wilde Mayerson

Cover of The cat who escaped from steerage

The cat who escaped from steerage

Evelyn Wilde Mayerson

Level 3

Mother Halverson's new cat

Jim Aylesworth

Cover of Mother Halverson's new cat

Mother Halverson's new cat

Jim Aylesworth

Level 1-2

Wee G.

Jean Little

Cover of Wee G.

Wee G.

Jean Little

Level 1-2

King O' the Cats

Aaron Shepard

Cover of King O' the Cats

King O' the Cats

Aaron Shepard

Level 3-4

"Oh no, cat!"

Janice May Udry

Cover of "Oh no, cat!"

"Oh no, cat!"

Janice May Udry

Level 1-2

Molto's dream

Raoul Krischanitz

Cover of Molto's dream

Molto's dream

Raoul Krischanitz

Level 1-2

Pat the cat

Colin Hawkins

Cover of Pat the cat

Pat the cat

Colin Hawkins

Level 2

Katje, the windmill cat

Gretchen Woelfle

Cover of Katje, the windmill cat

Katje, the windmill cat

Gretchen Woelfle

Level 3-4

The long wait

Budge Wilson

Cover of The long wait

The long wait

Budge Wilson

Level 1-2

Little Hippo's new friend

Jean Little

Cover of Little Hippo's new friend

Little Hippo's new friend

Jean Little

Level 1-2

Where do cats live?

Ron Hirschi

Cover of Where do cats live?

Where do cats live?

Ron Hirschi

Level 2

Grammy & Sammy

Lisa Passen

Cover of Grammy & Sammy

Grammy & Sammy

Lisa Passen

Level 1-2

Gingercat's catch.

Cathrine Barr

Cover of Gingercat's catch.

Gingercat's catch.

Cathrine Barr

Level 1-2

The fur person

May Sarton

Cover of The fur person

The fur person

May Sarton

Level 4-5

Branigan's cat and the Halloween ghost

Steven Kroll

Cover of Branigan's cat and the Halloween ghost

Branigan's cat and the Halloween ghost

Steven Kroll

Level 1-2

Cats

Gail Gibbons

Cover of Cats

Cats

Gail Gibbons

Level 4-5

Have you seen Josephine?

Stéphane Poulin

Cover of Have you seen Josephine?

Have you seen Josephine?

Stéphane Poulin

Level 1-2

Cats! cats! cats!

Bernard Wiseman

Cover of Cats! cats! cats!

Cats! cats! cats!

Bernard Wiseman

Level 1-2

The cat's pajamas

Ida Chittum

Cover of The cat's pajamas

The cat's pajamas

Ida Chittum

Level 1-2

Cats are curious

Paul E. Clark

Cover of Cats are curious

Cats are curious

Paul E. Clark

Level 1-2

Merry Christmas, Festus and Mercury

Sven Nordqvist

Cover of Merry Christmas, Festus and Mercury

Merry Christmas, Festus and Mercury

Sven Nordqvist

Level 1-2

Cats in the dark

Kate Rowinski

Cover of Cats in the dark

Cats in the dark

Kate Rowinski

Level 1-2

The cat hat

Lindström, Eva

Cover of The cat hat

The cat hat

Lindström, Eva

Level 2
Browse all 262 cats books

Questions parents ask about cats books

What are the best cats books for kids?
HootRated catalogs 262 cats children's books spanning picture books through Grade 7. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
Are cats books appropriate for sensitive readers?
259 books (99%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 0 (0%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 1.2/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
What reading level are cats books?
Cats books in our catalog span picture books through Grade 7. The typical reading level lands around Grade 2. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.