The Purr-fect Cat Books and Stories for Children

Do you have a cat lover in your family? These lovely cat books and stories for kids will make the purr-fect addition to your library! 

I always considered myself a dog-lover, until our family adopted two kittens a couple of years ago. Our cats are the most affectionate, friendly cats, always hopping up on our laps while we’re reading. They’re so easy to care for and our kids adore them!

If you have a cat, you will enjoy reading this collection of good books about cats to your kids. Find a cozy spot and let your kitty sit on your lap while you read these endearing stories about cats.

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Picture Books

Millions of cats by Wanda Gag

This is a fun book for young children, with simple, readable sentences for kids, as an old man and his wife live a quaint life out in the prairie. They wish to have a pet, and soon the man endeavors to find them a beautiful cat. But his plans change when he finds so many beautiful, happy cats, and can’t pick just one.

Violet Comes to Stay by Jan Karon

This is a beautiful children’s book by Jan Karon. Violet searches for a home, from a plant nursery to a bakery, and finally to a book store where she at last feels at home and welcome. Readers adore Karon’s vivid writing style from her beloved Mitford Series Books. 

Violet Goes to the Country by Jane Karon

Following the first book, Violet Comes to Stay, this story takes Violet on another exciting adventure, this time to the country. Alice’s cat, Violet, follows her on a trip out to the country where she meets Alice’s uncle, who isn’t much of a “cat person”. 

The Pie and the Patty Pan by Beatrix Potter

In this great classic by Beatrix Potter, the cat Ribby invites her best friend Dutchess (dog) over for a special pie. Dutchess is afraid that it will be mouse pie. She tries to swap their pies, and gets herself into a confusion of pies and patty pans.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

It is a rainy day when two siblings are bored while their parents are gone. Then the cat in the hat enters the house, and he shows them his games. This classic Dr. Seuss book is full of great rhymes and illustrations that your kids love!

If you give a cat a cupcake by Laura Numeroff

This is another classic story by Laura Numeroff who wrote “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, describing the escapades of what happens if you give a cat a cupcake, following the same storyline format as her other famous books. Our kids especially love these books and their amazing illustrations!

Traditional Cat Stories

These two stories are my kids’ favorites! We love to read them from the Fifty Famous Stories book, but these are the picture book versions by Marcia Brown. 

Dick Whittington & His Cat by Marcia Brown

This book about Dick Whittington is the story of the real-life Richard Whittington. It tells a tale of how a young boy lived in poverty and then invested in hard work for a rich merchant. When he finds a cat to chase away the mice that disrupt his sleep, his life changes and this useful cat helps him achieve a better life, eventually becoming mayor of London.

Andy & the Lion by Marcia Brown

This is a great book about a young boy and his adventures with a big cat. Andy can’t stop thinking about lions when his grandfather tells him of all his adventures hunting lions in Africa. One day he actually meets a lion and helps remove a thorn from the lion’s paw. Soon afterward, Andy goes to the circus to see the lion act, when one of the lions jumps out of the arena and roaring, runs toward Andy.

James Herriot Cat Stories

James Herriot is a country vet. He shares memories of the touching stories of his interactions with interesting characters and animals from his career over the years.  

Moses the Kitten by James Herriot

James Herriot’s beautiful story Moses the Kitten is of how he finds a young kitten shivering along the side of the icy road. He asks the nearby farmer, Mr. Butler, if it is one of his little kittens, but the kitten is not. The black cat is named Moses and strangely welcomes himself into a family of piglets and their mother on Mr. Butler’s farm as a pet cat. 

The Christmas Day Kitten by James Herriot

This lovely book is about a stray cat, who shows up every so often at Mrs. Pickering’s house. She is a timid, little cat, who comes and sits for a little while before leaving. On Christmas morning, the cat comes into Mrs. Pickering’s house with a little kitten.

Fairy Tales About Cats

Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault

The original fairytale rewritten by Charles Perrault won a Caldecott honor for its colorful illustrations. This story is a whole lot of fun for young readers!  A father divides his inheritance to his sons, the oldest getting a mill, the middle son getting a donkey, and the youngest son getting a cat. His displeasure at receiving a useless cat vanishes when he gives in to its apparent need for a bag and boots.

The White Cat

This is a French fairy tale of a young prince who tries to help an enchanted cat queen, who was cursed by an evil gnome. We read this story from The Blue Fairy Book which has a collection of well-known fairy tales. 

Fables about Cats

Aesop’s Fables are simple short tales with a moral. Most of them feature animals, including cats! In my opinion, the version of Aesop by Milo Winter is the best! These are some of our favorite fables featuring cats along with the lesson they teach. 

Belling the Cat

Moral: It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it. 

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Moral: Poverty and security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty. 

The Monkey and the Cat

Moral: The Flatterer seeks some benefit at your expense.

The Cat, the Cock, and the Young Mouse

Moral: Do not trust alone to outward appearances.

The Cat and the Fox

Moral: Common sense is always worth more than cunning.

Chapter Books About Cats

These short chapter books will catch your older children’s interest with their humor, and adventurous action. 

Benjamin West & his cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry

Benjamin West and his family are strict Quakers. One day Benjamin’s friend gives him a black house cat, which he names Grimalkin. Benjamin is always tempted to sketch or draw on anything he can get his hands on, and eventually, he learns how to paint using his cat’s fur for a paintbrush. Benjamin has to change the mind of the gathering of Quakers, who forbid painting, which Benjamin sees as his bright future.

Warriors by Erin Hunter

This six-book series is an epic adventure of cats who they survive and fight their way through the fantasy world Erin Hunter creates so vividly. When a dangerous threat is issued by a clan of cats, the stakes grow higher as the safety of the cats in this forest is unsteadily shaken.

Socks by Beverly Cleary

Socks is a spoiled, happy house cat to Mr. and Mrs. Bicker. But when a new baby arrives, Socks finds that he is no longer the center of attention, and he tries to find ways to get back the attention of the Bickers. 

Do you have some favorite books about cats for kids? Leave a comment below to share your favorites with others. 

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Looking for more children’s books to read to your kids? Fill your home library with living books, creating an atmosphere that nourishes and challenges your children’s minds. Check out the other book list posts on the blog! 

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