How to Tame an Ocelot in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Since 1.14 ocelots cannot be tamed into cats - instead you gain their trust. Hold raw cod or salmon, stand still, and feed the ocelot when it approaches until hearts appear. A trusting ocelot stops fleeing from you.

What you need

Raw cod or raw salmon (5-10)
A jungle biome
Patience

Step by step

Find ocelots in jungle biomes - they are rare and shy, spawning alone or in pairs.
Stock up on raw cod or raw salmon from fishing.
Hold the fish and stand completely still. Quick movements or turning your head too fast scares them off.
Wait for the ocelot to approach within a few blocks, then feed it fish (use button) until hearts appear.
A trusting ocelot no longer flees from you, but it does not follow you like a cat or wolf either - it stays wild.
In Bedrock, breed two trusting ocelots with raw fish: the baby trusts you permanently, the closest thing to a pet ocelot.
Bonus: like cats, ocelots scare creepers away - a trusting ocelot near your base still works as a creeper repellent.

Java vs Bedrock

Both editions removed ocelot taming in 1.14 (Village and Pillage): feeding fish now gains trust instead of producing a cat. The key difference: in Bedrock, bred ocelot babies trust the player, while in Java trust is earned per ocelot by feeding.

Versions: Ocelots were added in 1.2.1, when feeding one raw fish turned it into a pet cat. The 1.14 update split cats into their own village mob and made ocelots purely trusting - the biggest behavior change in their history.

Frequently asked questions

Why won't my ocelot turn into a cat?

That was removed in 1.14. Cats are now a separate mob found in villages, and ocelots can only be befriended (trust), never tamed. If you want a pet cat, tame a village stray instead.

Does a trusting ocelot follow me?

No - trust only means it stops running away and will accept food. It will not teleport to you or sit on command like a cat. In Bedrock, a bred baby ocelot trusts you but still wanders freely.

Do ocelots keep creepers away like cats?

Yes - creepers avoid ocelots the same way they avoid cats, keeping about 6 blocks of distance. A few trusting ocelots around your jungle base double as living defenses.