Not all Minecraft Baby Animal Mobs are created equal

Last week, Minecraft announced that the game's baby animal mobs are finally getting the makeover they've needed for a long time. Until now these Minecraft mobs have really only looked like smaller versions of their full-grown counterparts. Personally, I always thought this made them look more creepy than cute. Their designs never really made me want to cuddle them, but the changes made have definitely changed my view of baby animal mobs.

The new look of Minecrafts baby animal mobs definitely turn up the cuteness dial. But some are definitely cuter than others. The mobs are still in development, so there is time to make some adjustments before the official launch. For the most part, almost all baby animals look much better. Between the stars of this upcoming update and animals still in need of a little tweaking, Minecrafts fresh baby animal mob deals are off to an incredibly strong start.

Minecraft's Baby Animal Mobs are reminders that the simplest changes can be the most effective

Interested Minecraft players can test the mobs now, but they are still a work in progress. While some mobs can still be improved, they all look better across the board. However, one of the biggest highlights of this mob change is with Baby Chicken. They actually finally look like little fluffy chickens running around. The main difference is that developers have taken the time to make the mobs look closer to their real versions instead of just shrinking adult mobs. Minecraft making this kind of change is not only a more realistic way to approach baby animals; it's just sweeter in general. Animals in Minecraft have continued to be a beloved part of the game, and this will only make the sight of their baby versions that much better.

List of animal mobs getting a makeover

Wolf pup
Kitten
Baby chicken
Rabbit
Piglet
Lamb
Calf
Baby Ocelot

A big game changer is the difference in eyes. The baby animal mobs listed will soon have a single pixel for eyes instead of the usual two pixel versions of the adult mobs. It's a simple action that makes a world of difference. The new eyes give the pack animals a more cartoonish look that makes it clear they're supposed to be particularly adorable. It's hard to choose the cutest animal in the Minecraftbut the arrival of the new and improved Baby chicken, Piglet, Wolf pupand Calf in particular are likely to be forerunners. The Baby Chicken overhaul has already made waves in the community, as both its eyes and body design have been completely changed.

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Kittens, piglets, and wolf puppies now get their own custom sounds to make them sound even more pet-like. Minecraft Sound designer Sandra Karlsson explained the reasoning behind the change, saying: “Instead of the heightened versions of the adult sounds, I wanted to capture the uniqueness of a kitten meowing and a puppy yawning to let them have their 'own' personalities and add more life (and cuteness!!) to Minecraft universe.” I think this particular tweak is going to be one that really shines through. Getting to hear baby animal sounds with some of the mobs will help differentiate them from their adult versions even more. This upcoming Minecraft game drop isn't just focused on cuteness. It aims to make the animals even more dynamic.

The sounds of real kittens, puppies and piglets were recorded to make these mobs feel more authentic.

As good as Minecraft's Baby Animal Mob looks change, some still need some work

The most underwhelming of the bunch are probably the Kitten and Baby Ocelot. Don't get me wrong. I think both of these are still pretty cute, but they're not as eye-catching. The single pixel eyes don't seem to work as well for them. Instead of adding more cuteness, their faces look strangely blank and emotionless. Theoretically, the eye change should work across the board. I'm not completely sold on the different eyes that work for Minecrafts cat mobs though. It might have been best to just leave them alone for now.

All eleven Kitten mob variants get this new look.

Regardless, these changes could be a stepping stone to a cuter cat design, as there's a chance the cats could get additional tweaks before they officially release or sometime down the road. Maybe keeping the kitten or Baby Ocelot mobs unchanged would help make the two stand out from each other. It can also be a good way to compare both designs in-game, allowing players to provide additional feedback on which looks best in action.

Baby Animal Mob changes are just the tip of the 2026 Minecraft iceberg

Last year saw several major declines for players. Minecraft's Mounts of Mayhem drop had plenty of great features, and this year's animal swap is likely a small taste of what's to come to the sandbox title later in 2026. The smaller, more frequent game drops that Mojang has been doing in recent years have been a good way to keep Minecraft feels exciting. It has proven to be a good approach for a live-service inspired scheme. The gameplay drops may be smaller in scale, but the ongoing baby mob upgrades show that just because an update is relatively minor doesn't mean it isn't a significant change.

What else does Minecraft have in store this year?

right now, MinecraftThe 2026 roadmap is kept secret. However, that doesn't mean there isn't already news to be excited about. The upgraded baby animal mobs are the highlight of the year so far, though Minecraft fans who also happen to love LEGO already have something extra to look forward to. New Minecraft LEGO sets have been leaked, and Mojang is sure to announce more interesting game drops throughout the year. The new baby mobs are a good way to Minecraft to kick off the year, so it will be exciting to see what else the developers have planned for the game.