How do you say cat in Chinese?

Mao is Chinese for cat, but a pet name is often 'me me'

貓 or 猫 "Mao." If you cannot see it, there is a slight difference in both characters.
The first character has more strokes to it than the second.
The first character is the traditional way of writing it, and the second is simplified.
In Mandarin Chinese, "māo" (rhymes with "cow") in a flat high tone.