Katrin Pollitt was born in Kiel on October 27, 1966. From 1988 until 1992, she studied acting at the Hamburger Hochschule für Musik und Theater. In 1993, she joined the Theater Basel, where she remained a company player until 1996. She later continued to star in stage productions at several theatres in Switzerland.

From the late 1990s on, Katrin Pollitt regularly appeared in TV and movie productions. She made a memorable turn as a police officer in two "Tatort" entries – both directed by her husband Thorsten Näter –, and had recurring roles in the TV shows "Der Dicke" (2005-2013), "Die Kanzlei" (2015/2016) and "Der Landarzt" (2004-2013).
Her other notable TV credits include "Späte Rache"- Eine Familie wehrt sich" (2008), "Der Gewaltfrieden – Die Legende vom Dolchstoß und der Vertrag von Versailles" (2010), "Die Konterrevolution – Der Kapp-Lüttwitz-Putsch 1920" (2011), "Die Machtergreifung" (2012) and "Verhängnisville Nähe" (2014).

Katrin Pollitt also appeared in theatrical releases, playing supporting roles in Buket Alakuş' award-winning tragicomedy "Eine andere Liga" (2005) and the period drama "Die Gräfin" (DE/FR 2009). After parts in the mockumentary "Fraktus" (2012) and in "Heute bin ich blond" (2013), Pollitt played a regime critic in the WWII drama "Jeder stirbt für sich allein" (DE/UK/FR 2016). This was followed by her lead role in the award-winning drama "Die Hände meiner Mutter" (2016), in which she plays a woman who sexually abused her son.