Zen Vibes

How to Draw a Cat

  • 8 steps
  • Ages 5 and up
  • About 15 minutes
  • easy

This cat is a good beginner drawing for children and anyone helping them. You only need a pencil, an eraser, and something dark to trace the final lines. Start with the big head shape, then add the chest, front paws, ears, face, tail, and body sides. The pale dotted lines are light guide shapes to sketch first. Follow the black lines in each picture for what to draw in that step. In the last step, go over the lines you want to keep and rub out the dotted guides.

What you need: a pencil, an eraser, black pen or dark pencil, paper.

Print this guide as a PDF, 395 KB
  1. A large rounded cat head is drawn in black, with pale dotted guides showing ears above and the body below.

    Step 1

    Draw the big head

    Draw one large round head shape in the middle. It is a little wider at the top and flatter at the bottom.

  2. The head is now grey from the earlier step, and a black chest shape hangs below it like a rounded upside down leaf.

    Step 2

    Add the chest shape

    Under the head, draw a pointed chest shape. It curves out at the sides and comes to a soft point near the bottom.

  3. The chest is grey, and the black lines show two front legs and two large rounded paws with toe marks.

    Step 3

    Draw the front legs

    Draw two straight front legs down from the chest. Add two rounded paws at the bottom, with short toe lines on each paw.

  4. The front legs and paws are grey, and the black lines show two pointed ears with inner ear curves.

    Step 4

    Add the ears

    Draw two tall pointed ears on top of the head. Then add one curved line inside each ear.

  5. The head and ears are grey, and the black lines show two large shiny cartoon eyes in the cat's face.

    Step 5

    Draw the eyes

    Draw two big round eyes on the face. Fill in the pupils but leave small white circles and curved highlights inside them.

  6. The black lines add a small nose, a smiling mouth, and three whiskers on each cheek.

    Step 6

    Add the nose and whiskers

    Draw a small nose in the middle, then draw a short line down and two curved mouth lines. Add three whiskers on each side of the face.

  7. The face is grey, and the black lines show a tall curved tail on the right side of the cat.

    Step 7

    Draw the tail

    On the right side, draw a long tail that curls up, around, and back down. Keep the end rounded.

  8. The finished cat has a large head, pointed ears, big eyes, whiskers, front paws, rounded body sides, and a curled tail, with the dotted guides removed.

    Finished

    Finish the cat

    Go over the body sides, the paws, and the tail base with darker lines. Then trace any other lines you want to keep and rub out the pale dotted guides.

Tips for this one

  • Keep the first guide lines light so they are easy to rub out.
  • Make both eyes the same size for a calm, cute look.
  • Round paws and soft curves help the cat look friendly.

Now try this

  • Draw a bow around the cat's neck.
  • Turn the tail the other way.
  • Add a ball of yarn beside the cat.

Questions

My cat's head looks too big. Is that wrong?
No. This cat has a big head on purpose, so it looks cute and simple. If you want, you can make the body a little wider to match it.
Do I have to draw the dotted guide shapes first?
They help a lot, especially with size and placement. If you feel confident, you can draw the final lines straight in.
How can I make my cat look different?
Change the eyes, tail curve, or ear shape a little. You can also add stripes, spots, or a different face expression.

Now print the cat coloring pages →

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