Cats are fun to draw because they are made of simple shapes: an oval head, two triangle ears and a pear-shaped body. This guide shows how to draw a cat sitting up and looking at you, in six easy steps for kids and beginners.
The free PDF has a step-by-step sheet, a tracing page, a practice sheet with a grid and a coloring page, so kids can learn the shapes, practice them and then color their cat.
What’s in the PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large cat in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished cat in bold outlines
How to draw a cat step by step
- Draw the head. A wide oval, a little wider than it is tall.
- Add the ears. Two pointy triangles on top of the head, with a smaller triangle inside each one.
- Draw the body. From under the head, curve down and out on each side, then join them with a flat line at the bottom.
- Add the front legs. Two straight lines down the middle of the body, with small rounded paws and toe lines at the bottom.
- Draw the tail. A long tail that curls up beside the body. Use two lines and round off the tip.
- Finish the face. Two oval eyes with dots, a small triangle nose, a mouth shaped like a little w and three whiskers on each side.
If the cat looks too tall, make the body a little wider at the bottom. Cats sitting down look round and steady.
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you will learn the shapes and the order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished cat for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. The grid helps with size and spacing: count how many squares tall the cat is in the reference, then draw it the same way.
Color the finished drawing
Orange with darker stripes makes a classic tabby. Gray, black, white or cream all work, and pink inside the ears and on the nose finishes the face.
Drawing tips for kids
- Keep the ears at the top corners of the head so they do not look like horns.
- Draw the whiskers last, with quick light strokes.
- Try a different pose: curl the tail around the paws instead of up the side.
- Add a collar with a bell or a bow.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size PNG, then print it or save it. The full PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a cat: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Cat tracing page (PNG)
- a Cat practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Cat coloring page (PNG)
More cats: color the cat coloring pages or the cute coloring pages.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a cat for kids?
Start with simple shapes: an oval head, two triangle ears and a rounded body. The tracing page in the PDF lets kids learn the shapes before they draw on their own.
How do I make my cat look cute?
Make the head big compared to the body and give it large round eyes. Small, close-together facial features look cute.
What paper should I print it on?
Plain US Letter printer paper works. Use cardstock if your child will color with markers or wants to keep the drawing.
Can I use it in my classroom?
Yes. The pages are free for personal and classroom use. Print a copy for every student, and link to this page instead of sharing the PDF file.
