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How to Draw a Cat

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Let me show you how easy it is to draw a cat. Even if you’re a beginner, you’ll be ready to color this drawing in just a few minutes. I’ve also added lots of ideas for crafts that you can make with this cat drawing. 

It’s a fun way to make the drawing of a cat, we’ll start by drawing the basic round shape to make the head, then add the body, the ears, and a cute little tail. 

WATCH HOW TO DRAW A CAT intro video

The full video can be found down below

I get commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this post. There is no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

This short tutorial can be done by both digital and traditional methods. This means that you can use a digital drawing tablet or a pencil and paper.  

If you’re looking for cartoon animal drawings, then this is a good place to start. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to upload your finished drawing to your cutting machine and cut a template using your simple cat drawing.

You can print the instructions and the template below. Follow this tutorial and watch the video to learn how to draw a cat drawing.

Once you’ve finished, you can make a bunch of cute little cats.  Copy and paste or just duplicate the first cat that you made and move them around the canvas any way that you like.

If you want to make a Halloween theme drawing, you can do that easily by adding a few spooky ghosts, a pumpkin, and a spider. I’ve got instructions to draw a spider web in this post and a spider drawing for kids in this other post too.

To personalize your drawing, you can add a name just under the cat. Here are three ways that you can add text to your drawing. 

For a step by step tutorial on how to do this in Inkscape, sign up for my So Simple SVG Quotes course.

  • computer on a white desk with So Simple SVG Quotes course on the screen
  • computer screen with calligraphy font
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How to Draw a Cat for Beginners

Let’s start by gathering your materials to draw the cat. 

Drawing Supplies

Digital Drawing Supplies

iPad

Apple pencil

Procreate

Paper Drawing Supplies

Drawing pencil

Drawing Paper

Art markers or Colored Pencils

Light Table for Tracing (optional)

I like to use Procreate or Inkscape to make my easy cartoon drawings. Inkscape is an open-source graphic software.  Which means it’s free to use and Procreate is a paid app. Sometimes, I use an online Inkscape drawing app if I’m not at my home computer.

Draw a Cute Cat Step by Step

For this drawing, I use Procreate and an iPad. 

In the first step, we’re going to make a small circle for the head. 

how to draw a cat head

Pro Tip: When you get to the end of drawing the circle, hold down the apple pencil for a few seconds to get a perfectly round circle.

Draw two large curves. This will be the cat body.

Add two lines and a set of 3 curves for the leg and then repeat this step for the second leg.

See the picture below.  

Next, draw a curved line on the bottom left of the body and then a curved line on the bottom right of the body.

Draw the ears by making an upside-down V-shaped line, on one side of the head, and then the same on the other side of the head.

How to Draw a Cat Face

Let’s make a face for the cat.

Draw a small circle on the left and a small circle on the right side of the cat head.

These are the eyes.

Draw an upside-down triangle in the middle of the head for the cat nose. Make a line down from the nose and then a curved line on each side of the face to make the mouth.

Draw the Cat Tail

Start with a curvy S shape for the little cat tail.

You can add a few triangle shapes to his face and body to make it look like he has stripes.

The cat drawing outline is complete and you can move on to coloring the outline.

Coloring the Cat Drawing

You’re ready to color your drawing of a cat.

To do this, use the color drop method. Make sure that your areas are bounded (that means that they are closed with no gaps). 

If you have gaps, just zoom in and draw a line to close the gap. Watch the video to see how I did this.

Next, click on a section of the cat to fill it with color. 

Repeat this process to color in every section of the cat.

Your easy cat drawing is done. Ready to make more?!

If you liked this lesson, you’ll love my So Simple SVG Files course. I will walk you through the steps to make digital drawings using simple shapes in Inkscape.  You’ll also learn how to transfer your drawings to your craft projects. I’m sure you’d love to use your vinyl cutting machine sitting in the back of your closet!

Enroll now

Want more easy drawings for starter projects like this? Check out my collection of animal drawings.

How to Draw Animals

Here are a few other animals that you can learn to draw. These simple steps are easy to follow.

Crafts to Make with a Cat Drawing

The nice thing about digital drawings is that you can upload them to a cutting machine and make print and cut designs for lots of craft projects. If you have a sublimation printer, this will be even easier.

Here are some crafts that you can make with your cat drawing:

Find this cat t-shirt from Ninety5 Prints

Get this cat mug from Nicole Grey Designs

Those are just a few ideas to get you started.  Check out some of these ideas for easy crafts that you can try. 

Imagine all of the crafts that you can make with the cat drawing. You can make lots of fun paper, fabric, leather or vinyl crafts. 

If you have a Cricut or Silhouette machine and a heat press, you can make iron-on t-shirts. Of course, you can use scissors to cut out the cat but a cutting machine will make it even easier.

Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine

As you can see, you can take your drawing and put it on tons of physical crafts!

Have you ever wondered how you can turn your hobby into a money-making craft business? Check out my post on 5 great reasons to open a craft shop on Etsy.

Make sure to save this to your favorite drawing board on Pinterest. Click the link below to save it for later.

Feel free to add a photo of your drawing to the pin so that I can see your cute cat.

Yield: 1

How to Draw a Cat Easy Tutorial

how to draw a cat
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Let me show you how easy it is to draw a cat. Even if you’re a beginner, you’ll be ready to color this drawing in just a few minutes.  

Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • Digital Drawing Supplies
  • Paper Drawing Supplies

Tools

Instructions

  1. For the first step, we’re going to make a small circle for the head.
  2. Then draw a semicircle on the left and another on the right for the body of the cat. how to draw a cat
  3. Draw 2 legs on each side.how to draw a cat
  4. Draw two sets of triangles on top of the head for the ears, then two circles for the eyes.how to draw a cat
  5. Draw a triangle for the nose, two curved lines for the mouth, a semi-circle on the tummy, and finish it off with a curvy s-shape for the tail.how to draw a cat
  6. Choose a color from the color wheel and drag and drop it to each section. You can also color it with crayons or markers or color pencils.how to draw a cat instructions sheet

Notes

Color Tips

If you are making a digital drawing, make sure to close any gaps. This will make it easier to color the drawing using the color drop tool.

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© Naa Ardua
Project Type: Drawing / Category: How to Draw
huion HS610 graphic tablet
How to Draw a Cat

How to Draw a Cat

Learn the art of drawing a cat with these frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What supplies do I need to start drawing a cat?
A: To start drawing a cat, you will need pencils, paper, an eraser, and optional colored pencils or markers for coloring.
Q: How do I draw a simple cat face?
A: Begin by drawing an oval for the head, add two triangles for the ears, and sketch two large circles for the eyes. Fill in details for the nose, mouth, and whiskers.
Q: What are the basic steps for drawing a full cat?
A: Start with a simple outline of the body, add legs and a tail, and then fill in the details like the face, fur, and patterns. Don’t forget to add whiskers and claws!
Q: How can I make my cat drawing more realistic?
A: To make your cat drawing more realistic, pay attention to the proportions, shading, and fur texture. Study cat anatomy and practice regularly to improve your skills.
Q: Are there any online tutorials for drawing cats?
A: Yes, there are many online tutorials and YouTube videos that can help you learn how to draw cats. You can find step-by-step guides and tips from professional artists.
Q: Can I use reference images while drawing a cat?
A: Using reference images is a great way to improve your cat drawing. It helps you understand the anatomy, fur patterns, and poses. Just be sure to respect copyright and use images for inspiration, not direct copying.
Q: How do I add color to my cat drawing?
A: You can add color to your cat drawing using colored pencils, markers, or digital software. Start by selecting the appropriate colors and apply them to your drawing with light strokes, gradually building up the colors.

Melanie

Wednesday 5th of October 2022

I'd like to use your tutorial on how to draw a cat in a Teacher pay Teacher lesson on grammar. Could you give me written permission for that? I'd list your site on my sources.

Naa Ardua

Friday 7th of October 2022

Hi Melanie, Please send me an email with the details. You can write to me at "naad(at)paperflodesigns.com"

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