The first cat I ever drew looked like a potato with ears. I was maybe seven, hunched over a scrap of paper, absolutely certain it would come out perfect. It did not.
But here’s the thing I wish someone had told me back then: cats are one of the best animals to learn on, because underneath all that fur they’re built from simple shapes you already know how to draw.
I taught my niece to draw one last summer, and she had a cat she was proud of in about ten minutes. No natural talent required. Just a few circles, a couple of triangles, and a little patience.
This guide shows you how to draw a cat easy step by step using two methods. First, a cute cartoon cat that’s simple enough for a young kid.
Then a sitting cat that’s one step up, for when you’re ready for a little more. Grab a pencil and let’s start with shapes, not fur.
What You’ll Need
Nothing fancy. A regular HB pencil, an eraser, and any paper you’ve got will do the job. If you want to make the final drawing pop, keep a fineliner or a marker nearby for outlining, and some colored pencils or markers if you feel like coloring it in.
That’s honestly all it takes. If you’d rather ink your cat cleanly at the end, a fineliner from this drawing pens guide gives you a crisp finish, but a pencil alone is completely fine to learn with.
The Simple Shapes Every Cat Starts With
Before any steps, here’s the one idea that makes cats easy: almost every cat drawing is just circles, triangles, and curves. A circle for the head. An oval for the body. Two triangles for the ears. A curved line for the tail. That’s the whole skeleton.
When you start, draw these guide shapes with very light pressure. You’re not committing to anything yet, just sketching a loose frame you’ll refine and erase later. Light guide shapes are the secret behind every clean drawing you’ve ever admired.
Cats are basically all curves, so if you’re comfortable drawing smooth curves, you’re already halfway there. If not, don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of practice in the next few minutes.
Method 1: How to Draw a Cute Cartoon Cat (6 Easy Steps)
This is the easiest cat you’ll ever draw, and it’s the one I’d start any beginner or kid on. Six steps, no tricky proportions.
Step 1: Draw the Head
Start with a simple circle. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it won’t be. Keep your pressure light.
Step 2: Add the Ears
Two triangles sitting on top of the circle. Don’t make them too tall, cat ears are wider at the base than they are high.
Step 3: Draw the Face
Two dots or small ovals for the eyes, a little triangle for the nose right in the center, and a tiny curved line for the mouth underneath.
Step 4: Add Whiskers and Details
Three short lines on each side of the nose for whiskers. Then draw a smaller triangle inside each ear to give them a bit of depth.
Step 5: Draw the Body
Add a simple rounded body below the head. For the absolute simplest version, you can even keep it as a little head-and-body blob, the chibi style kids love. No legs required.
Step 6: Outline and Clean Up
Go over your final lines with a bit more confidence, then erase any leftover guide marks. If you’ve got a fineliner, ink it now, and color it in if you like. Done. You drew a cat.
Method 2: How to Draw a Sitting Cat (Step by Step)
Ready to level up? A sitting cat has more form to it, but it’s still built on the same shape logic. This one looks impressive and it’s easier than it seems.
Step 1: Head and Body Guides
Draw a circle for the head near the top, and a larger pear or oval shape below it for the sitting body. A sitting cat’s body is wider at the bottom, like a soft triangle.
Step 2: Connect the Form
Join the head to the body with a gentle curve for the neck and back. Add a straight-ish line down the front for where the front leg will sit.
Step 3: Ears, Face, and Tail
Triangle ears on top, the facial features in place, and a curved tail sweeping around the front of the body. The tail wrapping around is what really sells a sitting cat.
Step 4: Refine the Outline
Smooth out the body contour so it flows from head to haunches, and add simple rounded paw shapes at the front.
Step 5: Add Simple Fur and Details
A few short strokes at the chest and ear tips, and define the eyes a little more. Keep it minimal, you’ll thank yourself later.
Step 6: Final Line and Cleanup
Firm up your outline, erase the guides, and color if you want. You’ve now got a cat with actual posture.
How to Draw a Cat Face (Getting the Features Right)
The face is where most beginners feel their cat go wrong, so it’s worth slowing down here. The good news is that a few simple placement rules fix almost everything.
Put the eyes about halfway down the head, roughly one eye-width apart. That gap matters more than the shape of the eyes themselves.
The nose is a small upside-down triangle centered just below the eyes, and the mouth is a little curved line or a soft ‘w’ underneath it. Add three whiskers per side, evenly spaced, and a small triangle inside each ear for depth.
One quick trick: the eyes carry the whole mood. Big round eyes read cute and alert. Half-closed eyes read sleepy and relaxed. Change nothing else and you’ve changed the cat’s entire personality.
Easy Cat Fur (Without Overcomplicating It)
Here’s the mistake nearly everyone makes: they try to draw every hair. Don’t. Real-looking fur comes from suggesting texture in just a few spots, not covering the whole cat.
Use short, light flicking strokes only at the edges where fur naturally shows, the ear tips, the chest, the cheeks, and the tail. Leave the rest of the body smooth.
And always flick your strokes in the direction the fur grows: down along the back, outward from the face. That direction is what makes it read as fur instead of scribble.
If that sounds familiar, it should, fur is really just directional hatching. Once you’ve practiced hatching, drawing convincing fur becomes almost automatic.
Common Questions About Drawing a Cat
How do you draw a cat step by step?
Start with a circle for the head and simple shapes for the body, add triangle ears, place the face features, then outline and clean up. Basic shapes first, details last.
What is the easiest way to draw a cat?
The cartoon method: a circle head, two triangle ears, dot eyes, a triangle nose, and whiskers. Six steps, and no body proportions to worry about.
How do you draw a simple cat for kids?
Use the cartoon cat method. Keep everything to circles and triangles and let the child fill in the face. It’s forgiving, fast, and hard to mess up.
How do you draw a cat face?
Place the eyes halfway down the head about one eye-width apart, a small triangle nose centered just below, a little curved mouth, and three whiskers per side.
What shapes make up a cat drawing?
Mainly circles and ovals for the head and body, triangles for the ears and nose, and curved lines for the tail and legs.
Keep Practicing (Your Next Cat Will Be Better)
Your first cat might look a little wobbly. Mine looked like a potato, remember. That’s completely normal, and it’s not a sign you can’t draw. It’s just the first rep.
Try drawing the same cat five times in a row. I promise the fifth one looks noticeably better than the first, without you consciously doing anything differently.
Your hand learns the shapes through repetition. Once your cat feels solid, use the same shape-first approach on a dog, a bird, or whatever animal you love.
If you want a few more ideas to keep the momentum going, there are plenty of more simple things to draw to practice next. Keep that pencil moving.