How To Draw a Cat (Free Printable + Video)

Take a meow-ment to add a little creativity to your classroom this season. Kids love drawing, and one of their favorite subjects is animals, especially their beloved pets. Our free printable has step-by-step instructions for teaching kids how to draw a cat. Make it a fun Friday group activity, or keep it on hand for your fast finishers.  

If you’re ready to embrace a purrr-fect art tutorial, check out our video and images with step-by-step instructions. Plus, be sure to download the free printable instructions so kids can easily follow along.

How To Draw a Cat Video

Step-by-Step Instructions on How To Draw a Cat

Step 1

Once you have your paper and Sharpie ready, begin by drawing a U shape toward the top of the paper. Each side of the U should come to a point to form two triangles that will be connected by a straight line across.

Step 2

Next we’re going to draw the outline of the cat’s body. It should be about one and a half times as long as the head. Draw a straight line down from the neck. Then draw a curved line that starts small near the base of the head and bumps out toward the bottom. Connect the two lines with a slightly curved line to create the bottom of the cat’s body.

Step 3

Now we are going to draw the main details of the face. Draw two small triangles inside each of the ears. About halfway down the face, you will draw two small U shapes for the eyes. Then draw a small black oval for the nose with two hook shapes coming out of it to form the mouth.

Step 4

Now we’re going to add some whiskers and fur. Draw three lines from the nose and mouth going straight out and extending out of the sides of the face. Finally, add some small markings on the cat’s forehead so it appears that there is fur on the face.

Step 5

Now we’re ready to give our little feline some legs. Draw four lines spaced out evenly underneath the neck. The lines should go up about halfway to three-quarters of the way up the cat’s body. Finally, add two little paws at the bottom of each of the legs to connect them.

Step 6

We can’t forget about the cat’s tail or the markings! Draw a curved tail that extends out from the backside of the cat and upward toward the cat’s neck. Once you’ve added your tail, you can add some triangle markings on it as well as the cat’s back. Shade them in for an extra punch!

Get your free How To Draw a Cat Printable with step-by-step instructions!

Are you ready to save and print your free cat drawing printable? All you need to do is click the button to fill out the form at the top of this page.

Do you have more ideas for animal drawing activities? Come and share them in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out more of our favorite Directed Drawing Activities for Kids.