Easy drawing · step by step

How to draw a cat

Meet Smudge. In 17 easy steps you’ll draw a sitting cat with big eyes and a striped tail curled round its paws, using a pencil and paper: two circles to start, then the ears, whiskers and soft shading.

17 steps
Beginner
Pencil and paper

Or follow the steps

A finished pencil drawing of a cute sitting cat with big eyes, long whiskers and a striped tail curled round its paws — Smudge, finished

You’ll need

A pencil (an HB is fine)
Paper
An eraser

Draw a cat, step by step

This step’s lines
Already drawn

Draw everything in pencil: the blue only shows what’s new in each step. Save all 17 steps to Pinterest

STEP 1Guide lines
Body and head guides
Start light: a big circle for the body, and a smaller circle up on the right for the head, nearly touching it.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
STEP 2Guide lines
Ear, leg and tail guides
Two short lines up from the head for the ears, two lines down for the front legs, and a long curve for the tail, curling round in front.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
STEP 3Outline
The head and ears
Now the outline: under the chin, up the side and round the right ear, over the top of the head, then round the other ear and down the cheek.
STEP 4Outline
Inside the ears
A line inside each ear, and a few little tufts of fur.
STEP 5Outline
The eyes
Two big eyes: an outline for each, a big pupil inside, and a little circle for the glint. The far one is a little smaller. Just outlines for now.
STEP 6Outline
Nose and mouth
A small mouth like a letter w, with a little triangle nose sitting on top.
STEP 7Outline
The whiskers
Three long whiskers on each side, flicked out from the cheeks.
STEP 8Outline
The back and chest
One long curve up the back to the head, then the chest down from the chin, the line along the bottom, and the curve of the back leg.
STEP 9Outline
The legs
The two front legs standing straight, with round paws and little toe lines, and the back paws tucked underneath.
STEP 10Outline
The tail
The tail curls round in front of the paws. Start at the round tip, come back along the inside edge, then go round the outside from the body.
STEP 11Outline
Tail stripes
Now the fun bit: curved stripes across the tail.
STEP 12Clean lines
Erase the guides
Rub out the circles and guide lines. Only the cat stays.
STEP 13Clean lines
Go over the outline
Now press harder and go over the outside edge of the whole cat, so it stands out from the lines inside.
STEP 14Shading
Shadow side
The light comes from the top left. Shade the side away from it with a soft, even tone. Keep most of the cat white.
STEP 15Shading
Cast shadow
A soft shadow on the ground underneath, so it sits on the page.
STEP 16Shading
Deep shadows
Press a little harder in the deepest places: under the chin, behind the front legs and where the tail tucks under.
STEP 17Shading
The darks
Last of all, fill in the pupils, leaving the glints white.

Tips for a better cat

Start with two circles
A big circle for the body and a smaller one for the head, nearly touching. Keep them light: they get rubbed out in step 12.
Make the eyes big
Big eyes with large pupils are what make a cat look cute. Leave a little circle in each for the glint.
A w for the mouth
Draw the mouth like a small letter w, with a little triangle nose sitting on top.
Curl the tail round
Bring the tail round in front of the paws, then add curved stripes across it.
Shade one side, keep it light
Shade the side away from the light softly, leave most of the cat white, and press harder only under the chin, behind the front legs and where the tail tucks under.

Smudge’s world has 8 more drawings

DrawRabbit has 95 narrated drawings in 10 worlds, from axolotls to dragons. You draw each one with a real pencil and paper, and the first drawing in every world is free.

In the box
The ball of wool
The window sill
Over the rooftops

Free to start · iPhone and iPad

Questions

Is this cat easy to draw?

Yes. It starts with two circles and a few guide lines, so the shape is right before you add any detail, and each step only adds a little. If you’ve never drawn before, it’s a good first drawing.

What do I need?

A pencil, paper and an eraser. Draw the first steps lightly: the guide lines are rubbed out in step 12.

How do I draw the cat’s face?

Two big eyes with a large pupil and a little glint, a small mouth like the letter w with a triangle nose on top, then three long whiskers on each side. The far eye is a little smaller than the near one.

Can kids draw it?

Yes. It’s made for beginners of any age. If reading the steps is hard, the draw-along talks you through each line while it draws.

What is DrawRabbit?

A drawing app for iPhone and iPad: narrated, step-by-step lessons you follow with a real pencil and paper. 95 drawings in 10 worlds, free to start, no account needed.

Made by DrawRabbit, from the app’s own narrated lesson: the step pictures are drawn by the same stroke-by-stroke player. Updated 21 October 2026.