Easy Cat Drawing: Simple Step-by-Step for Beginners
This is the simplest way to draw a cat — built from two circles — a small one for the head on a larger one for the body, with every step small enough for total beginners and kids. No shading skills, no special supplies: a pencil, an eraser and five spare minutes get you a finished, recognizable cat drawing.
- Difficulty Easy
- Time ~9 min
- Tools Pencil, eraser, paper
- Starts with two circles — a small one for the head on a larger one for the body
How to Draw an Easy Cat, Step by Step
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Block in the head and body
Draw a circle for the head and a larger oval below it for the body. Keep the lines loose — wobbles are fine at this stage.
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Add triangle ears
Place two triangles on top of the head, slightly tilted outward. Simpler is better here: one confident line beats three careful ones.
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Draw the face
Two almond-shaped eyes halfway down the head, a tiny triangle nose, and a mouth like the letter ω right under it. If it looks off, adjust the big shape rather than adding detail.
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Shape the front legs and paws
Drop two nearly straight lines from the chest to the ground and finish each with a rounded paw. A rough version of this step is good enough — keep moving.
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Add the back haunch and tail
Draw a big round haunch on the side of the body, then sweep a thick tail curling around the front paws. Draw this bigger than feels natural; big shapes are easier to control.
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Whiskers, fur, and cleanup
Erase the construction circles, flick out three whiskers per cheek, and break the outline with tiny fur strokes on the chest and haunch. Done is better than perfect — finish the step and move on.
Want the full detailed version?
The complete Cat drawing tutorial covers proportions, texture and shading in depth.
Full Cat Drawing Tutorial →Easy Cat Drawing Ideas
A geometric low-poly cat
Build the cat from straight-edged triangles only — a modern design look that secretly teaches structure.
A sleeping cat curled up
Sleeping poses tuck away the legs and face details — draw one restful curve and let the pose forgive the anatomy.
A cartoon cat with a tiny accessory
Round everything, shrink the body, add one hat/bow/scarf. Accessories add personality for nearly zero extra difficulty.
A baby cat next to its parent
Same drawing twice at two sizes with bigger eyes on the little one — instant "aww" with skills you already have.
Cat face close-up portrait
Crop to just the face and make the eyes the star. Big expressive eyes carry the whole piece.
Continuous one-line cat
Draw the whole cat without lifting your pen. Great warm-up, and the wobbles are the style.
Easy Drawing Tips
- Trace your own drawing once. Tracing something you already drew builds muscle memory twice as fast as starting over.
- Use a light pencil for the shape stage and press harder only on the final outline — being able to erase guide lines is what makes the simple method forgiving.
- Finish it even if it looks wrong at step 3. Every finished easy drawing teaches the whole sequence; abandoned perfect starts teach nothing.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a cat?
Start with two circles — a small one for the head on a larger one for the body and keep every line light until the shape looks right — that's the entire method above. Most beginners get a recognizable cat drawing on the first try because each step is one simple move.
Can kids follow this cat drawing tutorial?
Yes — this version was written for young artists: big forgiving shapes, no shading, no fine details. Ages 5-6 and up can usually follow along with a little help reading the steps.
How long does the easy version take?
About five minutes for the basic drawing — roughly half the time of the full tutorial. Adding color takes another few minutes.
