How to Draw a Grinning Cat (Easy Step by Step)
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The Cheshire Cat is famous for its huge, toothy grin, and that grin is the star of this drawing. You can build the whole cat from a round head, two triangle ears, a big hill for the back, and a long rectangle for the branch.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a grinning cat step by step
How to Draw a Grinning Cat · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: Head and ears
Draw a big round head, a little taller than it is wide. Give it two pointy triangle ears on top, with a gentle dip between them.
Step 3: Back and tail
Start at the side of the head and draw a big, smooth hill for the cat's back. Let it curve down on the right, then swoop it into a curly tail at the bottom.
Step 4: The branch
Draw a long, flat rectangle with rounded ends under the cat, like a log. Add a short curved line where the tail tip meets the branch.
Step 5: The wide grin
Draw a big smile shape across the lower half of the face, with a flat top and a curved bottom. Make it nice and wide, about half as wide as the head.
Step 6: Face, teeth and paws
Draw three short stripes on the forehead, then two curved eyebrows with a dot eye under each, and a small dot for the nose. Add short lines for teeth hanging inside the grin. Finish with two little paws under the chin that reach down to the branch, and a small oval knot on the log.
Step 7: Back stripes and leg
Draw three short stripes on the cat's back, a curved line on its side for the leg, and a tiny stripe near the end of the tail. These lines make your cat look like a real tabby.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your grinning cat? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a white rabbit with a pocket watch or how to draw a mad hatter hat next.
Tips for drawing a grinning cat
- Draw the grin before the teeth. Make the smile shape first, then fit short, evenly spaced lines inside it like piano keys.
- Draw the head lightly at first so you can check that the ears sit evenly on both sides before you press harder.
- Draw the branch after the body and tail. Stop the paw lines where they touch the branch, and the cat will look like it is really sitting there.
Free grinning cat coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this grinning cat coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your grinning cat drawing
Try purple and pink stripes for a classic Wonderland cat, with a bright white grin and a brown branch. For a creative twist, color the background in swirly night-sky colors and leave only the grin glowing, just like in the story.
Grinning cat fun fact for kids
The Cheshire Cat comes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a book by Lewis Carroll from 1865. In the story, the cat can fade away until only its grin is left floating in the air.
Questions about drawing a grinning cat
What shapes do I need to draw a Cheshire Cat?
You need a big round head, two triangles for the ears, a large curved hill for the body and tail, and a long rounded rectangle for the branch. The grin is just a wide smile shape with short lines inside.
How do I make my Cheshire Cat look more mischievous?
Make the grin as wide as you can and keep the curved eyebrows high above the eyes. A big smile with a row of teeth gives the cat its sneaky look.
How do I draw the teeth so they look even?
Make a row of short straight lines hanging from the top of the grin. Space them out with the same gap between each one, and start in the middle so both sides match.
