How to Draw a Tabby Cat (Easy Step by Step)
This tabby cat is built from ovals and simple curves, so it is a great drawing for beginners. A big oval head, two triangle ears, a round tummy and four small ovals make up the sitting cat. Whiskers and a zigzag forehead stripe finish the look.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a tabby cat step by step
How to Draw a Tabby 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: The head
Draw a big wide oval for the cat's head. Make it a little wider than it is tall, like a squashed egg.
Step 3: The pointy ears
Add two triangle ears on top of the head. Each ear starts on the side of the head, goes up to a point, and comes back down to the top of the head.
Step 4: Body curves
Draw two curves that start at the bottom of the head, near the middle, and bend out and down like the top of a round tummy. Then add a small curved line far below, which marks the bottom of the tummy.
Step 5: Front legs
Draw two tall ovals, one on each side of the tummy, leaning a little toward the middle. They are the cat's front legs.
Step 6: Paws and tail
Draw two flat ovals at the bottom for the paws, joined to the legs by short lines. Then draw a long curvy tail that sweeps out from behind the body on the right and curls up.
Step 7: Nose and smile
In the middle of the face, draw a short line going down for the nose. At the bottom of it, add two tiny curves side by side to make a happy smile.
Step 8: Eyes and whiskers
Put two small dots on the face for eyes. Then draw several long, straight lines on each cheek, fanning out a little like sunbeams.
Step 9: Stripes
Draw a zigzag W shape on the forehead. Then add three short stripes across the tail.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your tabby cat? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a Persian cat or how to draw a badger next.
Tips for drawing a tabby cat
- Draw the head oval first and make it wide, because the ears, whiskers and face all depend on it.
- Keep the two front leg ovals the same size and lean them in a little toward the tummy so the cat looks like it is sitting.
- Draw the tail as two curved lines that stay about the same distance apart, then add the stripes last.
Free tabby cat coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this tabby 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 tabby cat drawing
Color the cat orange with darker orange stripes on the forehead and tail, and leave the paws white. For a creative twist, give the cat rainbow stripes on its tail.
Tabby cat fun fact for kids
Tabby is not a breed of cat. It is a coat pattern, and many tabby cats have a marking on the forehead that looks like the letter M.
Questions about drawing a tabby cat
What shapes do I need to draw a cat?
You need ovals for the head, paws and legs, curved lines for the round tummy, and two triangles for the ears. The tail is just a long curved band.
How do I make my cat look cuter?
Keep the eyes as small dots set wide apart on the face, and keep the nose and smile small. A big round head also makes a cat look extra cute.
How do I draw cat whiskers?
Draw several straight lines on each cheek, fanning outward a little. Draw them after the eyes and smile so they do not cross them.
