How to draw a cat

A chubby, smug cartoon cat sitting upright is a friendly first character, because it is mostly circles and ovals. Follow all nine stages, from the first light shapes to the striped finish.

  • Cartoon
  • Beginner
  • 25 min
  • 9 stages

Draw on paper with any pencil or pen. Compare each stage with the guide before you move on.

The finished Cartoon cat drawing
What you will draw

Stage by stage

  1. Cartoon cat, stage 1: Big shapes

    Big shapes

    Sketch the largest ovals and boxes with light marks.

    Check before you move on: Do the big shapes fill the page like the reference?

  2. Cartoon cat, stage 2: Proportions

    Proportions

    Compare height and width, then add a center line.

    Check before you move on: Are the main height-to-width ratios close?

  3. Cartoon cat, stage 3: Placement

    Placement

    Mark the positions of the main parts before adding detail.

    Check before you move on: Are the main parts in the right places?

  4. Cartoon cat, stage 4: Outer contour

    Outer contour

    Choose one clear outline over your light guides.

    Check before you move on: Does the silhouette match the reference?

  5. Cartoon cat, stage 5: Interior edges

    Interior edges

    Add only the inner edges that explain the form.

    Check before you move on: Can you understand the form without extra lines?

  6. Cartoon cat, stage 6: Shadow shapes

    Shadow shapes

    Fill the largest shadow areas with one pale tone.

    Check before you move on: Are light and shadow clearly separated?

  7. Cartoon cat, stage 7: Midtones

    Midtones

    Add a middle tone between the light and shadow.

    Check before you move on: Can you see light, middle and dark groups?

  8. Cartoon cat, stage 8: Accents

    Accents

    Deepen a few dark accents where forms overlap.

    Check before you move on: Are the darkest marks limited and deliberate?

  9. Cartoon cat, stage 9: Finish

    Finish

    Refine a few focal details and keep the rest simple.

    Check before you move on: Does one focal area stand out?

Tips for this drawing

  • Start the head as a wide circle and the body as a tall oval, and keep both light so you can move them.
  • Draw the tail as a loop curling around the body before you add any stripes.
  • Let the stripes follow the curve of the body. They wrap around the shape instead of lying flat on it.

Make a lesson like this from your own photo

Sketchwise builds a guide image for every stage, checks your page along the way and scores the finished drawing.

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