In this step by step drawing lesson, we’ll learn how to draw a cat.  We’ll draw just a typical, “run of the mill” feline here – not very cute.  There are enough pictures of cute cats out there already, right? Texture will be important here, so after we draw the basic shapes, we’ll create lines that give the illusion of fur, while also developing the values.

Just like with anything else, we’ll simply break the cat down into easy to draw shapes.  When we put those simple shapes together, we’ll have the form of the cat.  From there, we’ll simply add the contour lines (outlines) and some directional stroking to create the illusion of fur.

Let’s get started…

Step 1 – Draw Shapes for the Body of the Cat

Begin by drawing three simple shapes.  These shapes should overlap each other quite a bit.  A circle can be drawn for the head, a long oval for the body, and a shorter but wider oval for the hind leg. These shapes will help us “find” the structure of the body. You can draw loosely and use several light lines to draw these shapes.

Step 2 – Draw Lines for Ears, the Hind Leg, and Tail

Next, draw a couple of lines extending out from the top for the ears.  These lines are almost like triangles with a subtle curve at the top. Notice that they do not touch the top circle – leave a little space here.

Just above the long oval, draw a couple of curved lines for the beginnings of the eyes.  We’ll draw a slightly curved line that begins near the middle of the long oval for the edge of the front right leg. The hind leg of the cat can be drawn here too.  Coming out from the hind leg, we’ll draw a curved line for the tail. We’ll thicken it up later in the process, but for now – a simple line will do.

Step 3 – Add a Few Details to the Face and Complete the Shapes for the Legs and Paws

Next, we’ll add a few details to the face including the bottom portion of the eyes and lines for mouth, nose, and bottom of the chin.  A cat has a triangular shaped nose with a line descending right below it. Two diagonal lines are drawn off of this line. We’ll also finish off the shapes for the front legs. Notice how the bottom of theses shapes bow outward to indicate a paw.

Just a shape for a paw is drawn for the hind leg on the left since all of the leg is hidden from this view.  A line can be added to indicate the chest. This line starts near the middle of the front right leg and curves upward. It almost touches the left side of the long oval that we drew in the first step.

Step 4 – Draw the Remaining Outlines of the Cat and Add Some Whiskers

Now, using the structural lines and shapes that we have already put down, we’ll finish off the contours (outlines) of the cat’s body.  This makes the cat appear more natural. We’ll also use the line that we drew for the tail and make it thicker. Be careful not to lose the curve when you do this. We’ll also add some whiskers extending outward, just above the bottom of the chin.

Step 5 – Finish the Drawing of a Cat

We now have enough information in place and we can finish the drawing.  You may want to go over the lines with ink to enhance the contrast.  Once the ink dries, you can erase any pencil lines that remain to clean up the finished image.

Directional stroking is important here. We’ll draw lines that flow in the direction that the fur grows in order to create texture. These lines are concentrated around the outer edges of the body of the cat. The more that you concentrate these lines, the darker the value (or shading) becomes. A few stripes are also added to the tail and the inside of the ears are darkened. We’ll also add a few details to the paws.

A bit of cast shadow added underneath the body also adds to the drawing and makes the cat appear as though it is sitting on the floor.

Here are the steps to draw a cat in one image…