Sheet C · /motifs/cat/ · 14 designs · 3 formats · 1 ink

Cat tattoo stencils and outlines

14 cat designs, from a sleeping cat 1.5 inches long for the wrist to a 4.5 inch Bastet for the thigh or back. Print any of them as an outline, a stencil or a flash.

Designs14
Formats3
Styles6
UseFree
IN
Black cat with curled tail, stencil preview3.50 in3.50 in
1″
FT-02 · Black cat with curled tailStencil · Letter · PDFScreen preview · prints at exactly 3.50 inTest square: 1 in × 1 in. Measure before you transfer.
Print spec · FT-02

Black cat with curled tail

Format
Size
3.50 in1″4″7″10″
Place
Mirror
Paper
Test sq.
1 in square, bottom left of every sheet
3.50 inAs drawn
Filter the contact sheet14 of 14 designs
Style
Placement
Size
Difficulty
FT-02On sheet
Black cat with curled tail 3.5″

Black cat with curled tail

Traditional · 3.5 in
Detailed
FT-12
Black cat head with leaves 3″

Black cat head with leaves

Traditional · 3 in
Beginner practice
CT-01
Sitting cat from behind 2.5″

Sitting cat from behind

Traditional · 2.5 in
Beginner practice
CT-02
Cat face outline 1.75″

Cat face outline

Traditional · 1.75 in
Simple
CT-03
Sleeping cat, fine line 1.5″

Sleeping cat, fine line

Fine Line · 1.5 in
Simple
CT-04
Minimal sitting cat 1.75″

Minimal sitting cat

Fine Line · 1.75 in
Simple
CT-05
Cat with a rose 3.5″

Cat with a rose

Traditional · 3.5 in
Detailed
CT-06
Cat on a crescent moon 4″

Cat on a crescent moon

Neo-Traditional · 4 in
Detailed
CT-07
Maneki-neko lucky cat 3.5″

Maneki-neko lucky cat

Japanese · 3.5 in
Detailed
CT-08
Egyptian cat (Bastet) 4.5″

Egyptian cat (Bastet)

Blackwork · 4.5 in
Detailed
CT-09
Standing cat outline 2.5″

Standing cat outline

Traditional · 2.5 in
Simple
CT-10
Peeking cat 2″

Peeking cat

Traditional · 2 in
Beginner practice
CT-11
Angular cat head 4″

Angular cat head

Geometric · 4 in
Detailed
CT-12
Cat head with peonies 4.5″

Cat head with peonies

Neo-Traditional · 4.5 in
Detailed

§1What a cat tattoo means

A cat tattoo can simply be for a cat you love. Three of the designs here also carry an older story.

  • FT-02 Black cat with curled tail and FT-12 Black cat head with leaves. In the US, as in much of the West, a black cat crossing your path is said to bring bad luck. The idea goes back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when black cats were tied to witches. In Scotland, a black cat turning up at your door is a sign of prosperity. Both designs are also on the Friday the 13th flash page.
  • CT-07 Maneki-neko lucky cat. The name means “beckoning cat.” In Japan the figure is often set in shop windows and entrances, its raised paw beckoning customers in. What a raised left or right paw means varies from one account to another.
  • CT-08 Egyptian cat (Bastet). Bastet was a protective goddess of Lower Egypt, shown as a cat or as a woman with a cat’s head. Thousands of cat mummies and many cat statuettes were found at Bubastis, her main cult center. CT-08 is drawn in the upright seated pose of those statuettes.

§2Cat face, silhouette or flash

For a cat face, CT-02 Cat face outline is the plainest, set at 1.75 in. CT-11 Angular cat head builds the face from straight lines and suits a forearm or chest.

A silhouette outline keeps the body shape with little drawn inside: CT-01 Sitting cat from behind, CT-09 Standing cat outline and the fine-line CT-04 Minimal sitting cat. CT-06 Cat on a crescent moon and CT-08 fill the cat in solid black. For a first tattoo, look at CT-02, CT-04, CT-09 and CT-03 Sleeping cat, fine line, all rated Simple.

In the Flash format CT-01 is a white cat with a black tail, and CT-12 Cat head with peonies has red flowers.

§3Cat sizes by placement

PlacementUsual sizeGood designs
Wrist1–3 inCT-02, CT-03, CT-04, CT-10 Peeking cat
Ankle1–3 inCT-01, CT-03, CT-09, CT-10
Neck2–4 inCT-02, CT-03, CT-04, set to 2 in or more
Forearm3–6 inCT-05 Cat with a rose, CT-07, CT-11, FT-02, FT-12
Calf2–6 inCT-01, CT-06, CT-07, CT-12
Chest3–10 inCT-11, FT-12
Back4–10 inCT-06, CT-08, CT-12
Thigh4–10 inCT-08, CT-12, CT-05, FT-02, set larger than their default

Ranges are a starting point, taken from published size charts by Saved Tattoo and Inkjin. Whiskers are usually the thinnest lines on a cat, so give a detailed design the upper half of the range. CT-02, CT-03, CT-09 and CT-10 also suit a hand.

§4An outline of your own cat

For your own cat, use the stencil maker. Pick a photo where the cat sits side-on or looks straight at the camera, crop it close and start in Outline mode. A black cat on a dark couch gives very few lines; shot against a pale wall, the same cat becomes a filled silhouette in Solid mode. Expect your artist to tidy up the result.

§5Questions

Q1What does a black cat tattoo mean?

It depends on whose folklore you follow. In the US a black cat crossing your path means bad luck, while in Scotland one turning up at your door is a sign of prosperity. Black cats are also a classic Friday the 13th flash subject; FT-02 and FT-12 are the two here.

Q2Which cat outline tattoo is easiest?

CT-02 Cat face outline, CT-03 Sleeping cat, fine line, CT-04 Minimal sitting cat and CT-09 Standing cat outline are rated Simple. CT-01 Sitting cat from behind, CT-10 Peeking cat and FT-12 Black cat head with leaves are marked Beginner practice.

Q3How big should a cat face outline tattoo be?

CT-02 Cat face outline is set at 1.75 in, inside the usual 1–3 in for a wrist or ankle. For the neck, set it to 2 in or more.

Q4Are there cat flash tattoos in color?

Yes. Every design here has a Flash version, and most are filled with color. FT-02, FT-12, CT-06 and CT-08 print as black cats, and CT-07 Maneki-neko lucky cat comes in cream with a gold bell.

Q5Can I turn a photo of my cat into a tattoo outline?

Yes, with the stencil maker. It runs in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded. Crop close around the cat first, because the tool does not remove the background.