A tall striped top hat, worn by a cat it hides the ears of entirely, with the tail curving out to one side. There is something faintly ridiculous about it, and children respond to that. The hat is a wide band of stripes to fill and the cat below is left plain, so the page divides neatly into a careful half and a quick half. The smiling cat face puts the hat on the side instead.
A cat sitting under a tall striped top hat.
More cat drawings to try
Want to draw cat in a top hat yourself?
Here is cat in a top hat in 8 steps.
Draw the cat's head as a rounded shape, no ears yet.
Lay the brim across it as a wide flat ellipse.
Build the crown up from the brim, sides straight and parallel.
Close the top of the crown with a matching shallow curve.
Band the crown with stripes that follow the brim, not the page.
Add the face below: eyes, nose, mouth, whiskers.
Draw the seated body with both front paws down.
Sweep the tail out to the left of the body.
What you need
Paper, a pencil and an eraser.