How to Knit a Cat: Your Complete Video Tutorial Guide — From Britain with Love

There is something deeply satisfying about sitting down with a pair of needles, a ball of soft yarn, and the intention of creating something that looks exactly like a sleeping tabby. Knitted cats have become one of the most beloved projects in the crafting community, and it is not hard to see why. They make wonderful gifts, beautiful home decorations, and — if you are the kind of person who gives names to inanimate objects — surprisingly good company on a quiet evening. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to knit your very own cat, with a full breakdown of the techniques featured in our video tutorial, From Britain with Love.

Whether you are a complete beginner picking up needles for the first time or a seasoned knitter looking for a new challenge, this project has something to offer at every level. We will cover yarn selection, essential stitches, shaping techniques, assembly, and all the little finishing touches that turn a bundle of stuffed knitting into something that genuinely looks like it belongs curled up on your sofa.

Why Knit a Cat? The Joy of Toy Knitting

Before we dive into the how, it is worth spending a moment on the why. Toy knitting — and specifically animal knitting — has exploded in popularity over the last decade, and the humble knitted cat sits right at the heart of this trend. Unlike garments, toy projects are relatively small, which means they are fast to complete and use very little yarn. You can often finish an entire cat from a single ball of DK or Aran weight yarn, sometimes using up leftovers you have had sitting in your stash for years.

There is also a tremendous creative freedom to toy knitting. Your cat does not need to fit anyone. It does not need to be a specific length or have a certain sleeve measurement. If it comes out a little rounder than planned, that is simply a well-fed cat. This forgiving nature makes knitted toys a genuinely enjoyable project rather than an anxiety-inducing one, and it is one of the reasons we recommend this project so enthusiastically to beginners.

The finished cat also travels beautifully through time. A knitted toy given to a child today can become a cherished object passed down through generations. Many of us remember knitted toys from our own childhoods with a particular kind of warmth, and there is something meaningful about being the person who creates that object for someone else.

What You Will Need Before You Start

Getting your materials together before you begin is one of the best habits you can build as a knitter. Nothing disrupts the flow of a project quite like having to stop halfway through because you have run out of yarn or cannot find your tapestry needle. Here is a full list of what you will need for this project.

For yarn, a DK weight (also known as 8-ply) works beautifully for this project and gives you a nicely defined fabric that holds its shape well once stuffed. Choose any colour that appeals to you — classic tabby tones like grey, ginger, cream, and brown are always popular, but there is absolutely no reason you cannot knit a lavender cat or a deep midnight blue one if that is what calls to you. You will need approximately 100 grams of your main colour and small amounts of contrasting yarn for features like the nose, eyes, or any markings.

For needles, a 3.5mm or 4mm pair of straight or double-pointed needles works well with DK yarn. The exact size matters less than the tension you achieve, so do knit a tension square before you begin if precision is important to you.

You will also need polyester toy stuffing, which is widely available from craft shops and online. Do not be tempted to use old fabric scraps or cotton wool — toy stuffing gives a much more even, professional result and helps the finished cat hold its shape over time. A tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends is essential, as are a pair of small scissors and stitch markers to help you keep track of increases and decreases.

Optional but recommended: safety eyes in your preferred size (6mm to 10mm works well depending on the scale of your cat), or embroidered eyes if you are making this toy for a young child where safety concerns around small parts apply.

Understanding the Basic Stitches

If you are new to knitting, or if you want a refresher before you start, the video tutorial covers all of the stitches used in this project in detail. Here is a written overview to complement what you will see on screen.

The knit stitch and the purl stitch are the two fundamental building blocks of all knitting. The knit stitch creates a smooth V-shaped surface on the side facing you, while the purl stitch creates a bumpy horizontal bar. When you alternate these across rows, you create different textures — stocking stitch (knit one row, purl one row) gives you a smooth, classic fabric that is ideal for the main body sections of your cat.

Increases and decreases are what allow you to shape your knitting into three-dimensional forms. The most common increase used in this project is the kfb (knit front and back), where you knit into the front of a stitch as normal, then, before removing it from the left needle, knit into the back loop as well, creating two stitches from one. This is a gentle, easy increase that creates only a small visible bar in the fabric.

For decreases, you will use k2tog (knit two together), which leans to the right and is the most natural decrease to learn, and ssk (slip, slip, knit), which leans to the left and gives you a mirrored decrease for symmetrical shaping. You will use pairs of these decreases when shaping the head, the body, and the ears, which is what gives the finished cat its rounded, organic form.

If you are knitting in the round on double-pointed needles rather than working flat and seaming, the basic principle is the same — you are simply knitting a continuous spiral rather than working back and forth in rows.

Knitting the Body

The body of the cat is typically worked from the base upward. You will cast on a set number of stitches — the exact number depends on the pattern variation you choose from the video, with the standard version starting with around 10 stitches — and then work a series of increase rows to build out the rounded lower body.

In the video tutorial, we demonstrate working the body in the round, which eliminates the need for a long side seam and gives a very clean result. If you prefer to work flat and seam afterward, the technique works equally well and the seam can be placed at the underside where it will not be visible.

After the increase section, you will work a number of straight rows in stocking stitch to create the main body cylinder. This is the relaxing, rhythmic part of the project where you can settle in and simply knit, letting your hands find their groove. It is also a wonderful time to start thinking about what kind of personality your cat is going to have.

Once the body has reached the desired height, you will begin the decrease section, mirroring the increases from the beginning to close the top of the body. You do not need to fully close the top at this stage — leave an opening large enough to insert your stuffing before you finish seaming or grafting the final stitches.

When stuffing, add the filling gradually and check the shape as you go. A body that is very firmly stuffed will hold its shape beautifully but may feel hard to the touch; a more loosely stuffed body will be softer and squishier. Neither is wrong — it simply comes down to personal preference and what the cat will be used for.

Knitting the Head

The head is worked separately from the body and is, for many knitters, the most satisfying part of the project because it is where the cat’s personality really starts to emerge.

Begin by casting on stitches in the round and working increases to create the rounded skull shape. The head is essentially a sphere, built up through a series of evenly spaced increases followed by straight rows and then decreases to close. In the video, we show you exactly where to place your increases so that they radiate evenly around the head and create a smooth, round shape without any flat spots or lumpy seams.

Before you close the head entirely, you will add your eyes. If you are using safety eyes, this is the moment to insert and lock them in place, since once the head is fully closed you will not be able to attach them securely from the inside. Position them carefully — the placement of the eyes has an enormous influence on the expression and personality of your finished cat. Eyes set wider apart tend to give a gentle, open expression, while eyes placed closer together with a small nose below create a more compact, kitten-like face.

After stuffing and closing the head, you will embroider the nose using a small amount of pink or brown yarn and a tapestry needle. A simple triangle of satin stitch or a few straight stitches worked over each other creates a delicate, realistic nose. Whiskers can be added using very long straight stitches of white or cream yarn, or, for a more durable result, lengths of nylon thread.

Knitting the Ears, Tail, and Legs

The ears are small but impactful. They are typically worked flat as simple triangles — cast on a small number of stitches, decrease one stitch at each end on every right-side row until only one stitch remains, and fasten off. Two of these triangles are then folded slightly and sewn to the top of the head at the appropriate positions. A small pinch at the base of each ear before sewing gives them that characteristic upright, alert quality that makes them look so cat-like.

If you want to add inner ear detail, you can work a smaller triangle in a contrasting pink yarn and either knit or stitch it onto the face of the outer ear before attaching both to the head.

The tail is one of the most charming details on a knitted cat and is wonderfully simple to make. It is worked as a long, thin tube — either on double-pointed needles or using a simple i-cord technique — and can be as long and dramatic as you like. A curled tail is achieved by simply leaving a length of yarn inside the tube as you stuff it, then curling the tail into position before attaching it to the body and anchoring it with a few stitches.

The legs are short cylinders, again worked either in the round or flat and seamed, and are attached to the underside of the body. The positioning of the legs determines whether your cat appears to be sitting, lying down, or ready to pounce. The video tutorial shows you the most popular position, which is a seated pose with front legs straight and slightly angled, giving the cat a dignified, composed look.

Assembling Your Knitted Cat

Assembly is where all of your individual pieces come together, and taking your time here will make an enormous difference to the finished result. Use your tapestry needle and a length of the main yarn to sew each piece in place, working small, neat stitches that pull the surfaces together without leaving visible gaps.

The head is attached to the body first, and this is the joint that requires the most care. Work around the entire circumference of the neck join rather than just tacking the head on in a few places — a fully sewn neck will be much stronger and will hold its position much better over time.

Once the head is secure, attach the legs, the tail, and the ears, checking the overall balance of the figure as you go. Step back and look at your cat from different angles. Is the head tilted at a pleasing angle? Are the ears symmetrical? Does the tail curl in a way that looks natural? Small adjustments at this stage are very easy to make and can transform a good result into a great one.

Finishing Touches and Customisation

The final stage is all about the details that make your cat uniquely yours. Beyond the eyes, nose, and whiskers, there are a wonderful range of finishing details you might consider adding. A small ribbon or collar knitted in a contrasting colour gives your cat a domestic, pampered look. Stripes or patches worked in intarsia or duplicate stitch can replicate the markings of a specific breed or a real cat you are trying to recreate.

Some knitters add a small amount of lavender or dried herbs to their stuffing, which creates a beautifully scented cat that doubles as a drawer sachet or gift for someone who loves both crafts and gentle aromatherapy. Others add a small squeaker or bell inside for younger children.

The beauty of this project is that once you have knitted one cat and understood how it goes together, you have the skills and confidence to adapt it endlessly. Change the proportions to knit a kitten. Work in a long, flowing mohair for a Persian. Add tabby stripes for a more naturalistic look. The same basic construction approach will serve you every time.

Joining the From Britain with Love Community

The video tutorial that accompanies this guide walks you through every single step shown here in real time, with close-up footage of the needles, demonstrations of each stitch and technique, and guidance on all of the trickier moments like ear placement and eye positioning. If you ever get stuck, the written guide and the video work beautifully together — use one to clarify the other.

We love seeing finished cats from our community, and we warmly invite you to share your makes with us. Every cat that comes off the needles is a little different, shaped by the knitter’s hands, the yarn chosen, and the small decisions made along the way. That is what makes handmade objects so special, and it is at the heart of everything we do here at From Britain with Love.

Happy knitting — and may your finished cat find a very good home.