Origami Cat

The cat’s out of the bag – these easy to fold feline faces are adorable! Practice your folding and follow along as we make an Origami Cat. Be careful though, it’s hard to stop once you start and you might end up with a colony of cats!

This is a great activity for accompanying the book ‘The Truck Cat’, written by Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Danny Snell and published by Hardie Grant Publishing. ‘The Truck Cat’ will be read as part of the ALIA National Simultaneous Storytime 2025 event!

Step 1With the patterned side of the paper facing upwards, valley fold the bottom edge up to the top and crease, then open the fold back up. Valley fold the right side over to the left and crease, then unfold.
Step 2Flip the paper over so the blank side is facing up. Valley fold the bottom left corner up to the top right and crease, then open back up. Valley fold the bottom right corner up to the top left and crease, then unfold.
Step 3Flip the paper back over and pick up the paper, folding along the crease lines you have created. The diagonal lines should mountain fold and the others valley fold. Pinch together in the centre to form a cross shape before folding flat into a triangle as shown. Make sure there are two flaps on each side and the point is facing downwards.
Step 4Take the left and right points of the top flap and bring down to the bottom point. Fold flat and crease.
Step 5Flip the triangle over. Fold the right-hand point up and to the left so that a small triangle shape sits above the top straight edge. Crease down along the length of the right-hand side as shown before repeating on the left-hand side.
Step 6Flip the paper over. Fold the top right-hand point inwards and crease so it aligns with the top straight edge. Repeat on the left-hand side as shown.
Step 7Fold the bottom point upwards, creasing just over halfway. Make sure to fold up all layers.
Step 8Fold the right point inwards and crease to match the bottom edge below. Repeat with the left-hand point.
Step 9Unfold the bottom edge then refold, this time firstly tucking in the side tabs that were folded inwards in step 8.
Step 10Flip the paper over. You will now see the cat’s face! Draw in features such as eyes, nose, whiskers and ears.
Step 11Your Origami Cat is now finished! Use the bottom flap at the back as a stand to keep the face upright. Make as many cats as you like and give them all different faces!