Few folds are as instantly recognizable — and as forgiving — as a paper cat face. With nothing but a square sheet and six easy folds you get those two pointy ears and a round little head, the kind of thing that makes a great first project for a child or a curious beginner. There are no sneaky reverse folds hiding in here, just clear, photo-by-photo moves you can follow without breaking a sweat. Once the face is done, the best part is personalizing it: grab a pen and give your cat some eyes and whiskers, maybe even a tiny nose. Let’s fold one.

These instructions will show you how to fold a very easy origami cat face. If you’re just starting out with paper folding, we recommend you check out our beginner’s guide first to familiarize yourself with all the basics.

STEP 1. Fold the paper in half.

STEP 2. Fold both corners down along the dotted lines.

STEP 3. Fold both flaps of paper up along the dotted lines.

STEP 4. Fold the top part of the paper down and the bottom two layers up along the dotted lines.

STEP 5. Unfold the fold at the bottom and then fold it behind the model using that crease as a guide. Turn the paper over.

STEP 6. Fold the top part of the front triangle down along the dotted line.

The completed cat face

Feel free to draw in some eyes and whiskers.