Mermaid Cat Coloring Page

This mermaid cat coloring page is as silly as it sounds. A laughing orange tabby swims under the sea, with a pink scaly tail in place of back legs. She holds both paws out wide, and a string of pearls with a little shell hangs around her neck. Fish swim past on both sides, bubbles rise to the surface, and coral and seaweed grow from the sandy floor.

It is a funny idea, and kids always laugh when they first see it. A cat that lives in water is the opposite of what most cats would like.

Fun colors for a mermaid cat coloring page

Orange tabby is a classic look, and it works well with a pink tail. You could also do a gray kitten with a teal tail, or a white cat with rainbow scales. Base the fur on a real pet if you have one. Children love turning their own cat into a sea creature.

Leave the fluffy chest pale cream. Add darker orange to the stripes, and keep the inside of the ears light pink. The big tail fins look good in sea green, with a matching band and gold diamonds at her waist. For the water, use a calm turquoise.

• Draw a tiny crown between her ears.
• Add a small fish skeleton on the sand for a joke.
• Color every other scale a lighter pink. The round scales get smaller toward the tail.

Do cats really hate water?

Most pet cats avoid water, and part of the reason is their fur. Once it gets wet, it takes a long time to dry, and it feels heavy. However, a few breeds actually enjoy it. The Turkish Van has been called the swimming cat, and fishing cats in Asia dive right in to catch their dinner. You can read about the fishing cat on Wikipedia.

So our mermaid kitten is not as silly as she seems. Share this fact with your child, and look up a video of a fishing cat. It may surprise you both.

Invent your own sea creature

Mixing animals is a great drawing game. Fold a sheet of paper into three parts. One person draws a head, then folds it over. The next draws a body without looking, and the last draws a tail. Open it up to see what you made. A dog with a shark's fin? A cow with wings?

This old game is often called exquisite corpse, but "mixed up monsters" is a better name for kids. It teaches them that drawing does not have to be perfect, and it fills a rainy day nicely.

A name and a story

Every funny character needs a good name. Sea Kitty, Purrmaid and Whisker Fin are all good picks. Ask your child to choose one and write it across the top. Then answer three questions. What does she eat? Who are her friends? What is she afraid of? A short list is often all a young writer needs to start.

Teachers can use it in a lesson about real and pretend. Which parts of this animal are real? Which are made up? A silly picture makes the idea clear.

How hard are the tail scales?

We rate this one as medium, and it suits ages 4 to 10. The face is big and clear, but the tail has many round scales. Plan on 30 minutes. Younger kids can color the whole tail one color and skip the scales. A sharp pencil helps with the thin whisker lines, and a gel pen adds a shine to the scales.

More funny friends

Once your mermaid cat coloring page is done, see our cat coloring pages for more kittens. The mermaid friends page could use a pet, and the cute coloring pages hub is full of smiles. The whole group is on our mermaid coloring pages hub.

Questions