Do I need to flip the parallelogram for the cat?

Yes. In this figure the parallelogram is mirrored, so you must flip the purple piece over; rotating it is not enough.

Can I print the tangram cat?

Yes: print the outline on this page, or download the figures PDF from the printable tangram page — it includes this figure, its solution and the seven pieces.

Home › Tangram Cat

Tangram Cat

The tangram “Cat” is a medium-difficulty tangram figure: the outline looks simple, but one or two pieces hide in unexpected places. Like every figure here, it uses all seven pieces — two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, a square and a parallelogram — with nothing left over and nothing missing. Below you will find the dark silhouette to solve, the complete solution and a clean outline to print and color.

Puzzles + solutions (PDF)Color pieces (PDF)

Cat

Show solution

How to build it, step by step

Place the two large triangles first. Together they are always half of the figure, and their long edges usually form the longest side of the silhouette.
Add the medium triangle and the square next to them; they fill the wide middle areas.
Finish with the two small triangles and the parallelogram — they make the fine details: corners, tips and narrow ends.

The key trick of this figure: the parallelogram is flipped over (used as its mirror image). It is the purple piece, and it is the only piece that cannot be mirrored by rotating it — if it refuses to fit, turn it face down.

Print and color the Cat

Tangram Cat coloring outline Print this outline and color each piece before or after solving it — coloring first is a good memory trick for young children. The same figure is in the figures PDF on the printable tangram page, together with the piece templates.

Play the Cat online

You can also solve this exact figure in the online tangram game: drag the seven pieces onto the dark silhouette and the game tells you when the cat is complete. All the other figures live on the tangram shapes page.

FAQ

Is the tangram cat easy or hard?: It is a medium-difficulty tangram figure: the outline looks simple, but one or two pieces hide in unexpected places.
Do I need to flip the parallelogram for the cat?: Yes. In this figure the parallelogram is mirrored, so you must flip the purple piece over; rotating it is not enough.
Can I print the tangram cat?: Yes: print the outline on this page, or download the figures PDF from the printable tangram page — it includes this figure, its solution and the seven pieces.

More tangram pages

Free for personal and classroom use.