Cheetah Coloring Pages

The fastest land animal! Cheetah!

Cheetah is the best runner among all the cat animals! With a sleek body and long legs, Cheetah runs across the grassy plains like the wind. Cheetah is very popular at the zoo, too!

How fast is Cheetah?

Cheetah can run over 100 kilometers per hour! That is as fast as a car on the highway. It takes only about 3 seconds for Cheetah to reach top speed after starting to run. But Cheetah can only run at full speed for short distances.

Body secrets for running

Cheetah's body has changed over time to run super fast. The head is small, the chest is big, and the body is very slim with no extra fat. The long tail acts like a rudder so Cheetah does not lose balance when making sharp turns while running. Also, the claws stay out all the time, sticking into the ground like running spikes to hold on tight!

The secret of the black lines on the face

If you look at Cheetah's face, you can see black lines from the inside of the eyes to the corners of the mouth. These are called "tear marks (tear lines)." These black lines act like sunglasses to block bright sunlight, making it easy to see prey far away!

Hunting during the day

Lions and leopards often hunt at night, but Cheetah hunts mostly during the day. This helps Cheetah avoid fighting over food with other strong meat-eating animals like lions. Cheetah looks for prey with sharp eyes, sneaks up close, and dashes all at once to catch it!

Where does Cheetah live?

Cheetah mostly lives in the wide grasslands of Africa called the savanna. The color of the dry land looks a lot like Cheetah's body color, so it is hard to find Cheetah hiding in the tall grass!

How to Choose Your Colors

When you think of Cheetah, you think of a cool yellow body with black spots. Let's pick colors that look bright in the savannah sun.

• Body color: Use yellow, golden yellow (orange-yellow), or light brown for the main color. Using a brighter color will make Cheetah look full of energy!
• Telly color: Paint the belly, under the neck, and inside the legs with a whitish color or cream color to make it look real.
• Spot color: Color all the spots on the body carefully with black. Making the spots different sizes will look natural.
• Face lines: Use black to draw the tear marks from the eyes to the mouth clearly.

Let's Draw the Fur!

Cheetah has short, stiff fur, but it looks a bit fluffy all over.

• If you use colored pencils: When you color the yellow parts, make quick, short lines in the direction the fur grows (from head to tail). This makes it look like real fur!
• When coloring spots: Color the yellow body first, then draw the black spots over it. Be careful not to smudge them.

Use "Shadows" and "Lights" for a 3D Look

Add shadows to show how Cheetah moves its muscles when running, and to show its round body shape.

• Shadow spots: Add a little dark brown or orange inside the legs, under the belly, and under the neck.
• Light spots: Color lightly or leave white on the back, the strong shoulder muscles, and the top of the nose to show where the light hits.

Make the Background a Savannah!

Try coloring a picture of the African grasslands where Cheetah lives.

• Sky: A clear, sunny blue sky looks great.
• Ground: In a savannah with lots of dry grass, use light brown or yellow. If it's a green grassland after the rain, you can use yellow-green! Adding trees and rocks far away is fun, too.

Tips to Enjoy Your Coloring Page!

Every single spot on Cheetah has a different shape. You can make any pattern you like! You can even imagine "What if there was a rainbow Cheetah?" and color it with any colors you want. It is so much fun!