Kawaii cat in a star headband holding a basketball beside a small hoop

Kawaii Cat Holding a Basketball by the Hoop

A big-eyed kitten in a star headband hugs a basketball while sitting beside a tiny netted hoop and striped tail.

🎨 How to color it

Color the kitten soft cream, the basketball bright orange, the headband sky blue, and the little star sunny yellow. Use chunky crayons for the kitten’s round face and ball, and don’t worry if color bumps over the thick black lines. Try making the hoop pole silver and the backboard pale mint so the orange basketball looks extra warm.

The story behind this coloring page

Whisker and the Waiting Star — Beside a tiny practice nook, Whisker pressed both paws on his basketball and waited for the hoop to stop going tap, tap, tap. Read the full story →

Beside a tiny practice nook, Whisker pressed both paws on his basketball and waited for the hoop to stop going tap, tap, tap. He wanted one clean swish before bedtime, but the rim wiggled whenever the room grew quiet. Dust smelled like chalk, and the rubber ball felt warm against his fur.

Then a silver speck blinked under the floor mat. “Wait for me,” whispered a voice as small as a squeak. Whisker sat still. The speck climbed up the hoop pole, crossed the backboard, and landed on his headband with a soft tick. The rim stopped shaking.

Ever since, kittens wear one star on their headbands before shooting, so the patient little star knows where to rest. If you peek at Whisker’s headband, can you tell whether the star is still listening?