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The Kitten pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A chubby kitten head in silhouette is the subject of this easy cat pumpkin stencil, showing one ear, a round face, and a small curled tail peeking below, with four delicate whisker lines extending from either side. The main body is cut away as one large opening; the whisker lines are narrow positive strips of pumpkin skin that must not be cut. When carving, leave the whisker lines until you have removed the large body void on each side, then carefully define their outer edges with a single shallow scoring pass. It makes a fun jack-o'-lantern design for Halloween night. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 45-60 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 45-60 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Cut around the whiskers first. The four thin whiskers stick out from the cheeks and are the most fragile part of the plug. Trace each whisker from its tip toward the head with a fine saw before cutting anything else.
- Outline the ears and head. Work around the two pointed ears, cutting into each tip from both sides, then follow the round cheeks and head.
- Follow the body and curled tail. Continue down the chest and around the tail's curl at the bottom. Take the tight inner curve of the tail slowly; do not force the blade around the hook.
- Tab and release the kitten. This is one large plug, so leave a small tab on the lower body until the whole outline is cut. Slice the tab, support the piece with your palm, and push it out from inside.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
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Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
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Beginner-friendlyCurly the Kitten Pumpkin Stencil
A friendly cat face built from simple shapes: two pointed ears with inner triangles, big oval eyes, a tiny triangle nose, a curled smile, and three long whiskers sweeping out from each cheek. Every element is cut through, so the whole face lights up at once. The whiskers are just narrow slits, which is why kids can manage this one; poke each slit through with the tip of the saw and lengthen it slowly.
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A grinning cat jack-o'-lantern with triangle ears at the crown, big round glowing eyes, a small triangle nose, slender whisker slits, and a wide smile showing two square teeth. The main features are pierced through while the pumpkin skin between them forms the cat's face. This is a true easy design with big friendly shapes, so it is a great first carve for kids; just have an adult handle the thin whisker cuts with a fine saw.
Beginner-friendlyButton-Eyed Kitty Pumpkin Stencil
A sweet cat face built from simple shapes: two triangle ears cut near the top, round eyes, a small triangle nose, and three thin whisker slits fanning out from each cheek. Everything is a cut-through, so the ears, eyes, and whiskers all glow at night. It is an easy carve overall; save the skinny whisker slits for last and use a narrow saw with short strokes so the slits stay crisp.
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A sweet kitten face with pointed ear triangles, big almond eyes, a small triangle nose, extra-long whisker slits sweeping from each cheek, and a dainty curled smile beneath. All features are pierced through, and the long thin whiskers are what nudge this to medium difficulty. Cut each whisker as one smooth continuous stroke rather than sawing back and forth, and the slits will glow as fine clean lines.