Young girl with blonde hair dressed up as a black cat on a deck.

A "grand" Black Cat Halloween Costume

Look at this cute little “grand” in the DIY black cat Halloween costume she designed herself! She asked me to sew her a tail, we collaborated on a collar, and she added the mask. That spurred the idea for this post, because making it was so simple.

Would you like a Halloween costume that you can put together in an hour or less? Then this fast DIY Black Cat Halloween Costume is the idea for you.

A packet of rainbow foam sheets and other various supplies to make black cat halloween costume.

Black Cat Halloween Costume for adults or kids

This idea works for both adults and kids. It could be a cute family costume for all the family to wear!

Gather supplies- be resourceful!

The first step is gathering the supplies. Hunt around your home for materials that will work for the supplies listed below.

Tip: It will help if you read over the instructions first so you can fit what supplies you already have with the instructions below. Be resourceful, you can tweak the ideas and use items available to you in your home. That’s half the fun of this project!!

Hand holding black cat tail showing straight pins holding fabric together.

Sew a "cat tail"!

The tail is made of black fabric and stuffed. It can be hand sewn or sewn by machine. Use the method that you are comfortable doing.

Tip: You can ask a friend to machine sew the tail if you want. There is only one seam and a tuck. This will take them about 5 minutes to sew if you have it cut out and prepared in order to be respectful of their time.

Cut fabric

The black fabric for the tail can be new fabric or upcycled fabric (like fabric from a pair of sweats or a t-shirt that you don’t mind cutting up and using). You need about ⅛ yard of fabric as the tail is long and skinny. This is a great way to use up fabric scraps from past projects!

Hand holding down sewn inside of black cat tail with small notches cut into the fabric.

Fold

Fold the fabric in half the long way with the right sides together (the good side of the fabric). Cut a piece that is 2 feet long for kids or 2 ½ feet long for adults and 2 ½ inches wide. Don’t cut the folded edge. Cut and taper off one end that will be the pointed end of the tail. Pin the edge.

Sew by hand or machine

Hand sew or machine sew a ½ inch (4/8 inch) seam down the long edge and the tapered end of the tail. Do NOT sew over the end of the tail where we will add stuffing.

Note: I haven’t experimented with fabric glue but think if you have time to let the tail fully dry and are gentle with stuffing it seems like it would work.

Hand flipping sewn black cat tail right side out with pencil.

Stuff loosely

Use polyester fiberfill stuffing to put down into the tail. Don’t make it stuffed tight, so it has a bit of bend to it and looks more tail like. Leave 2 inches on the open end without stuffing in it.

Tip: You can use scraps from an old t-shirt or something if you don’t have stuffing.

Hand stuffing white cotton into black fabric cat tail.

Add ribbon

Turn the open end and stitch it about 1 inch away from the folded end. You will run a ribbon through this end, so you are making a little casing for the ribbon.

Run a ribbon/cord/long shoelace through the casing in the tail. This will tie around the waist and hold the tail on, so it needs to be long enough to go around the child/adult’s waist.

The tail is finished!!

Hand threading colorful rope through a sewn loop in black cat tail for costume.

The black cat’s collar

The Collar is very easy to make. Cut a ribbon/cord/shoelace that will fit around the neck and tie easily. If you have a choker necklace that works really well for this purpose.

Cut a circle of yellow craft foam and poke a small hole about ¼ inch from the edge in one place. Write the person’s initial on it (with the hole at the top). Use a piece of thread to go through the hole and tie it onto the ribbon.

Done!

Hand hot gluing pink foam nose to black cat mask with craft supplies all around.

The black cat’s mask

Lastly use the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam post to provide the pattern and instructions for making the mask. There is a free pattern there for both children and adults that is used as a base for making a Black Cat Mask. The video shows the process. It is fast and easy.

Make the mask and features from craft foam and tie on with ribbon or attach it to a craft stick.

Note: The mask (and collar) could be made from cardboard and colored with markers if you do not have craft foam!

Note: Another option is to use a headband for ears by folding craft foam (or cardboard) in half and stapling them over the headband. Then with the ears on you just use face paint or an eyebrow pencil to make a nose and whiskers directly on the face.

Mask is ready!

Black cat mask, collar and ears made from foam and black hair elastic.

DIY Black Cat Halloween Costume-

Get dressed and ready to go!

Now, put on a black shirt or sweater and black pants, leggings or sweats.

So many options!! You can make it happen with whatever you have!!

Tie the tail around the waist. Tie the collar around the neck (not to tightly). Put on the mask. You are ready to go!!

I’m excited to see what you come up with! Be innovative!

More Easy Halloween Costumes and Activities

Need another Halloween costume? Here are some more DIY costume ideas from around the site! In a rush? Try the other masks in the first post for some last minute costume ideas! If you have a bit more time, give some sewing a try and whip up one of the more extensive costumes. Most importantly, have fun!

And if you want some fun Halloween activity ideas, check out the list below!

Two young girls, dressed as a black cat and a witch, go trick or treating.

Enjoy!

If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.

Come join the fun at https://welcometonanas.com

DIY Black Cat Halloween Costume

Shelly

This DIY Black Cat Halloween Costume for adult or child can be made in an hour or less. Use your black clothes and the free mask pattern.

Link for free pattern is found on this post- https://welcometonanas.com/diy-animal-masks-from-craft-foam/

Print Pin

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Type Costume

Cuisine Art Project

Yield 1 costume

Equipment

Sewing machine OR hand sewing needle
Scissors, pins

Items Required

Craft foam in black, pink, and yellow (or cardboard and markers)
OR face paint/or eyebrow pencil, hair band and black paper, craft foam or cardboard and stapler
Free pattern from DIY Easy Animal Mask post
Black fabric- ⅛ yard or reuse a pair of black sweats or a black t-shirt
Black ribbon, cord or pair of long black shoelaces (length enough to fit around waist and tie and also to fit around neck and tie)
Polyester polyfill stuffing- OR use the rest of the black sweats or black t-shirt for stuffing
Thread
Black shirt/or sweater and pants/leggings/or sweats, black tutu is optional

Instructions

The black fabric for the tail can be new fabric or upcycled fabric (like fabric from a pair of sweats or a t-shirt that you don’t mind cutting up and using). You need about ⅛ yard of fabric as the tail is long and skinny. This is a great way to use up fabric scraps from past projects!
Fold the fabric in half the long way with the right sides together (the good side of the fabric). Cut a piece that is 2 feet long for kids or 2 ½ feet long for adults and 2 ½ inches wide. Don’t cut the folded edge. Cut and taper off one end that will be the pointed end of the tail. Pin the edge.
Hand sew or machine sew a ½ inch (4/8 inch) seam down the long edge and the tapered end of the tail. Do NOT sew over the end of the tail where we will add stuffing.
Use polyester fiberfill stuffing to put down into the tail. Don’t make it stuffed tight, so it has a bit of bend to it and looks more tail like. Leave 2 inches on the open end without stuffing in it.
Turn the open end and stitch it about 1 inch away from the folded end. You will run a ribbon through this end, so you are making a little casing for the ribbon.
Run a ribbon/cord/long shoelace through the casing in the tail. This will tie around the waist and hold the tail on, so it needs to be long enough to go around the child/adult’s waist.
Tail is done!
The Collar is very easy to make. Cut a ribbon/cord/shoelace that will fit around the neck and tie easily. If you have a choker necklace that works really well for this purpose.
Cut a circle of yellow craft foam and poke a small hole about ¼ inch from the edge in one place. Write the person’s initial on it (with the hole at the top). Use a piece of thread to go through the hole and tie it onto the ribbon.
Collar is done!
Lastly use the Easy DIY Animal Masks from Craft Foam post to provide the pattern and instructions for making the mask. There is a free pattern there for both children and adults that is used as a base for making a Black Cat Mask. The video shows the process. It is fast and easy.
Make the mask and features from craft foam and tie on with ribbon or attach it to a craft stick.
Now, put on a black shirt or sweater and black pants, leggings or sweats. Add tail, collar and mask. You are ready to go!

Video

Keyword black cat costume, Black Cat Halloween Costume, DIY project, DIY project for home

Supplies for the DIY Black Cat Halloween Costume

Craft foam in black, pink, and yellow (or cardboard and markers)
OR face paint/or eyebrow pencil, hair band and black paper, craft foam or cardboard and stapler
Free pattern from DIY Easy Animal Mask post
Black fabric- ⅛ yard or reuse a pair of black sweats or a black t-shirt
Black ribbon, cord or pair of long black shoelaces (length enough to fit around waist and tie and also to fit around neck and tie)
Polyester polyfill stuffing- OR use the rest of the black sweats or black t-shirt for stuffing
Sewing machine OR hand sewing needle
Thread
Scissors, pins
Black shirt/or sweater and pants/leggings/or sweats, black tutu is optional