I discovered this petite treasure in my library's bookstore. Even the volunteer clerk and her friend joked about slipping this into their pockets while I wasn't looking.

The story goes is that the author overheard a mother cat instructing her kittens about life, and this book is a collection of those instructions, plus sketches of a black cat (my own?) following them.

My personal favorite, which also applies to humans, is lesson 40: "Learn the difference between idleness and repose--one wastes time, the other luxuriates in it."

I learned that my mom and her cat are not unique and "chasing a pingpong ball around the tub" is in fact one of the "three best late-night activities."

Some advice most cats adhere to, others I wish mine would adhere to. Many us humans ought to follow. This is a book for everyone! ( )