(for the original BFF, Dr. Susan Lester, upon her
retirement as a veterinarian, Nevada City, California)

1. At age 9, sit in a circle on the floor with your
best friend next door and her younger sister
along with a cardboard box of month-old kittens.

2. Outside the biggish box, have a smaller box
of fresh kitty litter waiting.

3. Lift one kitten gently from one box
into the other.

4. Gently lift one of kitten’s front legs
and direct it to paw the gritty surface.

Note: Some kittens will resist this.
OK, most kittens. They will sniff.
Some may, as babies do, try to eat
the sandy stuff. Discourage this
by picking up kitten and gently
distracting it.

5. Return kitten to litter box. Try again.

6. Watch as kitten, quite on its own,
figures out, scratching sand or not,
that this is a place to go.

7. You and your de facto sisters heartily
congratulate kitten—and selves—
for a “job” well done.

All these years later, you recall that these
kitties, along with every pet you met,
were the ones who began to train you,

quite unaware, that you’d be spending
much of your adult life with kitties
and doggies, caring for thousands

of four-leggeds who, along with
their two-leggeds, are beyond
grateful to and for you.

Job well done, Dr. Sue.