Cats aren’t born as the sleek, graceful creatures they will become. First, they have to go through some awkward stages.

1. “Let’s play follow the leader! On second thought, let’s not.”

2. “What is this enormous, foul-smelling monstrosity???”

3. The butt wiggle! A precocious kitten, to be sure.

4. That’s one small step for a cat, one giant step for a kitten.

5. With time, they will learn to appreciate the finer things in life.

6. “So it’s right, left, right, right — no, wait — aw, shoot.”

7. Thus begins a lifelong battle with the mysterious foot monster.

8. Reading to your kitten is the single most important thing you can do to promote literacy skills and language development.

9. Doing cat a frighten!

10. “No, officer, I haven’t been drinking. Why do you ask?”

11. Silly kitten, that’s not the filing cabinet!

12. Among a cat’s most important skills: coordinating outfits.

13. Black cat and a ladder? That’s just asking for bad luck.

14. She’ll be knocking things off shelves in no time.

15. “So we just sit here and … watch?”

16. Grooming is hard work, but you’ll get the hang of it eventually.