Ula walked back to Catvinkle and the other cats. Everybody, including the rose-ringed parakeets in the branches high above, was focused intently on her.

Then Ula did what might be the bravest thing she had ever done. She stood in the middle of a whole clowder of cats and kittens and told the truth about herself. Her tail was still hurting from Twinkiepaws jumping on it, and her heart was jumping about wildly inside her chest like freshly caught salmon in a net.

But she took a deep breath and repeated to herself, just in her head, the words Lobbus had given her as a gift. ‘Be strong and of good courage. Be strong and of good courage.’

Then she spoke out loud.

‘Hello, everyone. Some of you think I’m not really Ketzington the singing kitten disguised as a dog, and you’re right. I’m not a kitten at all. As you might have guessed, I’m a dog. You may wish to gasp.’

‘Gasp!’ went almost every kitten there.

Ula continued. ‘I’m a Dalmatian, to be precise. But the really important thing to tell you is that I’m Catvinkle’s friend. I’m her best friend. She even lets me share her water bowl.’

‘Gasp!’ went almost every kitten there again.

‘And because we’re friends, I came along to give Catvinkle support and encouragement.’

Catvinkle smiled at all the other cats and kittens as she quickly made her way to Ula. ‘Ulee, this isn’t good,’ she whispered to her. ‘It’s not going to help. Twinkiepaws is evil and she’ll turn everyone against me. Tell them you’re joking and that really you are Ketzington pretending to be a dog who confesses to not being Ketzington.’

Catvinkle backed away from Ula, smiling again at all the other cats.

But Ula went on. ‘My name is Ula. I am Catvinkle’s friend and I’m a dog. Catvinkle thought you wouldn’t like it if she brought a dog here so she asked me to pretend to be Ketzington.’

Catvinkle slapped one of her front paws against her face. ‘Ulee!’ she whispered. ‘What are you doing?!’

‘You’ve never had a dog visit you at Kittens Anonymous, but maybe it’s time to invite some,’ continued Ula. ‘Some dogs, not all, are terrific animals. Just as some cats, but not all, are terrific animals.’

‘Kittens!’ called Twinkiepaws. ‘Surely you’re not going to sit here and listen to a speech from a no-good dog?’

‘Why am I no good?’ asked Ula.

‘You’re a dog!’ answered Twinkiepaws.

‘Most other animals get on very well with us. Some even think very highly of us,’ answered Ula. ‘We’ve worked as guide dogs, watch dogs, fire truck dogs, sniffer dogs, guard dogs, sheep dogs, sled dogs, rescue dogs, service dogs, and most importantly, therapy dogs bringing comfort to old, sick or sad people.’

‘Oh boy! I think I need a therapy dog,’ said Catvinkle quietly to herself.

‘We’ve been doing all this for thousands of years,’ Ula continued. ‘We were among the first animals ever to travel in a rocket to outer space. We can also be extremely cute and have great senses of humour. Think of how many more friends you could have if you allowed dogs into your world. And anyway, are we really so different from cats? If you put a fresh water bowl in front of us, do we not drink? If you put a comfy wicker basket beside a warm fireplace, will we not crawl in and get snuggy?’

‘I’ve had just about enough of this,’ snapped Twinkiepaws. ‘This is supposed to be the National Kitten Baby-Shoe Dancing Competition, not a lesson about dogs.’

Twinkiepaws glared at Catvinkle. ‘For being a dog lover, Catvinkle shouldn’t be allowed to compete in the competition. No one will want to be your friend anymore, Catvinkle.’

‘Oh boy, Ulee. I knew this would happen,’ said Catvinkle. ‘Now I don’t have any friends.’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ said Twinkiepaws. She stood on a rock triumphantly and called to all the other cats and kittens. ‘Let’s not be her friend. Let’s make it so that Catvinkle does not have one single friend.’

‘But she does have a friend. She still has me,’ said Ula.

Then Ula walked to the top of the rock and Twinkiepaws scampered down, not wanting to be so close to someone who was not only bigger than her but also a dog.

From the top of the rock, Ula called out, ‘I’m sure some other friends of Catvinkle will make themselves known very soon.’

‘Shhh, Ulee,’ whispered Catvinkle from beside the rock. ‘I don’t think so. I don’t think I have any other friends left now.’

‘No, you’re wrong there,’ called a voice. ‘You have Ula and you have me.’ It was Lobbus, who had just arrived and had heard nearly everything from behind a tree. ‘I’m your friend, Catvinkle.’

There was another gasp from all the cats and kittens, who were amazed to see that Catvinkle had another friend who was a dog.

Ula had asked Lobbus to come, and here he was. He had come through for her and, in turn, he had come through for Catvinkle.

Then everyone heard another voice. ‘Me too, I’m your friend, Catvinkle,’ said Roy Llama, who decided now that it was time for him too to come out from behind the tree.

‘Who are you?’ Catvinkle said, a little confused.

‘I’m Roy Llama,’ said the llama who had come to help Lobbus who had come to help Ula who was there to help Catvinkle. The nervous white cat with the big red bow around her tail had all this help and it was all because of Ula.

Then another, younger voice was heard.

‘I’m your friend, Catvinkle,’ said Grace, one of Grayston’s puppies, coming out from behind the tree.

‘I’m your friend too, Catvinkle,’ said Graham, standing beside his sister.

Now everyone could hear somebody pushing someone else out in front of the tree. It was Gram, the third puppy, pushing his dad, Grayston. When the cats and kittens saw big possibly scary Grayston they gasped again and backed away slightly.

‘I’m coming, I’m coming,’ whispered Grayston.

‘I’m your friend, Catvinkle,’ said the puppy, Gram. ‘Dad, isn’t there something you want to say?’

‘But they’re all cats!’ said Grayston. ‘I’d be talking to a whole clowder of cats.’

‘Dad!!!’ said Grace, Graham and Gram in unison, which means all at the same time.

‘Okay!’ said Grayston. ‘Here goes …’ He shook his head, scarcely able to believe what he was about to say. ‘Gee, I must really love you kids.’

‘Dad!’ said Grace, Graham and Gram in unison again.

Grayston took a deep breath and said, ‘I’m your friend too, Catvinkle.’ His puppies all yelped excitedly when they heard this, which made Grayston feel much better about coming to the aid of a cat.

It seemed Catvinkle had a lot more friends than anyone had expected. This was such a surprise to Catvinkle, but even more of a surprise was the sudden return of the salty water to her eyes. This time, though, the salty water wasn’t because she was sad or worried. It was because she was so moved with unexpected joy and gratitude by the support Ula had gathered for her from all these other animals. And to think, most of these animals were dogs!

Catvinkle realised that her new best friend, Ula, might well be more loving, more brave and more honest than any animal she had ever met. She understood now more than ever just how lucky she was that Mr Sabatini had invited Ula to live with them. Could there be a better best friend in all the world? Certainly not one with such great musk.

Catvinkle quickly rubbed the back of her front paws against her eyes so that no one would see the salty water. Now with the salty water almost entirely gone, she could clearly see all her new friends standing around her with their tails in the air, even Roy Llama’s short one. She was far from alone. What would Twinkiepaws say to this?

‘Don’t pay any attention to them, my fellow felines,’ cried Twinkiepaws. ‘They’re just a pack of dogs, mostly. And I don’t even know what that one is!’

‘Does she mean me?’ asked Grayston, ready to be upset.

‘I think she means me,’ said Roy Llama.

‘Oh, thank goodness,’ said Grayston.

‘I’m a llama, if you don’t mind,’ said Roy Llama to Twinkiepaws.

‘Whatever,’ said Twinkiepaws. ‘Talk to my tail ’cause my ears aren’t listening.’

‘What did she say?’ Roy Llama asked Lobbus, but Twinkiepaws continued talking anyway.

‘No self-respecting cat would hang out with a dog,’ cried Twinkiepaws, trying to get the other cats all worked up. ‘Would you, kittens?!’