This book would have been published before 1978 but probably after 1960 or 1965. It was a children’s book with photos (probably black and white) of a pair of frolicking kittens. The kittens had black and grey stripes. There may have been short captions of the pictures. The pictures were of the kittens leaping and jumping in funny ways.
You might want to check out a really popular Little Golden Book “My First Counting Book”. The front cover is almost exactly as you explained. The image popped into my head immediately when I read your description.
It’s a good suggestion, but we’re pretty sure the book is photos, not pictures, and there are no other animals involved, just frolicking kittens.
Perhaps Tana Hoban’s One Little Kitten?
It looks like it was published in 1979; the book we’re looking for was definitely published 1978 or earlier.
We got a copy of Hoban; it’s not the right one, but it’s similar. The cat poses in the photos are more outrageous/hilarious.
Could be The Outcast Kitten by Jeanne and Victor Baldwin. “A stray Siamese kitten is adopted by a white cat whose twin babies reject him as he grows older and turns into a chocolate point. Illustrated with black and white photographs.”
Or Playful Kittens, a Toppan Foto Book
We have found it. It was “Listen, Listen” by Ylla. Thanks for all the suggestions, though!