A respectable household cat named Old Tom, belonging to Aunt Deborah, suffers an undeserved reputation for always being where he should not be. This reputation begins when a maidservant, Polly, reaches into a laundry bag in the garret and is terrified when the cat leaps out. She faints and insists a bull attacked her, though it is clear only Old Tom could have been responsible. At a dinner party hosted by Aunt Deborah and Uncle Josiah, Old Tom causes further disruption. A young bride grows increasingly distressed, insisting a cat is present in the dining room despite no animal being visible. Her husband explains she has had a lifelong aversion to cats. The guests search everywhere but find nothing, until a footman opens a shutter and Old Tom leaps out past the bride, confirming her instincts had been correct all along. Old Tom redeems himself entirely one night when he persistently mews outside Aunt Deborah's bedroom door, refusing to be quieted or dismissed. His unusual, insistent behavior and repeated circling of the old lady eventually convinces her to follow him. She hears suspicious noises and realizes burglars are attempting to force entry into the house. She alerts Uncle Josiah, who arms himself and rouses the manservant Barnaby, who triggers the alarm bells throughout the house. The combined noise of ringing bells, shouting men, and screaming women frightens the burglars into fleeing, leaving their tools behind. The household is saved entirely through the cat's timely warning, earning him a place of honor in the family's memory.
By Madeline Leslie · Genre: Children's Literature, Animal Fiction, Domestic Fiction