The Christmas Day Kitten by James Herriot

The Christmas Day Kitten is a beautiful Christmas story. As a rule, I don’t enjoy Christmas stories, but this one is lovely. On a visit to Mrs. Pickering’s house to take care of one of her Basset hounds, the vet saw a little cat who came in to enjoy the warmth of the house for a little while. She didn’t want attention, only a little food and warmth. A few months later, on Christmas morning, Mrs. Pickering called the vet again and asked him to come, not for a dog this time, but for the cat. The little cat was dying, but had brought her tiny kitten for Mrs. Pickering to care for. He grew up to be a beautiful, healthy cat, and as the story ends, on the following Christmas Day, he showed off some surprising skills!