The cat came back… just in time to save Christmas

New book details story of cat that helped save autistic boy

TORONTO, Dec. 17 /CNW/ - Single mother Julia Romp had her Christmas almost ruined when her severely autistic son, George, lost his cat, Ben. George had adopted Ben three years earlier, and during the time they were together in their home in London, UK, George's condition dramatically improved.

Then Ben vanished. Julia Romp remembers that day well: "My life went on hold —I had to find Ben."

Julia began a mad search for the lost cat. The local council threatened to take legal action against her because of the posters she'd plastered throughout the neighbourhood. She followed several false leads and was even played by pranksters. As months passed, Julia lost hope.

Four days before Christmas, her phone rang. It was a family in Brighton— a full 80 km from Julia Romp's home. They had found a cat matching Ben's description. Julia drove to Brighton during a major snow storm and confirmed that it was her son's beloved cat. How Ben the cat made it to Brighton remains a mystery, but all that mattered to Julia was that Ben would be home for the holidays to continue his role as George's feline therapist.

"When I found Ben, I promised myself I would stop wishing for things," Julia recounted. "I was always wishing George had a dad, that I had a job. You only realize what you've got when you lose it: George, Ben and I are a family - and we're complete".

A Friend Like Ben: The Cat That Came Home For Christmas (HarperCollins, $19.99) is available wherever books are sold.

For further information:

Rob Firing, Director, Publicity & Communications at HarperCollinsCanada
416-975-9334 ext 141.
Email: [email protected]