Romp, Julia. The cat who came back for Christmas : how a cat brought a family the gift of love, New York : Penguin, 2012.

 

This book written by single mother Julia Romp, shares her true story about living with her son George, an autistic child who was not diagnosed until he was ten years old.  It wasn’t until a stray black and white cat who they name Ben, comes into their lives that George engages with the cat and his world opens up for the first time and Julia is finally able to reach her son. After three years of progress and many happy times, Ben runs away whilst Julia and George take a rare holiday, and George regresses back into himself. Determined to find their lost cat, she sets out on a mission to get him back, and finally the news comes through of his whereabouts just four days before Christmas, and the family is reunited once more. This is a touching story of a mothers love and devotion to her son and the little cat who formed a close attachment to him.