A small boy arrives to stay for Christmas at his aunt's hotel in Tenby, South Wales, where he finds he is living with four cats, one with only three legs. The hotel is full of guests who arrive by coach and is open to several unusual characters. As well as learning about how to look after cats and their behaviour he learns about the concerns of guests for many different aspects of living in Britain today. A unique disaster, due to preliminary fracking carried out in the area, threatens both people and the cats. A zoo is affected and a child is lost and nowhere to be seen.