Through a playful work of popular history, the film introduces the little-known yet highly ceremonial Song-dynasty custom of formally "betrothing," or adopting, a cat. By tracing the seriousness with which people welcomed cats into their homes, it shows how the animal's role evolved from practical mouser to beloved companion. It also brings today's devoted cat lovers closer to their counterparts a thousand years ago, celebrating the enduring tenderness and affection between people and cats.