When Gerry Coneybear, a cheerful young artist, comes to her Aunt Maggie's funeral, she is astonished to learn that she has inherited her aunt's rambling 200-year-old waterfront home. She soon discovers that the house comes with a multitude of her aunt's cats as part of the bequest. As Gerry fends off the greedy, jealous relatives and the mysterious part-time housekeeper, she gradually comes to realize that her aunt may have been murdered. Cats, teacups, horticulture and art come together to help Gerry solve the mystery.