ðə nˈɑːvəl tˈɛlz ʌvðə dˈɛθ ʌv tˈɑːm tˈɪldɹəm ænd ðə kɹˈaʊnɪŋ ʌv hɪz səksˈɛsɚ, dʒˈæk tˈaɪɡɚstɹˌaɪps, hˌuː ɪz tˈoʊld baɪ ɐ fˈiːlaɪn ˈɔːɹəkəl ˌɔn hɪz kˌɔːɹənˈeɪʃən dˈeɪ ðæt hiː ɪz dˈɛstɪnd təbi kˈæptʃɚd baɪ ɐ hjˈuːmən ænd tʊ ˈɛnd hɪz lˈaɪf ɪn ˈɛɡzaɪl.
The novel tells of the death of Tom Tildrum and the crowning of his successor, Jack Tigerstripes, who is told by a feline oracle on his coronation day that he is destined to be captured by a human and to end his life in exile.