Published 1950 – by Miriam E Mason, illustrated by Marie C Nichols The Gray-Nosed Kitten is a story for cat-lovers everywhere. It is the story of an ordinary kitten that makes an extraordinary difference in the life of a sad little boy. The gray-nosed kitten is born in a barn loft, one of four children born to Mrs. Calico Jones. As the story opens, Mrs. Calico Jones has a big day ahead of her. The babies are about one month old, and she is moving them down from the loft, a tedious job packing one kitten at a time down the tall ladder using your mouth.