A cat a day keeps the doctor away….

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

Amazon | Shop the Series | Goodreads

What if being prescribed a cat could help resolve whatever is troubling your heart?

I know a lot of the currently being translated Japanese and Korean fiction are very similar in some ways, often told in connected vignettes or stories, often with themes of turmoil, grief or healing – but I have loved pretty much every one I’ve read, and this was no different.

In this first installment to the We’ll Prescribe You a Cat series, we get introduced to the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul and its quirky doctor and nurse. When people visit, each with their own issues or maladies, they are prescribed a cat for a short period of time. What follows is resolution, healing and more, depending on their specific complaint.

This one takes a bit to unfold, leaving you guessing if there’s something supernatural/mystical going on, or if this is just an interesting mental health clinic that prescribes cats. By the end of the book we certainly have some answers and it definitely left me wondering what will happen in subsequent books. The writing flowed wonderfully, which is even more impressive considering it is a translation. I was probably more emotional about the stories than some would be, given recent events with my own cat, but if you’re a cat lover this is definitely one that will pull at the heartstrings.

The second book in the series is already out and the 3rd is coming out in early September, so look for reviews of both of them soon as well!

Happy reading!