These books are popular for their "healing" (iyashikei) nature, often using cats to explore complex human emotions like grief, companionship, and solitude.
Some Japanese novels with or about cat/s. Some I have read, some still in my tbr list. Check ...
The heartwarming Japanese cat novel about fate and the healing power of food.
The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen
The beloved Japanese bestseller about a magical restaurant that will nourish your soul.
My rating: 5/5
The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen
If you love cats and literary fiction, this is the perfect combination. Told through the eyes of a former stray, this tender novel explores the powerful bond between a man and his beloved cat.
My Rating: 5/5
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
A sarcastic, talking tabby cat named Tiger leads a young boy on adventures to rescue books.
The Cat Who Saved Books: A Novel
A classic novel from the early 1900s, featuring a cynical housecat observing the lives of humans in the Meiji era.
I Am a Cat
A gentle, contemplative story about a couple whose lives are brightened by a neighborhood cat.
The Guest Cat
A dying man makes a deal with the devil to make things disappear in exchange for extra time, starting with cats.
If Cats Disappeared from the World
A collection of stories focusing on the bond between women and their feline companions in the city.
My rating: 4/5
She and Her Cat: Stories
A collection of seven heartwarming stories centered on the relationship between cats and their owners.
My rating: 5/5
The Goodbye Cat
A magical cafe run by talking cats that serves as a sanctuary for lost souls.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
Seven stories about a special pet shop that rents out cats to customers for three days.
The Blanket Cats
A comforting novel focused on a clinic that helps people solve their problems through the company of cats.
My rating: 3/5
We'll Prescribe You Another Cat
Assigned by her teacher to define what “happiness” means to her, Nanoka sets out to get to know these three strangers—and through them, perhaps, to know herself too.
My Rating: 5/5
I Had That Same Dream Again
The charming, quirky Japanese bestseller about a cat in the afterlife seeking connection.
Messenger Cat Café
A moving reflection on the author's father—plus a cat!—this is a beautiful short work of family history from one of our most beloved, iconic writers.
Originally published in the New Yorker in 2019, and now presented in a full, unabridged form, Aband...
