Thank you Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love quirky slice of life books like this one! It had me hooked from the second story. The stories are interconnected and all about people who are going through a difficult time for different reasons.

You can take the title quite literally, there’s a building in a shady alley with a tendency to disappear but for the people who need it, it’s there and the entrance door gets lighter when their life does.

They all get a cat prescribed, which gives them a push in the right direction by literally escaping and guiding them there or destroying their work papers or oh my I just realized that cats really are up to no good! But they do get their temporary or sometimes even permanent new owners on the right track again. It was very satisfying and even emotional at times.

I loved this one!

An absolutely gorgeous concept - I adore cats and can see how their therapeutic benefits could be used as a treatment for emotional difficulties.

Patients who visit the Kokoro clinic are prescribed a cat with a set of clear instructions of how to care for it.

Sadly the execution didn’t work for me, I felt the writing was stilted and lacked depth - possibly lost in translation? The parts of the book involving the nurse and doctor at the clinic were repetitive and I didn’t feel the “patients” were likeable or relatable - the felt very shallow, but again that could be the translation or just the writing style of these Japanese stories.

It will likely appeal more to readers who love Japanese translations, but it wasn’t for me.

2 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book is a delightful escape for cat lovers (or just someone needing a heartwarming story). *We'll Prescribe You a Cat #1* introduces the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto, a place where you won't get standard therapy. Instead, the prescription is a cat—a fluffy, therapeutic companion to help you heal.

I was drawn to this book because of its unique premise and the fact that it's a Japanese bestseller. Even as someone who's more of a dog person, I found the idea of cats as a form of therapy cute. The book is structured as a series of connected short stories, each following a different patient with their own challenges—whether it's a middle-aged man grappling with feelings of irrelevance or a woman trying to balance work and motherhood. Each person's journey is touched by the presence of a cat, whose personality seems to give the humans something they didn't know they needed.

If you're familiar with Japanese cosy fiction, you'll recognize that format of interconnected short stories, similar to *Before the Coffee Gets Cold* or *The Kamogawa Food Detectives*. If that's your kind of read, you'll feel right at home here. The book has humour, warmth and a touch of fantasy, but it also dives deeper into issues like burnout, depression, and feeling lost or disconnected. The way the cats help the characters reconnect with nature, slow down, and find peace is touching.

Did some of the solutions feel simplistic? Sure, but that's part of the charm. Simple solutions aren't always what's needed, but sometimes, when you're in the thick of burnout or stress, you might not see how they can make a big difference until you look back. This book reminds us that healing doesn't always have to be complicated, even if the process feels difficult.

The translation by E. Madison Shimoda flows beautifully, making this a smooth, easy read. If you enjoy cosy, feel-good stories with a more profound emotional undertone, this is a perfect choice—especially for a rainy day, ideally with a furry friend by your side.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
A charming book with more than just a touch of magic. Not necessary to be a cat lover to fall in love with this narrative - at least one of the stories is bound to speak to your soul.

An overheard conversation and a strange address brings five different people to a practice that prescribes cats for mental health issues. The lives of the people is about to change for the better, not necessarily in the way the new owners of the cats envisioned though.

A cosy, if a bit repetitive and predictable, book about how important mental health is, as well as how much a cat can improve your mental health.

“A cat a day keeps the doctor away. Cats are more effective than any other medicine out there.”
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This was such a lovely book of separate but connected stories of different people who are prescribed a cat for a short period to help them overcome an issue in their life. They find themselves at a clinic which people can only find if they are really struggling in life & genuinely need the help.
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As a cat mum I am a firm believer that cats can truly change your life for the better and these stories show how very different people are all impacted by having a cat in their home. It was just such a heartwarming book.
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One of the main themes are the relationship & bond between the cat and person. How the cats provide comfort & warmth. The therapeutic power of cats, our love for them & how healing it can be.
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The magical realism was a really great part of the story and means that the ending is left open for you to interpret. And makes you reflect more on the stories we have read in the book.

This book is the perfect story for every cat lover out there!

Some months ago I lost my beloved cat due cancer and my world broke apart. I was so sad and couldn’t believe that he was gone. But time moved on and I was lonely and missed having a partner next to my side. So as it was written in the book, I recently got 'prescribed a (new) cat' and I couldn't be more grateful for that. He helps me through the grief and pain of losing my beloved Sunny. He also lights up my daily life and makes me smile again, which I couldn’t do for a long time. Even tho I miss my cat dearly, I already love my new buddy.
This book made me realize how amazing cats truly are and that they can *literally* solve every problem. Having a feline partner by your side makes life so much more enjoyable and comforting.

This book really hit home and I feel like I've read it at the exact right time. 4.5 Stars from me!
Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet cosy little book, the main plot is the premise that people are visiting a clinic which can only be found if you're searching for it. A clinic that when entering for a "therapy" assessment all the patients are prescribed a cat!! the patients all get seen and given different types of cats depending on their needs based on the situation they are dealing with. But what can a cat do to help??
This little book shows how each cat can change or make a difference to your life's and even cause a bit of much needed chaos but also in a way you never knew you needed. They help shape and mould your life's and are a great means of support and comfort.
The book covers topics of Mental Health and how it can be perceived with stigma and judgement but also how that can bring about feelings and emotions of anger and frustration of not being listened too. It also show internal judgements and how we diminish our need for help and support in times of need.
A really good book, so glad I got to read a copy!!

I really loved this Japanese bestseller, if you’re a cat lover like me I’m sure you’ll find so much comfort in this book.

It’s a collection of short stories that are connected by the cat prescribing clinic, all have warmth and a message for the reader. The stories are uplifting and leave you feeling happy and content. Especially good to read on a rainy day with a blanket and your feline companion.

The mysterious clinic is the overarching mystery and the cats are smaller mysteries within the plot, I thought it was a clever way to tell the story and it was written and translated very well.

When I started to read this book, I didn’t want to put it down. It had me chuckling from the first few pages. It is sweet, heartwarming and simply splendid. I absolutely love the prescription and deeply wished that my doctor did prescriptions like this! I’m thinking if they did, we could all be a lot healthier, because of the way the prescriptions guide and insist that certain life situations must be dealt with, to support happiness and wellbeing. They are far greater than popping a pill, or spooning medicine. What a wonderful option. This book is filled with magic and I give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and all involved in allowing me an ARC copy of this book.

The rule is that… I must read all books about cats. There seem to be quite a few of these from Japan recently, and all with just a little twist of the not-quite-magic, but intangible.

A bit of wry humour, and a whole lot of cat love. Every human is looking for help, and expects it least of all from a cat. A cat a day keeps the doctor away? Or maybe just distracts them from themselves.

What starts as a perfectly normal book about cats and humans, becomes subtly absurdist - just a little, just enough to pique curiosity. I’m not sure if it will be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is mine!

Also, We’ll Prescribe You a Cat kind of reminds me of those Instagram reels about people who didn’t want a cat, and then fell in love with them - although it gives more warm-and-fuzzies than necessarily bawl-your-eyes-out.

The big reveal at the end made me wish it was real, and that's all I'll say about that.

A must read for cat lovers!

In Kyoto, there is a clinic. A clinic that helps those desperately in need. But they don’t prescribe medication, they prescribe cats. And few people are able to find it.

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat follows the lives of 5 different people as they navigate life with their new companion.

This is a beautiful insight to mental health, and just how much animals can prove beneficial toward it. It made me want to clutch my own fur baby tightly and show them all of my love.


Thank you to the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC

i loved this and now need my own cat immediately!

i found this so heartwarming and loved getting to know each of our characters and their reasons for visiting the clinic. i loved how it focused on the bond between humans and animals, and especially on how healing an animal can be.

it was so cozy and wholesome and i’d recommend to all animal lovers!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

Various people go to a clinic tucked down an alley in Kyoto. They are seeking help with calming their mental health. The clinic is unique in that it prescribes cats. Wonderful cats who seems to know exactly what to do to help. There are several stories with different circumstances, each prescribed a different cat,
A lovely book and delightful read.

If you love Japanese cat literature, be sure to add this novel to your TBR!

Tucked away in an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can only be found by people who are struggling in their lives and genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication.

This is a unique novel perfect for animal lovers. It tells the story of 5 people and follows their journey as they navigate their life with a new cat.

This novel shows how owning a pet, in this case a cat, can be beneficial for our mental health and can distract us from what we think is important to show us what is actually important - if that makes sense.

It’s a sweet book which was well written, and has made me want my own cat.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I would definitely recommend this, particularly if you need a soft pick me up!

A fun read but not particularly special or different to others of this genre such as the dallergut dream dpt store or before the coffee gets cold. If you're looking for cosy and wholesome then this is the book for you.

At a Kyoto Clinic for the Soul, we meet 5 patients and read about their experience with the cat they are prescribed. The time spent with the cat is cathartic for the patients. They are more or less cured of the issue which initially led them to the clinic.

It is these experiences which I found funny, the patients amusing with their reactions and a heartwarming vibe. It will make the reader think of some of the things they're doing wrong or missing in their own lives.

A focus, a realisation and may getting cat for yourself is what this book delivers.

I was prescribed three cats and I can say they're the best prescription.
This is a cute, heartwarming, and compelling novel.
Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now, a proper review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is such a heartwarming and hopeful book that follows a range of characters who find themselves at the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. I loved getting to know our main characters and what caused them to visit the Clinic. I also loved seeing how each cat's personality and what emotions they brought out in their temporary owner.

I ended up reading this book in one sitting and I constantly find myself thinking about it. I loved the magical realism of it and how it focused on the healing bond between humans and animals. We'll Prescribe you a Cat is a fun and uplifting read that gave me such a warm feeling while reading. I honestly recommend picking this up, especially if you're a cat lover!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A small alley hidden in central Kyoto. There, between other building there's a clinic run by an interesting pair: A young doctor and a blunt nurse.
In this clinic, the prescription is not a medicine, but cats. A different cat for a different person. A different cat for different challenges.
The stories of the patients, the issues they face are all very relatable - loneliness, stress, or sadness, just to mention a few. How can a cat change any of that?
I particularly appreciated how each of the furry friends is depicted with just as much personality and charisma as their human companion. Their behaviour, choices and decision sometimes escapes our human reasoning, but they do have a reason for everything they do.
Heartwarming and comforting, this is a book I would recommend to anyone who loves animals or is looking for a comforting, feel-good story.