The Blanket Cats caught me off guard. I went in expecting cosy, light-hearted stories—who wouldn’t, with a premise like renting cats for comfort? But instead, this quietly melancholic collection explores human struggles through a unique lens. Each story features someone “borrowing” a cat while navigating personal challenges, from infertility to strained family relationships.

Shigematsu doesn’t hold back in creating complex, often flawed characters—people who act impulsively, make life-altering decisions, or hurt others because of their unresolved traumas. Jesse Kirkwood’s translation captures this haunting realism beautifully, ensuring the stories linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page.

While this wasn’t the cosy comfort read I expected, it offered something much deeper: a reflection on how we use external “comforts” to avoid confronting our inner struggles. If you’re ready for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant journey, The Blanket Cats might surprise you too.

That said, if you’re expecting pure escapism or warm, undemanding tales of cats bringing simple joy, you may find it takes some time to adjust to the uncomfortable realism of these flawed characters—as I did.

This book was pure comfort from start to finish. Each story about the cats and their owners felt like a warm hug, full of heart and gentle lessons about love and connection. The way the cats brought people together was so beautifully written—it left me smiling (and maybe tearing up a little).

If you’re after a cozy, feel-good read, this is it. Five stars for all the fluff and feels! 🌟🐾

Okay this was a very cute and easy to read book! Rent a blanket cat and it’ll show you what’s missing from your life over the next three days! I do enjoy these healing type books coming out of Japan and Korea these days, but they lack depth. It was still enjoyable but not heart wrenching or even that emotional. Although, I loved the chapter from the cat’s POV and could have read a whole book about that!!

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu is a poignant and introspective novel that explores themes of loss, memory, and human connection through the eyes of its protagonist. Set in a contemporary Japanese context, the story revolves around a middle-aged man who is trying to make sense of his life and relationships after experiencing personal tragedy. The "blanket cats" in the title symbolize the comfort and emotional warmth that the character longs for, but also the distance and emotional barriers he faces.

Shigematsu’s narrative focuses on the delicate balance between the past and the present, as the protagonist reflects on his childhood, family, and the lingering effects of his experiences. The novel delves into the complexities of grief and healing, emphasizing the importance of understanding and reconciliation in the face of hardship.

With its reflective tone and exploration of the human psyche, The Blanket Cats is a moving and contemplative read for those interested in emotional depth, introspection, and the delicate ways people process loss and reconnect with themselves.

I didn't realise this was a selection of short stories when I first picked it up but I think the format works really well. I did think each story was written by a different person as they were all so different so I was surprised to see it was thensame author the whole way through. I love that the cats had their own personalities and often reflected the human character, either their emotions or their actions. This was a very cosy comforting read and I recommend reading 1 story a day to ger the full experience.

Review: The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu

Rating: 3.5 stars

Is 3 days with a cat long enough to change your life? Another cosy translated fiction featuring cats? sign me up

In the Blanket Cats you meet 7 customers who rent a “blanket cat” who are mysterious creatures with their own agenda. Maybe what the hosts were originally looking for isn’t actually what they need. 3 days might not be long enough for a life changing experience, but it is long enough to change your perspective.

Despite having an insanely cosy looking cover, this book is a bit more raw than it’s other translated fic counterparts. It covers topics like infertility, old age, memory loss, grief, and having to move house due to losing your job. Because of these emotionally charged topics it makes the characters feel incredibly real and less whimsical, so keep that in mind before picking it up.

I really enjoyed this one and read it over a couple of days. Here are a few of my faves:

🐈 The cat who knew how to pretend - A grandmother who is losing her memories, and is about to be put in a home to be cared for visits for dinner. Two problems - she doesnt know the family cat passed away, and the daughter has lied about still being with her boyfriend who everyone thought she’d marry. The family rent a similar looking cat bringing back lovely memories and the daughter tries to work out what she wants.

🐾 The cat who noone liked - A grumpy landlord rents a cat to catch his renters owning pets, but a young couple find an abandoned kitten and keep it. They rent the same grumpy old cat that the landlord uses so it won’t hiss at the door so they won’t get caught.

🐈‍⬛ The cat who went on a journey - A cat who escaped discovers two children who have run away from their new step-mum. The cat guides them on their way to somewhere they can call home.

Is this on your TBR?

I loved this quirky book! So many tales of these curious creatures! I loved each and every one of the stories and I can see this will be a re- read for me when I need something calming and cosy!

A lovely book consisting of compilation of short stories about humans and their struggles which are being treated by cats. Fascinating, funny and interesting to consider our human struggles from a feline point of view. Definitely a book that will make you reflect on your own struggles and those of people around you but it also has the incredible power to highlight how important animals are to us humans and our environment.

This is a compilation of short stories about people with their own individual struggles who rent cats for 3 days at a time. Uplifting and heartbreaking with beautiful writing, this is definitely worth a read. Not the most cheerful book in places but very emotional and handles it well.

The market for Japanese books about cats and their properties to heal is fast becoming saturated but this collections of stories about cats loaned out to people is one of the better ones I've read recently.
All of the stories felt believable in that almost magical realism way and some of the tales were very moving.

A lovely book. Quirky and complex and sometimes a little baffling but examining the human condition through our favourite pets.

'Two nights, three days. That was how long you got to keep them.'

An English translation for another cat-based Japanese novel. This time we have a shop that hires out cats for those who want them, but only for 3 days. You get to choose what you call the cat, but there are certain rules about feeding them and making sure that they have their special blanket. And so we get a series of short stories, all linked to the shop and its cats, but with a variety of individuals and families, all of whom have reason to seek solace, comfort and meaning in looking after a furry friend.

A couple who can't have children; a woman who has embezzled money from her workplace; a boy involved in bullying at his school; a landlord who hates cats.... All of these stories and more unfold from various perspectives (even from the cat's point of view in one story), and we see that the cats are simply part of a life process that each of these characters are trying to work out. I don't think that I would use the word 'cosy' with regard to this book, because some of the characters are far from likeable, but there is humanity and genuine emotion in the stories.

Fans of the Japanese cat genre will lap this up (!). Enjoyable, and with an excellent translation from Jesse Kirkwood, this is another wonderful Japanese book to hit our shelves.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publishers for the arc of The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu.

Seven customers, seven short, compellingly emotional stories that really make you ponder life.

4stars

It's a collection of short stories of people renting out blanket cats. They are called this because they always need to have their blanket and then they are able to sleep. This is not further explained. Overall the short stories are really sad and even heartbreaking, mostly showing the worst parts of people and their lives. There doesn't seem to be a point to these stories and they don't really come to an end. The stories are just abandoned without coming to some sort of conclusion.

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Deceptively emotional and heartbreaking

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu is a Japanese translated fiction comprised of 7 short stories written in different narrative styles.

Seven customers, all living in different circumstances visit a Tokyo pet store, all seeking happiness in the form of a cat companion.

But there are rules: the cat must be returned after three days, and each cat must sleep in their own blankets.
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This books cover is deceptive. You imagine a cute little story about a cat seeking a new home.

However, this is not the case. The Blanket Cats covers heavy and mentally draining topics, though I will not go into detail so as not to spoil the book.

I found it well written, powerful and eye opening and worth a read if you enjoy this style of book!
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Thank you to the publisher @quercusbooks and the author for providing me with this ARC

This is a peculiar collection of short stories, all revolving around a pet shop hiring out cats.
We get short but interesting insights into different lives in Japan which makes this a very interesting read, especially because the way each story is told is vastly different, from being written in first person, some in third person, some from the human’s perspective, some from the cat’s perspective. It made it very interesting and kept the suspense up.
The cover does definitely deceive from the heaviness of the topics within the book.

This is several stories linked by a Pet shop that hires Blanket Cats out for three days at a time.
Each of the cats are well trained and as long as they have their blanket, they remain calm. They also appear to have a mystic quality in that the person who hires them has a realisation of something in their life due to the cat.
A sweet book.

Thank you #Netgally for providing me with a review copy of #TheBlanketCats by #KiyoshiShigematsu!

4.25/5*

Long Story Short: Do you want a quick but meaningful read? Rent a cat!

Kiyoshi Shigematsu's book consists of 7 short stories, each focusing on diverse characters at distinct points in life. Uniting them is a pet shop where you can rent a cat for 3 days. These specially trained animals are used to move around and deal with different people, but their temporary owners must never remove the blanket that accompanies them.

Such is the premise that follows these cats from different breeds and origins into the homes - and cars - of a plethora of characters with various motivations. From families struggling to come to terms with imminent loss, financial issues, parenting, and infertility, to those coming to terms with their own mortality - there is a little bit of everything here.

The short format suits each tale remarkably well. As readers, we are pulled into the characters' minds and empathise with them while piecing together the events that led them to rent a cat. I loved how each story is told from a different point of view - even the cats have a saying!
This beautiful book is perfectly tailored for Nekoha* and for those who enjoy meaningful stories!

Functioning more as a book of short stories than as a novel, The Blanket Cats follows seven families who each rent a ‘blanket cat’ for a three day period. For each one, their lives are changed, or put into a new perspective, from the time spent with their cat.

On the whole I really enjoyed each story. The cats served almost as a writing prompt, and I liked seeing the different directions each story took. They vary in style as well as in plot, with some being in first person, some in third person, some from the human’s perspective, some from the cat’s perspective. The stories were often moving with many emotional moments.

There were a couple that I didn’t enjoy so much though, especially one that dealt with some very heavy and serious topics that I don’t think were handled particularly well. I felt like I was supposed to sympathise with a character who I felt had done some really terrible things, which undercut the book as a whole for me.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

A collection of short stories in which troubled humans rent a cat for 3 days and the renting of the cat may (or may not) be the ‘cat’-alyst for them facing up to them/starting to fix them. Unlike other books in this genre, this isn’t a cosy read but focuses on the much darker side of humanity where people are ok stealing money or bullying others to the point of suicide. I’m not sure I really liked or even empathised with any of the characters. Not really for me. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.