Books: Cats and their Humans, Fictional and Real

 Fictional and Real Cats and Those Who Meet Them

I'm a dog lover myself, but I see so many books about cats and their importance to their humans that I had to list a few. Japanese authors in particular, seem to love and respect cats as not only good luck, but having a mystical presence.

Here's a recent novel by American writer, Anne Tyler

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler, Feb. 11, 2025; Knopf, NetGalley
Genre: family dynamics, contemporary adult fiction

It took the reappearance of Gail's ex-husband Max with his cat to soften her heart over the next three days in June, when Max showed up to attend their daughter Debbie's wedding to her fiance, Kenneth. Gail at first didn't want the cat in the house, but the cat took a liking to Gail and slept with her in her bed at night. Max also slowly eased his way back into his ex-wife's heart, even though the ending seemed ambiguous as to their future.

I liked that their daughter Debbie did not want to make the same mistake her parents did in their marriage. Forgive and forget seems to be Max's motto, echoed by Debbie. 

I was surprised by Gail's admission to daughter Debbie about the reason for her divorce from Max those many years ago. And Gail, as the story's narrator, admitting that soft hearted Max would never hurt anyone he loved.

An unusual look at a marriage that was, and a marriage to be. The book gave reason to think about family dynamics on another level.

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi
Published Feb. 4, 2025; Penguin, NetGalley

Genre: magical realism, death and loss

I enjoyed reading about twenty-year-old Kotoko Niki visiting the seaside town of Uchibo to have a "remembrance meal" for her brother at the Chibineko Kitchen. Kotoko feels responsible for the untimely death of her older brother who had risked his life saving her from a car accident on the street.

The Chibineko Kitchen meal comes with added incentive - the spirit of the deceased being remembered could be seen and heard for the brief moment the food stays warm on the table. Kotoko feels this meal is a way to apologize to her brother. There are a few other people who interact with their deceased loved ones at the remembrance meals.

Chibineko means "little kitten" in Japanese, and there is a little cat at the restaurant that is often present before and after the meals. When Kai, the son of the restaurant's owner, wants to close the kitchen after his ailing mother passes away, Kotoko seems to find purpose in helping Kai decide whether or not to keep the kitchen open and continue the remembrance meals.

A very cute story of death, loss, the afterlife, and remembrance. With a little magical cat in attendance.

The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu, February 25, 2025; Putnam & Sons; NetGalley

Genre: contemporary Japanese fiction, cats, short stories

I'm eager to get into this book to see how seven customers of a pet shop are helped by taking home a "blanket cat" for just three days. The cats are mysterious and somehow magical, so that the problems of the caregivers will resolve themselves after just three days with the cats in their homes. 

Clever and unusual idea for a book of short stories with the "blanket cat" theme.

A memoir

Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats by Courtney Gustafson 

Publication: April 29, 2025; Crown; NetGalley 

I'm amazed by the description of a memoir by a woman who moves into an old house in Poets Square in Tucson, Arizona and befriends a large group of feral cats.The street cats become her family as they "reshaped her ... empathy, resilience, and the healing power of wholly showing up for something outside yourself."

The stories she tells about the personalities of the 30 cats, on TikTok and Instagram, also helped her save her home. I don't yet know if she takes them into her home, though, but only feeds them in alleyways and wherever they show up. I'll find out when I read the entire book and also see how the author may differ from cat ladies we read about in the news who live in dismal circumstances with an overload of cats in the home.

Advance Praise

'Cats are mystical beings, bridging the spiritual and the tangible. Courtney Gustafson’s Poet Square is a book that helps us connect to this spiritual world, offering a bridge to the ethereal.' Ai Weiwei

What are you reading or watching this week? 

Memes:  The Sunday Post, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, Sunday Salon, and Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday