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The Blanket Cats

By: Kiyoshi Shigematsu, Jesse Kirkwood - translator
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Publisher's summary

"Utterly charming . . . I would read a hundred of these stories."—Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

Seven struggling customers are given the unique opportunity to take home a "blanket cat" . . . but only for three days, the time it’ll take to change their lives.

A peculiar pet shop in Tokyo has been known to offer customers the unique opportunity to take home one of seven special cats, whose "magic" is never promised, but always received. But there are rules: these cats must be returned after three days. They must eat only the food supplied by the owner, and they must travel to their new homes with a distinctive blanket.

In The Blanket Cats, we meet seven customers, each of whom is hoping a temporary feline companion will help them escape a certain reality, including a couple struggling with infertility, a middle-aged woman on the run from the police, and two families in very different circumstances simply seeking joy.

But like all their kind, the "blanket cats" are mysterious creatures with unknowable agendas, who delight in confounding expectations. And perhaps what their hosts are looking for isn't really what they need. Three days may not be enough to change a life. But it might just change how you see it.

©2025 Kiyoshi Shigematsu and Jesse Kirkwood (P)2025 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

"Utterly charming. Like many animal-centered books, The Blanket Cats is actually an exploration of messy humans, and Kiyoshi Shigematsu treats with care the uncomfortable truths that often surface when we dare to interrogate our issues. Seven Blanket Cat customers are not enough. I would read a hundred of these stories."—Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

"What I found most striking about The Blanket Cats is how Shigematsu masterfully contrasts the comforting imagery of cats nestled in blankets with the weight of real-life struggles. This is far from a simple feel-good story; its warmth feels earned, offering solace without slipping into sentimentality. In keeping with the current trend of "healing fiction," Kirkwood's translation beautifully preserves the delicate balance between the book’s gentle charm and the real-world complexities it touches on."—E. Madison Shimoda, translator of We'll Prescribe You a Cat

"A breath of fresh air in the genre of healing fiction. Boldly exploring the grey areas and struggles of life . . . it left me feeling hopeful that a small step in the right direction is what it takes to make things better."—Shanna Tan, translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

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