Unconditional - by Cat Willett (Paperback)

About the Book

"Cat Willet's graphic memoir explores women and the unique bonds they share with their companion animals"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

An intimate and moving collection of stories about women and their life-changing relationships with animals, told in vivid graphic novel style.In Unconditional, popular illustrator and writer Cat Willett explores the deep, sometimes transcendent relationship between women and their animal companions. The animals she's shared her life with have pulled her through difficult times, accompanied her through growth and transition, and taught her a great deal about pain and loss. Using rich, full-color illustrations, she shares illuminating stories of different women and their pets, including:

• Terra and her parrot, Pooja, grieved together when Terra's mother passed away from pancreatic cancer.
• Tuck and Liza, two cats adopted in Ukraine and Poland, helped Brianne cope with the challenge of waiting for her journalist husband to return from an assignment in a war zone.
• Hyesu adopted her dog, Dutch, from a shelter and found calm and support for her anxiety.
• Finn, Pam's rabbit, helped her redefine the meaning of family while providing companionship and support living in a big city far from home.

With these honest, pure retellings, as well as her own stories, Willett reveals the mutual bond that grows when animals are invited into our sphere and how meaningful those relationships can be.ANIMATED HISTORY: Within each profile, captivating facts about the animals' origins, domestication, and habits add a layer of historical context to the personal tales.

WOMEN AND PETS: This collection shines a loving spotlight on the mutual nature of the relationships between women and a diverse list of animals--including a parrot, guinea pig, rabbit, horse, dogs, and cats--and their unique and touching life experiences together. A foreword by Susan Korn, founder of the Susan Alexandra accessories brand, is included.

TALENTED AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR: Merging Cat Willett's empathetic voice and signature lush illustrations that have captivated readers of the New York Times and the Washington Post, Unconditional is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever felt transformed by a relationship with their companion animal.Perfect for:

• Pet owners and animal lovers
• Fans of graphic memoirs
• Readers with an interest in women's stories, animal welfare, spirituality, and the human-animal bond
• Gift-giving in celebration of pet adoption, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, birthday, or any special occasion

Review Quotes

"...an intimate depiction of care across species, and connection beyond words featuring stories spanning adopted cats in Ukraine, big city bunnies and @batforlashes and her pup Scooby Doo." --MotherTongue Magazine

"[This] sweet and playful debut collection lovingly and colorfully illustrated by Willett...goes beyond cats and dogs. Pooja, one of the animals in the book, is a 41-year-old parrot that lives with Terra.... Clare, a self-identified witch, took care of Boo, a bat that suffered tears in her wings.... A tender celebration of special bonds of affection." --Kirkus

"Animals reflect our own needs back on to us. And when you talk to someone about their companion animals, you can learn so much more beneath the surface: stories of loss, creativity, grief, war, and compassion." --interview with the author, forArtists, Substack

"Cat Willett's lovely new book is filled with inspiring stories and gorgeous artwork. It's a much-needed breath of fresh air, with stunning colors and storytelling, and will open your heart and tickle your soul." --Jennifer Sodini, author, Feline Mystique Oracle

"For animal lovers of all stripes (or coats) ...a love letter to the special bond our pets uniquely provide. Crucial reading in our complicated times, filled with unbridled hope and remarkable sincerity...a balm for our moment." --Akilah Hughes, writer, comedian, podcaster

"In the same way I follow my cats' curious tails through their world, Cat Willett is following threads of curiosity that unravel into life's richest storytelling and unexpected emotional connections between humans and their animal companions." --Grace Selene, founder, The Moon Tarot

"Intimate, visually rich vignettes, Unconditional explores the profound relationships women form with their companion animals." --Women Writers, Women's Books

"Through intimate, neatly composed illustrated profiles of women and their companion animals, Willett meditates on the mysteries of interspecies bonds. Her subjects include a psychic and her guinea pig, rock singers and horses, a witch who runs a bat rescue, an archaeologist caring for an Istanbul street kitten, and a woman whose formerly feral cat becomes a 'petfluencer.' The women talk about how they connected to their pets (or, in a few cases, farm or wild animals), and how having a nonhuman in the family has changed their lives. Even skeptical readers will be won over by such candid revelations as when a blind artist, easing her guide dog [London] into retirement, shares that 'even without seeing London, I know exactly how beautiful she is.' Animal lovers will find plenty to relate to, whether they're cohabitating with a rabbit, a rooster, or a rottweiler." --Publishers Weekly

"Through the good and bad, animals can be one of our best support systems in life. In her new book, NY-based artist Cat Willett illustrates influential women and their life-changing relationships with animals. Told in vivid graphic novel style." --Womanly Magazine

"61 Anticipated YA and adult graphic novels for winter 2026" --The Beat: Comics Culture

Spring 2026 Preview: Adult comics Longlist--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Cat Willett is an illustrator and author whose work celebrates women and aims to uplift and inspire others through comics and books. She is the author of The Queen of Wands: The Story of Pamela Colman Smith: The Artist Behind the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck and Women of Tarot, An Illustrated History of Divinators, Cards Readers and Mystics. Her client list includes the New York Times, Spotify, Daily Harvest, Doc Martens, Adobe, and the Brooklyn Public Library. Cat lives in Brooklyn with her partner, their two boys, and their dog Bowie.