We'll Prescribe You a Cat - by Syou Ishida (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they "take" their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionally challenging yet endearing cats. Through the chapters of a disheartened businessman who finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a young girl navigating the complexities of elementary school cliques, a middle-aged man struggling to stay relevant at work and home, a hardened bag designer seeking emotional balance, and a geisha unable to move on from the memory of her lost cat, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed. As the clinic's patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope"--

Book Synopsis

A USA Today Bestseller

A cat a day keeps the doctor away...

Discover the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation in this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats.

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. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they "take" their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout the pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a hardened bag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha finds herself unable to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic's patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

Review Quotes

"Be prepared for six imaginative and whimsical stories about the animal-human bond. These stories need telling. ... Cat lovers must read this heart-warming book of the power of pets to heal and to achieve self-discovery and hope."--New York Journal of Books

"A heartwarming testimony to the power of the human-animal connection, best read with your own pet (stuffed works too, in a pinch) snuggled up by your side."--People

"...what readers discover in Ishida's writing is a deeply meaningful, vibrant celebration of the human-animal bond that speaks loudly in the modern world, where loneliness is an epidemic of its own. ... We'll Prescribe You a Cat might just possibly be what the doctor should order. Ishida's stories are vibrantly written and real, and Ishida's attentive prose captures cats' eccentricities, majesties, and quirks that make them some of the best companions a person can have. Therefore, the collection is not simply a call to action regarding ethical cat adoption or a book that raises awareness about corporations' cruelty to their employers--yes, those lessons also exist in the book! Instead, it is a book that draws attention to the fine line humans walk with the natural world and the healing effects nature--and one of nature's creatures--can offer humans at a time when so many live severed from the natural world. Ishida's playful, heartfelt stories are about interconnectedness, and they testify as to why it is important to love and respect all living creatures."--Tupelo Quarterly

"Heartwarming, hopeful, uplifting, sometimes thought provoking, you will no doubt recognize elements of your own connections with your cats, both past and present."--Purrs of Wisdom

"These stories not only express hope, self discovery and healing, but it also showcases just how special and 'magical' the bond between a human and cat can be (or any other animal for that matter)."--She Scribes

'The book is onto something--sometimes people need connection in their lives, and an animal can fulfill that... Written almost as a simple set of offerings or recipes for changing perspectives...Ishida's novel honors pets for the comfort they offer."--ZYZZYVA

About the Author

Born in 1975 in Kyoto, Syou Ishida began writing fiction while working at a telecommunications company. We'll Prescribe You a Cat has been a runaway bestseller in Japan and is due to be published in seventeen languages.